Re: Perl / Apache 2 / Alarms

[pileofrogs]

in reply to Perl / Apache 2 / Alarms

Let me see if I understand correctly:

You have a script that you want to launch some other scripts, then have it wait around a bit and then exit, right?

You need to fork off those other processes. The easy way to do that in unix is to stick a '&' at the end of the command. Using fork() and exec() is also a popular combination.

See perlfork & perlipc.

unix example:

system("ls -l > ls.out");  # you gonna have to wait
system("ls -l > ls.out &"); # the command goes into the
                            # background 

fork & exec example

my $pid = fork;
die "Fork failed me!\n" if !defined($pid);
if ( $pid == 0 ) {
   # I'm the child!
   exec("ls -l > ls.out");
}
# I'm the parent!
sleep 5; #or whatever

[Anonymous Monk]

Proc::Background

[DanielSpaniel]

Thanks for the reply ... I'll clarify. After executing the scripts it should wait a maximum of x seconds, or until each script has completed if that is sooner, and then continue processing the original script - and then exit. That's why using alarms is useful.

I thought that exec (as you've suggested) would simply replace the currently executing process, but I'm open to experimenting.

However, I would prefer to get the existing code working if possible, since I know can work (first example). I'm just not certain I am implementing it correctly (second example) in my own code, and would like somebody more Perlish than myself to suggest/help with that if possible.

Appreciate your comments though.