Detecting recursion loops

[robert]

Rob Wolfe wrote:
> robert wrote:
>> My code does recursion loops through a couple of functions. Due to problematic I/O input this leads sometimes to "endless" recursions and after expensive I/O to the Python recursion exception.
>> What would be a good method to detect recursion loops and stop it by user-Exception (after N passes or some complex criteria) without passing a recursion counter parameter through all the funcs?
> 
> What about `sys.setrecursionlimit`?
> 
> http://docs.python.org/lib/module-sys.html

That is a low level barrier. I just want to limit a certain recursion call chain.