Index: trunk/ippTasks/diff.pro
===================================================================
--- trunk/ippTasks/diff.pro	(revision 26987)
+++ trunk/ippTasks/diff.pro	(revision 27005)
@@ -160,4 +160,7 @@
 
   task.exec
+    # if we are unable to run the 'exec', use a long retry time
+    periods -exec $RUNEXEC
+
     book npages diffSkyfile -var N
     if ($N == 0) break
@@ -210,4 +213,5 @@
       echo command $run
     end
+    periods -exec 0.05
     command $run
   end