[Info-vax] DCL "READ/TIME_OUT=n" from terminal; timer resets if message written to screen

[Scott Snadow]

I searched but didn't find this mentioned anywhere...

If I do this:

$ READ/TIME_OUT=10 SYS$COMMAND FOOBAR

And while the READ is waiting for me to respond to it, if someone sends a REPLY message to my screen, or if I have a subprocess running that sends some output to my screen, the ten second timer restarts at zero again.

I tested this with a subprocess that just shoots out a message every 9 seconds, and the ten-second READ *never* timed-out.

Tried this on OpenVMS Alpha V7.3-2 and V8.4-2L2, same result.

Anyone else encounter this before?  Documented somewhere?  Bug?  Feature?  Etc...

The motivation behind this: During startup, a command procedure asks the operator a few questions; if an operator isn't there, the questions time-out and default answers are assumed.  BUT - the timeout is currently set to 60 seconds, and there's a fairly constant stream of OPCOM messages coming to OPA0:, and those messages usually come more frequently than once a minute.  End result, the questions never time out and the system never finishes startup.

Yes, I know that other solutions are possible.  Shortening the timeout, suppressing the OPCOM messages, etc.  But at this point I just want to know if this is "the way it's supposed to work" or not!

Scott