[launchd-dev] ExitTimeOut seems to be ignored in simple demo

13 Aug 2010

      I compiled a tool named "Beeper", which simply calls NSBeep() every second, in an infinite loop.

I then loaded this job using launchctl:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
    <key>ExitTimeOut</key>
    <integer>5</integer>
    <key>Label</key>
    <string>beeper.plist</string>
    <key>ProgramArguments</key>
    <array>
        <string>/Users/jk/Documents/Programming/Builds/Debug/Beeper</string>
    </array>
    <key>RunAtLoad</key>
    <true/>
</dict>
</plist>

As expected, my computer begins beeping.

Note that ExitTimeOut = 5.

Expected Result: My tool should get a SIGKILL and quit beeping after 5 seconds.
Actual Result: My tool keeps executing until I kill it with other means.

What's wrong?

Thanks,

Jerry Krinock