Postponing execution time out

[alex]

Hi,

I've got a problem with a script that needs about 1 minute to run as the
max_execution_t ime is set to 30 seconds only. I don't have the rights to
modify the max_execution_t ime parameter on the server.

How can I postpone this time out ?

Many thanks in advance,

--
alex

[Erwin Moller]

Re: Postponing execution time out

alex wrote:
[color=blue]
> Hi,
>
> I've got a problem with a script that needs about 1 minute to run as the
> max_execution_t ime is set to 30 seconds only. I don't have the rights to
> modify the max_execution_t ime parameter on the server.
>
> How can I postpone this time out ?
>
> Many thanks in advance,
>
> --
> alex[/color]

Hi Alex,

Check

http://nl2.php.net/function.set-time-limit

Did you try set_time_limit( ) from your script?
(Won't work if server runs in safe mode)

If you cannot modify php.ini AND the server runs in safe mode, you have a
problem, unless your provider will help.

In that case: Try to make smaller tasks of the big job.

Sequential:
If your big job is sequential, you have to stop it after 20 secs or so (to
be safe), SAFE THE STATE, then invoke a new PHP-script (or the same for
that matter) that does the next 20 secs, etc.
Of course you have to come up with a mechanism to store the state. This can
be in a session or in a database, or a file. Whatever you think is
suitable.

Parralel job:
In this case you can start up several requests at the same time.
(eg: job1: email to users who name start with a-m, job2: n-z)
Allthough it is very well possible that the jobs will both be slower because
they run at the same time.
So maybe you have to split up a parralel job as sequential too. :-)

Just my 2 cents.

Regards,
Erwin Moller

[Alvaro G Vicario]

Re: Postponing execution time out

*** alex wrote/escribió (Tue, 23 Aug 2005 14:45:46 +0200):[color=blue]
> I've got a problem with a script that needs about 1 minute to run as the
> max_execution_t ime is set to 30 seconds only. I don't have the rights to
> modify the max_execution_t ime parameter on the server.[/color]

You may find this useful, if you're allowed to use it:

<?

ini_set('max_ex ecution_time', 120); // 120 seconds
ini_set('memory _limit', '64M'); // 64 MB

?>


In either case, I highly recommend that you optimize your script. If it's a
database query, skip fields you don't need, limit returned rows to needed
records, use indexes, avoid unnecessary sortings... That can make as much
difference as going from 1 minute to 10 seconds.

--
-- Álvaro G. Vicario - Burgos, Spain
-- http://bits.demogracia.com - Mi sitio sobre programación web
-- Don't e-mail me your questions, post them to the group
--