signal¶

This module provides mechanisms to use signal handlers in Python.

Functions:

alarm() – cause SIGALRM after a specified time [Unix only] setitimer() – cause a signal (described below) after a specified

float time and the timer may restart then [Unix only]

getitimer() – get current value of timer [Unix only] signal() – set the action for a given signal getsignal() – get the signal action for a given signal pause() – wait until a signal arrives [Unix only] default_int_handler() – default SIGINT handler

signal constants: SIG_DFL – used to refer to the system default handler SIG_IGN – used to ignore the signal NSIG – number of defined signals SIGINT, SIGTERM, etc. – signal numbers

itimer constants: ITIMER_REAL – decrements in real time, and delivers SIGALRM upon

expiration

ITIMER_VIRTUAL – decrements only when the process is executing,

and delivers SIGVTALRM upon expiration

ITIMER_PROF – decrements both when the process is executing and

when the system is executing on behalf of the process. Coupled with ITIMER_VIRTUAL, this timer is usually used to profile the time spent by the application in user and kernel space. SIGPROF is delivered upon expiration.

* IMPORTANT NOTICE * A signal handler function is called with two arguments: the first is the signal number, the second is the interrupted stack frame.