# \[ANN\] forkoff - parallel processing for ruby enumerables
**URL:** https://rubytalk.org/t/ann-forkoff-parallel-processing-for-ruby-enumerables/45958
**Category:** ruby-talk
**Created:** [18 April 2008 01:43 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/ann-forkoff-parallel-processing-for-ruby-enumerables/45958 "2008-04-18T01:43:05Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@a11](https://rubytalk.org/u/a11)
#### Post date: [18 April 2008 15:59 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/ann-forkoff-parallel-processing-for-ruby-enumerables/45958/21 "2008-04-18T15:59:44Z")
yes. forkoff has a number of consumer \*green\* threads used to manage an array of queues containing the elements destined to be passed to a forked process/native thread for execution of the block. the code is very short, give a read.
cheers.
a @ [http://codeforpeople.com/](http://codeforpeople.com/)
> **···**
>
> On Apr 18, 2008, at 6:23 AM, fedzor wrote:
>
> > Since it's using Kernel#fork(), does this mean it is using OS threads?
>
> --
> we can deny everything, except that we have the possibility of being better. simply reflect on that.
> h.h. the 14th dalai lama
---
### Author:  [@a11](https://rubytalk.org/u/a11)
#### Post date: [29 April 2008 23:02 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/ann-forkoff-parallel-processing-for-ruby-enumerables/45958/22 "2008-04-29T23:02:36Z")
require 'timeout'
begin
Timeout.timeout(seconds){ thread.join }
rescue Timeout::Error
thread.kill rescue nil
end
a @ [http://codeforpeople.com/](http://codeforpeople.com/)
> **···**
>
> On Apr 29, 2008, at 4:15 PM, Abdul-rahman Advany wrote:
>
> > Sorry, just figured out calling fork makes the thread a child process...
> > just need to find out how to set a timeout on the thread... anyone
> > suggestions?
>
> --
> we can deny everything, except that we have the possibility of being better. simply reflect on that.
> h.h. the 14th dalai lama
---
### Author:  [@Jeremy\_Hinegardner](https://rubytalk.org/u/Jeremy_Hinegardner)
#### Post date: [30 April 2008 15:32 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/ann-forkoff-parallel-processing-for-ruby-enumerables/45958/23 "2008-04-30T15:32:45Z")
That'll kill the thread, but not the child process that was forked, at least
that's what I remember.
Try this as a general strategy:
parent\_t = Thread.new(cmd) do |exec\_me|
if cpid = fork then
Thread.current[:cpid] = cpid
cpid, exit\_status = Process.waitpid2(cpid)
Thread.current[:exit\_status] = exit\_status
else
exec exec\_me
end
end
unless parent\_t.join( seconds ) # seconds contains your timeout value
cpid = parent\_t[:cpid]
%w[TERM KILL].each do |sig|
Process.kill(sig, cpid)
break if parent\_t.join(1)
end
# Do something with Thread.current[:exit\_status] to report the child
# process exit status.
enjoy,
-jeremy
> **···**
>
> On Wed, Apr 30, 2008 at 08:02:36AM +0900, ara.t.howard wrote:
>
> > On Apr 29, 2008, at 4:15 PM, Abdul-rahman Advany wrote:
> >
> > > Sorry, just figured out calling fork makes the thread a child process...
> > > just need to find out how to set a timeout on the thread... anyone
> > > suggestions?
> >
> > require 'timeout'
> >
> > begin
> > Timeout.timeout(seconds){ thread.join }
> > rescue Timeout::Error
> > thread.kill rescue nil
> > end
>
> # --
>
> Jeremy Hinegardner jeremy@hinegardner.org
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