Set time for fopen in tcp/ip communication

Good afternoon,

I have been working on a tcp/ip connection between Matlab and Labview, in which both programs will act as a server and as a client as the same time.

While writing the code of Matlab, I have encounter a difficulty which I do not seem to find a solution, I would like that the program opens the connection but not infinitely but that the fopen(...) waits for a response on a certain time defined by me and if does not find anything on that stablished time continues the following lines of the code.

Until know I have managed to create two variants which do not work of course, but maybe there is another way which I am not seeing. I have been looking for a way for a while now and run out of ideas.

Version 1

for e = 1:50

    pause(1); 
    retry = retry + 1; 

    if retry > number_of_retries 
        fprintf(1, 'Too many retries\n');
        fclose(Connection); 
        return;
    end

    fprintf(1, ['Try %d waiting for client to connect to this ' ...
            'host on port : %d\n'], retry, output_port); 
        fopen(Connection);
        disp('Connection OK');
        break

end

The connection remains open inf.

version 2 for e= 1:50

             if ((number_of_retries > 0) && (retry > number_of_retries))
                 fprintf(1, 'Too many retries\n'); 
                 fclose(Connection); 
                 return;
                 pause(1);
                 retry = retry + 1;

             end

             if(retry>1)
                 fprintf(1, ['Try %d waiting for client to connect to this ' ...
                         'host on port : %d\n'], retry, output_port);
                 fopen(Connection);                        
                 disp('Connection OK');
             end;

 end

This version simply does not open the connection at all.

Seriously there must be a way to control how long the fopen stays well; open...

I hope to hear from you soon, and I deeply thank you in advance if you find me a solution.