Method and system for timing code execution in a korn shell script

A data processing system comprising:

• a processor;
• a memory coupled to the processor;
• an operating system having a Korn Shell (KSH);
• and program means for executing a block of code within the KSH, said means comprising means for:
• initiating the execution of a user-specified block of code within the KSH;
• concurrently executing a secondary process within the KSH that activates a clock timer, wherein said secondary process generates a time-code function utilizing a Korn shell script, which utilizes a plurality of time-code variables to measure the execution time of the user-specified block of code, and wherein the secondary process provides a threshold maximum execution time (threshold time) within which execution of the block of code is to be completed;
• wherein said secondary process completes the functions of:
• when execution of a first line of code within the block of code is initiated, capturing a current time from a system clock of the computer system that changes time in set time intervals and recording the current time in a starting point variable within system memory;
• and dynamically terminating execution of the block of code when the execution time reaches the threshold time;
• and checking each execution code within the block of code for a time-code stopping point;
• when a current code execution statement contains the time-code stopping point, such that the block of code completes executing before the clock timer reaches the threshold time:
• automatically stopping the secondary process and the clock timer;
• obtaining a current system clock time as a timestamp from the secondary process;
• and outputting elapsed time on the clock timer indicating actual execution time for executing the block of code.

A computer program product comprising:

• a recordable type medium;
• and program instructions on the computer readable medium, which when executed by a processor of a computer system with an operating system having a Korn Shell (KSH) provides the functions of:
• initiating the execution of a user-specified block of code within the KSH;
• concurrently executing a secondary process within the KSH that activates a clock timer, wherein said secondary process generates a time-code function utilizing a Korn shell script, which utilizes a plurality of time-code variables to measure the execution time of the user-specified block of code, and wherein the secondary process provides a threshold maximum execution time (threshold time) within which execution of the block of code is to be completed;
• wherein said secondary process completes the functions of:
• when execution of a first line of code within the block of code is initiated, capturing a current time from a system clock of the computer system that changes time in set time intervals and recording the current time in a starting point variable within system memory;
• and dynamically terminating execution of the block of code when the execution time reaches the threshold time;
• and checking each execution code within the block of code for a time-code stopping point;
• when a current code execution statement contains the time-code stopping point, such that the block of code completes executing before the clock timer reaches the threshold time:
• automatically stopping the secondary process and the clock timer;
• obtaining a current system clock time as a timestamp from the secondary process;
• and outputting elapsed time on the clock timer indicating actual execution time for executing the block of code.