ARES_TIMEOUT(3)

💖 ARES_TIMEOUT(3) 💖

okay bestie, gather round, we're talking about ares_timeout from the c-ares library functions crew — this one is lowkey the clock manager of your whole event loop and she's so important. 🕰️✨

✨ NAME ✨

ares_timeout — returns the maximum time you should wait before doing literally anything else. yes queen, she's the "how long do I chill before I check on my stuff" function. 🫶

🌸 SYNOPSIS 🌸

#include <ares.h>

struct timeval *ares_timeout(const ares_channel_t *channel,
                             struct timeval *maxtv,
                             struct timeval *tv)

copy that exactly, no typos, we do not freestyle signatures in this house 💅

🦋 DESCRIPTION 🦋

so the way ares_timeout(3) works is she figures out the maximum time you should wait around before you go call ares_process(3) to handle all your timeouts. it's giving "set an alarm so you don't forget your responsibilities." ⏰

the parameter maxtv is where you hand her a maximum timeout you already have in mind, or you pass NULL if you're not trying to cap it at anything. and here's the cute part — if you don't want a maximum timeout, NULL is exactly what you give her. no pressure, no ceiling, live your truth. 🎀

the parameter tv must point to a writable buffer of type struct timeval. like, she needs somewhere to put her answer, okay? don't hand her a read-only situation, she will not be able to work with that. 🙈

and yes, before you ask — it is totally valid for maxtv and tv to have the same value. same pointer, same struct, same vibe. iconic behaviour, honestly. ✨

here's the tea on what she returns:

• if no queries have timeouts pending sooner than the given maximum timeout, ares_timeout(3) just returns the value of maxtv — she's like "nothing's happening sooner, you're good, use your own number." 💜
• otherwise, ares_timeout(3) stores the appropriate timeout value into the buffer that tv points to, and returns the value of tv. she's handing you the real answer, freshly computed, no cap. 🔥

so basically: give her a max, give her a buffer, and she'll tell you which one actually matters. main character energy from a timeout function, honestly. 👑

🌈 SEE ALSO 🌈

• ares_fds(3)
• ares_process(3)
• ares_process_fd(3)

go read those next bestie, they're the whole friend group 🫶

this has been ARES_TIMEOUT(3) from the Library Functions Manual, dated 25 July 1998 — yes she's an old soul and she still ate 💅✨ mwah, love u, go process your timeouts 💖