MySQL get_lock timeout misunderstanding? Am I missing something here. I'm looking at using GET_LOCK to allow two applications to co-ordinate which data to wok on.

From reading the manual it suggests that I need to apply a timeout to the GET_LOCK command. 

e.g. 

SELECT GET_LOCK('testlock1',10);


So I'm thinking that this means I am creating a lock called testlock1 that will remain in place until either I release it, or 10 seconds has passed.

If I then open another session (simulating a second application), and try to run SELECT GET_LOCK('testlock1',10); it just returns a 0. 

No matter how long I leave it, the lock remains in place. 

I would presume the full process would be something like:

SET @id = "SELECT id from dbname.tablename WHERE . . . "
SELECT GET_LOCK(CONCAT(@id,'-dbname-tablename'),10); 
# DO STUFF HERE . . .
UPDATE dbname.tablename . . . WHERE id = @id;
RELEASE GET_LOCK(CONCAT(@id,'-dbname-tablename'));


But if something happens, and the RELEASE_LOCK doesn't run (and the session remains open), that row will, in essence, be locked from any further updates.
Hence the reason I presumed the timeout was there?
The timeout applies to how long GET_LOCK will wait to acquire the lock (before timing out), in the event the lock is already held by another client.   It does not indicate how long a LOCK will be held as you mention