http://www.perlmonks.org?node_id=409997


in reply to Running a process in the background

You will need to fork a child process, so while that one is doing the "background" work, the parent can keep going.

If you have several background processes to run at the same time, Parallel::ForkManager is good.

Tiago
  • Comment on Re: Running a process in the background

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Re^2: Running a process in the background
by Anonymous Monk on Nov 23, 2004 at 22:07 UTC
    Hello,

    Thanks for your response. Can you give me an example of how to use fork to start a function in a perl module in the background?

    Thank you.

[reply]
      if (my $pid = fork) {
   # parent ($pid is process id of child)
   parent_function();
} else {
   # child
   child_function();
   exit;
}

      [download]
      Feel free to read perldoc -f fork, and look at some examples online. This is not really advanced perl, but it requires some attention.
[reply]
[d/l]
        From personal experience, the exit is key. Let's just say that I'm glad that I had my own Sun workstation when I started experimenting with fork...*cough*fork bomb*cough*

        thor

        Feel the white light, the light within
        Be your own disciple, fan the sparks of will
        For all of us waiting, your kingdom will come

[reply]
        Hello, Remember to check for a fork error after forking: 
        
if (my $pid = fork) {
    ## Parent
  } elsif ($pid == 0) {
    ## Child
  } else {
    ## Error, $pid is undefined
}

        [download]
[reply]
[d/l]

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