If you use MPEX, here is a command file that I built:

%print tstbakt8.command
parm MSG_FILE HOW_LONG
anyparm JOB_NAME
while jscount("!job_name") <> 0
setvar fnum vefopen("!msg_file,old;acc=in")
setvar fcntl vefcontrol(fnum,4,!HOW_LONG)
continue
        :nomsg setvar data verfread(fnum)
echo job:!job_name is still running
calc vefclose(fnum)
endwhile
echo job:!job_name has completed

What this command file will do is cause whatever job that uses this
command to hang on a message file read for x seconds.  This hang is in a
loop that also checks for the job that will write to the message file.

Even if this isn't what you exactly need, it should give you some ideas
on how to approach your situation.

Later.
Ron Horner
Operations Manager
Administrative Management Group
[log in to unmask]


        -----Original Message-----
        From:   Maclary, David [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
        Sent:   Thursday, March 18, 1999 8:55 AM
        To:     [log in to unmask]
        Subject:        message files

        I need to have a batch job wait for n seconds, but I'd also like
it to "wake
        up" immediately if needed. I was thinking that a message file
would do the
        trick.

        When I do the following interactively...

        Session A:

        :build msgfile;msg
        :file m=msgfile,old;semi;gmulti
        :input response;wait=60 < *x

        Session B:
        :file m=msgfile,old;semi;gmulti
        :echo OK >> *x

        Session A says...

        End of file on input. (CIERR 900)

        and msgfile now has an eof of 1, and record 1 contains the
string "OK".

        Figuring that GMULTI was allowing the file pointer to move on
me, I tried
        ;MULTI, but that get me...

        Couldn't open output redirection file, command failed. (CIERR
9425)
        DEVICE UNAVAILABLE  (FSERR 55)

        In any event, I can work around the end of file error message
easily enough,
        except, when I try running
        "Session A" as a batch job, the INPUT;WAIT=60 does not time out
!!!

        Want I'd like to have happen is, in batch, for the :INPUT
command to either
        read a record
        from msgfile (if one gets ECHOed to it), or, timeout after 60
seconds.

        Any help would be greatly appreciated.

        Thank you,
        David Maclary