How to run a MATLAB program for a specified time duration?

For example if there is a MATLAB program as follows:

duration = 1 % minute
i=1
while i<1000
   [X,Y] = ginput(1)
   i = i+1;
end

Is there any way to terminate the execution of this program or getting out of the loop when it reaches to the assigned amount of time (1 minute in this case) in such a situation in which continuation of the loop needs the user intervention (in this case clicking on any point on the plotted figure)?

[somayehRazaghi]

hi

i have the same problem. i want to execute a function just for a specified time (like t). for example:

t=5; % in second
[Sensors,Receiver]=FindReceiver3(Sensors,Network,sender);
if (Receiver==0 ) && t==5) 
    disp('must change channel');
end

how can i do this?

[Guillaume]

This is very different from what was asked here, so please start your own question.

Answer 1

[Walter Roberson]

No. The closest you can get is to sometimes be able to quit the entire MATLAB session when a timer expires. However, if the MATLAB session is deep into calculations, then the only way to interrupt it is to ask your operating system to kill the process.

[RZM]

Thanks Walter, So if it is not possible, one way could be using callback functions instead of using loops, but can the callback function see whether it is time to end running the script?

[Walter Roberson]

Your problem is the ginput(): you can't interrupt it when the time expires.

If you recode the ginput() in terms of getting the current point when a ButtonDownFcn is detected, then that can be put into a callback, and you can do the kind of loop until toc that is discussed above; just make sure you have a pause() to allow the button event to run.