PHP - Executing Time Consuming Functions In An Eventloop

I have a php code that call a process (a java program). The process runs in background for a so long time - from 1 minute to 2 hours. I make the process call using exec:

<?php
function execInBackground($cmd) {
    if (substr(php_uname(), 0, 7) == "Windows"){
        pclose(popen("start /B ". $cmd, "r"));
    }
    else {
        exec($cmd . "  &> /dev/null &");
    }
}
$command = "java ... ReadEmailsCmdLine 2>&1";
execInBackground($command);

echo "FINALIZADO";

Though the command runs in background it looks that the PHP code wait for the command completion to send a answer to client browser because I just see "FINALIZADO" after the java program finished its execution.

Does someone know how I can solve this problem? Or at least does have a hint/pointer for that?

Since now I thanks any comment/suggestion

I have a script I am putting together that simulate a cricket game. The only issue is, that there are a huge number of functions because there doesn't seem to be any other way to do this properly. As well as this, there a while() loop and all this seems to be leading to the page reaching a max 30 second timeout when generating the result.

My code is attached below, it is quite messy at the moment because i've just be working on it, but I was wondering if anyone has any solutions of how I can speed this up or change to prevent a timeout:

<?php
// Error reporting
error_reporting(E_ALL);

// Connect DB
mysql_connect("wickettowicket.adminfuel.com", "rockinaway", "preetha6488") or die(mysql_error());

// Select DB
mysql_select_db("wickettowicket") or die(mysql_error());

// MySQL queries to find batsmen and bowlers 
$array_batsmen = mysql_query('SELECT id, name, ability, strength FROM wtw_players WHERE team_id = 1 ORDER BY id ASC');
$array_bowlers = mysql_query('SELECT id, name, ability, strength FROM wtw_players WHERE team_id = 2');

// Start table for data 
$data = '<table width="600px">';

// Create blank scorecard
while ($array_bat = mysql_fetch_array($array_batsmen))
{
$data .= '<tr><td>'.$array_bat['name'].'</td><td></td><td></td><td>0</td></tr>';
}

// Set up arrays for players 
$current_batsman = $current_bowler = array();

// Reset query
mysql_data_seek($array_batsmen,0);

$in_one = $in_two = $it = '';

function currentBatsman($id, $name, $ability, $strength, $out, $in, $runs)
{
global $current_batsman;


$current_batsman = array (
'id' => $id,
'name' => $name,
'ability' => $ability,
'strength' => $strength,
'out' => $out,
'in' => $in,
'runs' => $runs
);

echo 'set current';
}

// Set up arrays of batsmen
while ($array = mysql_fetch_array($array_batsmen))
{

if ($it < 3 && $in_one == '') 
{
currentBatsman($array['id'], $array['name'], $array['ability'], $array['strength'], 0, 1, 0);

$batsmen[$array['id']] = array (
'id' => $array['id'],
'name' => $array['name'],
'ability' => $array['ability'],
'strength' => $array['strength'],
'out' => 0,
'in' => 1,
'runs' => 0
);

$in_one = $array['id'];
$current = $array['id'];
$it++;
}
else if ($it < 3 && $in_two == '') 
{
$batsmen[$array['id']] = array (
'id' => $array['id'],
'name' => $array['name'],
'ability' => $array['ability'],
'strength' => $array['strength'],
'out' => 0,
'in' => 1,
'runs' => 0
);

$in_two = $array['id'];
$it++;
}
else 
{
$batsmen[$array['id']] = array (
'id' => $array['id'],
'name' => $array['name'],
'ability' => $array['ability'],
'strength' => $array['strength'],
'out' => 0,
'in' => 0,
'runs' => 0
);
}

}

// Bowler Array
while ($array = mysql_fetch_array($array_bowlers))
{
$bowlers[] = array (
'name' => $array['name'],
'ability' => $array['ability'],
'strength' => $array['strength']
);

}

// Reset both queries
mysql_data_seek($array_bowlers,0);
mysql_data_seek($array_batsmen,0);



function changeBatsman($just_out)
{
global $array_batsmen, $batsmen; 

//Update array
$batsmen[$just_out] = array (
'in' => 1,
'out' =>  1
);

while ($array = mysql_fetch_array($array_batsmen))
{
if ($just_out != $array['id'] && $batsmen[$array['id']]['out'] != 0) currentBatsman($array['id'], $array['name'], $array['ability'], $array['strength'], 0, 1, 0);
}

