---
name: "SDL_WaitEventTimeout"
section: "3"
platform: "linux"
package: "libsdl3-doc"
version: "3.2.10+ds-1"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/SDL_WaitEventTimeout"
---

# SDL\_WaitEventTimeout(3)

Wait until the specified timeout (in milliseconds) for the next available event.

## NAME

SDL\_WaitEventTimeout - Wait until the specified timeout (in milliseconds) for the next available event.

## HEADER FILE

Defined in SDL3/SDL\_events.h

## SYNOPSIS

```
#include "SDL3/SDL.h"
```

**bool SDL\_WaitEventTimeout(SDL\_Event \*event, Sint32 timeoutMS);**

## DESCRIPTION

If **event** is not NULL, the next event is removed from the queue and stored in the  **SDL\_Event**\
  structure pointed to by **event** .

As this function may implicitly call  **SDL\_PumpEvents** (), you can only call this function in the thread that initialized the video subsystem.

The timeout is not guaranteed, the actual wait time could be longer due to system scheduling.

## FUNCTION PARAMETERS

- *event*

  the  **SDL\_Event**\
    structure to be filled in with the next event from the queue, or NULL.

- *timeoutMS*

  the maximum number of milliseconds to wait for the next available event.

## RETURN VALUE

Returns true if this got an event or false if the timeout elapsed without any events available.

## THREAD SAFETY

This function should only be called on the main thread.

## AVAILABILITY

This function is available since SDL 3.2.0.

## SEE ALSO

**•**(3), [**SDL\_PollEvent**(3)](/SDL_PollEvent/3.md), **•**(3), [**SDL\_PushEvent**(3)](/SDL_PushEvent/3.md), **•**(3), [**SDL\_WaitEvent**(3)](/SDL_WaitEvent/3.md)