MB> but which exits with certain errorlevels at scheduled 
 MB> times.  One of these errorlevels causes the parent 
 MB> batch file to run a particular REXX script.  Because 
 MB> there are certain real-time constraints, I need to be 
 MB> able to limit the amount of time that the REXX script 
 MB> runs, killing it ungracefully if necessary as a last 
 MB> ditch effort to keep the system running.

Try using 'start' to start other processes, and let them run in the
background to completion.

I'm not sure what exactly you are doing, but, except for my nightly
maintenance, everything else I do from Blinky does not require the serial
port so it can take as long as it wants.



--- Maximus/2 3.01