Setting timeout for embedded Lua

I have embedded Lua in a C/C+= application. I want to be able to set a timeout value to prevent getting trapped with badly written scripts that can result in infinite loops (or even string searches that take an infinite time to complete).

Basically, I want to be able to set a time interval and if the script fails to complete running at the end of that time interval, I want to be able to kill the Lua script engine (gracefully, if possible).

Anyone knows of best practise way to do开发者_运维技巧 this?

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One way to control the amount of time a script takes is to set a count hook and then raise an error in the hook. But this does not work if the script can call C functions that may take a long time.