Python : Running loop while waiting for server socket connection -

i have lcd use display timecode of movie watching on xbmc, , display current date , hour when nothing played. machine hosting lcd running python tcpsocketserver server receiving text displayed xbmc installation. problem have keep active network connection xbmc can send hour , date through socket , lcd can display it. in opinion, best thing display date of machine hosting lcd , switch "timecode view" when socket active.

is there "pythonic" way set tcpsocketserver compute loop displaying date while waiting connection, , change behaviour compute data received through socket ?

many in advance

here's code want. starts tcp server listening text sent port 9876. when gets text sends display object. code sets timer runs once second, sending "idle text" (ie: current timestamp) display object.

the display gets normal update text (from server), , "idle text" 2nd thread. object knows how long it's been since got real text, , displays 1 or other messages.

if display object attached hardware, use multiprocessing.rlock or other mechanism protect itself.

have fun!

lcdcontrol.py source

import signal, socketserver, threading, time  class display(object):     idle_time = 5               # seconds      def __init__(self):         self.updated = none         self.write('hello')      def _write(self, arg):         print 'display:', arg      def write(self, arg):         """         update display , 'last updated' timestamp         """         self._write(arg)         self.updated = time.time()      def idle(self, arg):         """         update display if it's been few seconds         """         if time.time() - self.updated >= self.idle_time:             self._write(arg)  class displayhandler(socketserver.baserequesthandler):      displayobj = none          # class var      def handle(self):         text = self.request.recv(1024).strip()         print "{} wrote: {}".format(             self.client_address[0], text,             )         # send text lcd         self.displayobj.write(text)   def check_idle(display_obj):     """     update display current time if it's idle     """     while true:         display_obj.idle(             time.strftime('time: %h:%m:%s'),         )         time.sleep(1)   def start_server(host, port):     """     start (single threaded) server     """     socketserver.tcpserver(         (host, port),          displayhandler,     ).serve_forever()   def main(host, port):     display = display()      # store global display obj handler can     displayhandler.displayobj = display      print 'serving on {}:{}'.format(host, port)     print 'example: echo beer | nc localhost {}'.format(port)     print      server_t = threading.thread(         target=start_server, args=(host, port)     )     server_t.daemon = true     server_t.start()      idle_t = threading.thread(         target=check_idle, args=[display],         )     idle_t.daemon = true     idle_t.start()      # wait control-c interrupt     try:         signal.pause()     except keyboardinterrupt:         pass  if __name__ == "__main__":     main("localhost", 9876) 

sample run

here started server, waited few seconds, typed fortune -s | nc localhost 9876 send short fortune cookie lcd server.

notice "idle timer" stopped @ :07, output fortune cookie, waited 5 seconds, continued :13, :14. message displayed 5 seconds before switching idle timestamp.

python ./lcdcontrol.py display: hello serving on localhost:9876 example: echo beer | nc localhost 9876  display: time: 13:08:06 display: time: 13:08:07 127.0.0.1 wrote: people need imaginary cure painful imaginary ailment. display: people need imaginary cure painful imaginary ailment. display: time: 13:08:13 display: time: 13:08:14 display: time: 13:08:15 display: time: 13:08:16