sub timeout_func{

  # The first parameter is the timeout time
  my $TIMEOUT=sprintf("%s",$_[0]);

  # The second parameter is the address of the function we
  # need to perform a timeout for
  my $ADDRESS=sprintf("%s",$_[1]);

  # The third parameter is the first parameter of the
  # function we need to run
  my $FIRST=sprintf("%s",$_[2]);
  
  eval{
    #set the callback for the alarm signal
    local $SIG{ALRM} = sub { die ("ETIME\n") };

    #specify the alarm timeout
    alarm($TIMEOUT);

    #call the funtion that the calling code has provided
    #the address of via the \&<function name> mechanism

    #if we came back with in the time limit, reset the alarm
    alarm(0);

  };


} # timeout_func


timeout_func(120,\&funtion_that_might_hang,<1st param to
 funtion_that_might_hang>);