[comp.sys.ibm.pc] can polled/timed-out reads be done in microsoft C ??

kgdykes@watmath.UUCP (02/17/87)

I need to be able to "poll" COM1 from a C program.
Since regular read() or getc() wait forever for data, is there
a method to either or all of
 1) set a signal or alarm which can "time-out" the normal i/o routines
 2) already exists a read or getc type routine which either times-out
     or immediately returns some status if no data is available.
 3) invoke (or write if i have to) a routine to tell me
     "are there any data to be read on this file handle" then i can go
      do the getc()
Thankyou!
   -Ken Dykes
    Software Development Group
    U.of.Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
    kgdykes@watmath

:q