1.\" Copyright (c) 1986, 1991, 1993 2.\" The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved. 3.\" 4.\" %sccs.include.redist.man% 5.\" 6.\" @(#)usleep.3 8.1 (Berkeley) 06/04/93 7.\" 8.Dd 9.Dt USLEEP 3 10.Os BSD 4.3 11.Sh NAME 12.Nm usleep 13.Nd suspend execution for interval of microseconds 14.Sh SYNOPSIS 15.Fd #include <unistd.h> 16.Ft void 17.Fn usleep "u_int microseconds" 18.Sh DESCRIPTION 19The 20.Fn usleep 21function 22suspends execution of the calling process 23for 24.Fa microseconds 25of time. 26System activity or time spent in processing the 27call may lengthen the sleep slightly. 28.Pp 29If a timer is already running on the process its state is saved. 30If the value 31.Fa microseconds 32is more than or equal to the remaining clock time for the saved timer, 33the sleep time is set to 34the remaining clock time. 35The state of the previous timer 36is restored after 37.Fa microseconds 38has passed. 39.Pp 40This routine is implemented using 41.Xr setitimer 2 ; 42it requires eight system calls each time it is invoked. 43A similar but less compatible function can be obtained with a single 44.Xr select 2 ; 45such a function would not restart after signals, but would not interfere 46with other uses of 47.Xr setitimer . 48.Sh SEE ALSO 49.Xr setitimer 2 , 50.Xr getitimer 2 , 51.Xr sigpause 2 , 52.Xr ualarm 3 , 53.Xr sleep 3 , 54.Xr alarm 3 55.Sh HISTORY 56The 57.Fn usleep 58function appeared in 59.Bx 4.3 . 60