# RTDE times out after 10s

**URL:** <https://forum.universal-robots.com/t/rtde-times-out-after-10s/22784>\
**Category:** Technical Questions\
**Created:** [July 19, 2022, 11:11pm UTC](https://forum.universal-robots.com/t/rtde-times-out-after-10s/22784 "2022-07-19T23:11:15Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![jason](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/dc4da7/32.png) [@jason](https://forum.universal-robots.com/u/jason)\
**Post date:** [July 19, 2022, 11:11pm UTC](https://forum.universal-robots.com/t/rtde-times-out-after-10s/22784/1 "2022-07-19T23:11:15Z")

</div>

Is [GitHub - UniversalRobots/RTDE\_Python\_Client\_Library: RTDE client library and examples](https://github.com/UniversalRobots/RTDE_Python_Client_Library) still supported? Looks like it was checked in but then no activity since then.

I just posted this:

> <https://github.com/UniversalRobots/RTDE_Python_Client_Library/issues/6>
>
> Seems like RTDE expects you to poll it continuously after you connect if you wan…t fresh data. It'd be good if that was clearly called out in the docs.
> 
> If I do this:
> \`\`\`
> rtde.connect()
> time.sleep(11)
> rtde.receive()
> \`\`\`
> I get errors like \`received 0 bytes from Controller, probable cause: Controller has stopped\` or \`received 0 bytes from Controller\`. Also, I'll often get two stale messages before it notices the disconnect.

Copying here for convenience and visibility:

Seems like RTDE expects you to poll it continuously after you connect if you want fresh data. It’d be good if that was clearly called out in the docs.

If I do this:

```auto
rtde.connect()
time.sleep(11)
rtde.receive()

```

I get errors like `received 0 bytes from Controller, probable cause: Controller has stopped` or `received 0 bytes from Controller`. Also, I’ll often get two stale messages before it notices the disconnect.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![mmi](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.universal-robots.com/mmi/32/691_2.png) [@mmi](https://forum.universal-robots.com/u/mmi)\
**Post date:** [August 9, 2022, 1:55pm UTC](https://forum.universal-robots.com/t/rtde-times-out-after-10s/22784/2 "2022-08-09T13:55:19Z")

</div>

Receive has to be called frequently, otherwise input buffers overflow.  
UR should be more explicit about that in the API documentation. Thanks for reporting.