AGS_PING_TIME

AGS_PING_TIME is used in combination with the server configuration variable DEAD_CLIENT_TIMEOUT to enable a mechanism in AcuServer that automatically detects when a client hangs or disappears (see the Machine Failures for a complete description).

Note: If you use AGS_PING_TIME, the variable must be set before the socket connection between the client and the server is created. This means that the runtime configuration file must reside on the client, rather than on the server, for AcuServer to detect lost connections.

If you set AGS_PING_TIME to -1, the default value, the client does not participate in the server's dead client detection service.

If you set AGS_PING_TIME to any other value, the client reporting mechanism is enabled and the connection is included in acuserve's monitoring table (if it is enabled). The value of AGS_PING_TIME specifies the interval, in seconds, in which the client will send an I'm alive message (a no-op instruction) to acuserve. The value is communicated to acuserve at the time that the connection is established so that acuserve can determine, when it checks its monitoring records, whether the connection has missed two or more consecutive communication periods. If the client misses two or more consecutive communications periods, AcuServer determines that the client is no longer responding and it closes all associated files, releases all associated locks, and closes the associated socket.

Note: When you are running a program in debug mode, the runtime is not able to send ping messages to the debugger prompt. Therefore, if you are debugging a COBOL program, you should set AGS_PING_TIME to -1.