// Reset query
mysql_data_seek($array_batsmen,0);

echo 'change batsman';
}

function swapBatsman($other_batsman)
{
global $array_batsmen, $batsman; 

while ($array = mysql_fetch_array($array_batsmen))
{
if ($other_batsman != $array['id'] && $batsman[$array['id']]['out'] != 0 && $batsman[$array['id']]['in'] == 1) currentBatsman($array['id'], $array['name'], $array['ability'], $array['strength'], 0, 1, 0);
}

// Reset query
mysql_data_seek($array_batsmen,0);

echo 'swap batsman';
}

$runs = $outs = $balls = $overs = 0;

$played = array();

function selectBowler()
{
global $bowlers, $current_bowler;

// Select random bowler
$choose_bowler = array_rand($bowlers, 1);

$current_bowler = array (
'name' => $bowlers[$choose_bowler]['name'],
'ability' => $bowlers[$choose_bowler]['ability'],
'strength' => $bowlers[$choose_bowler]['strength']
);

 

}

/*
function selectBatsman();
{
global $array_batsmen;

while ($array_batsmen[]['out'] != 1)
{


}*/

function bowl()
{
global $batsmen, $bowlers, $current_bowler, $current_batsman, $data, $balls, $outs, $runs;

if ($current_batsman['out'] == 0)
{
echo 'bowling';
// Set the initial number
$number = rand(0, 190);

// Ability of batsman
if ($current_batsman['ability'] > 90) $number += 30;
else if ($current_batsman['ability'] > 70) $number += 15;
else if ($current_batsman['ability'] > 50) $number += 2;
else $number = $number;

// Strength of batsman
if ($current_batsman['strength'] > 90) $number += 15;
else if ($current_batsman['strength'] > 70) $number += 10;
else if ($current_batsman['strength'] > 50) $number += 5;
else $number = $number;

// Depending on overs
if ($balls > 270) $number += 30;
else if ($balls > 120) $number -= 10;

// Ability
if ($current_bowler['ability'] > 90) $number -= 30;
else if ($current_bowler['ability'] > 70) $number -= 15;
else if ($current_bowler['ability'] > 50) $number -= 2;
else $number = $number;

// If batsman has made a huge total of runs, we need to knock some numbers off - more likely to get out
if ($current_batsman['runs'] > 200) $number -= 70;
else if ($current_batsman['runs'] > 100) $number -= 30;

// Finally sort out runs
if ($number > 190) $run = 6;
else if ($number > 170) $run = 4;
else if ($number > 160) $run = 3;
else if ($number > 100) $run = 2;
else if ($number > 50) $run = 1;
else if ($number > 10) $run = 0;
else if ($balls > 120 && $number > 0) $run = 0;
else $run = -1;

// Increase number of balls
$balls += 1;

// Are they out?
if ($run == -1)
{
$current_batsman['out'] = 1;

$played[] = $current_batsman['id'];
$find = '<tr><td>'.$current_batsman['name'].'</td><td></td><td></td><td>0</td></tr>';
$replace = '<tr><td>'.$current_batsman['name'].'</td><td></td><td>'.$current_bowler['name'].'</td><td>'.$current_batsman['runs'].'</td></tr>';

$data = str_replace($find, $replace, $data);


changeBatsman($current_batsman['id']); 



echo 'out';

}
else
{
$current_batsman['runs'] += $run;
$runs += $run;

if ($run == 1 || $run == 3)
{
swapBatsman($current_batsman['id']);
echo 'time to swap';
}

echo $run;


}

// Count outs
if ($current_batsman['out'] == 1)
$outs += 1;


}
}

function game()
{
global $main, $batsmen, $bowlers, $data, $batted, $balls, $outs, $current_batsman;

// Check if possible
while ($balls <= 295 && $outs < 10)
{

selectBowler();

// Actually bowl now

bowl();


}


}


game();



echo $data;

I have the following query where $userid is about 100,000 userids separated by commas.

Code: [Select]
<?
$getpostid=mysql_query("SELECT DISTINCT post.username,post.threadid,thread.threadid,thread.forumid from post,thread WHERE post.username='$username' AND post.threadid=thread.threadid AND post.userid IN ($userid) AND thread.forumid IN ($forumids)") or die (mysql_error());
?>can i just print all the usernames from above result separated by ';' without looping it multiple times?
 
Could someone help me out how to do above in an efficient manner?

I'm tired and want to sleep so my mistakes are getting lots now. Anybody awake that can explain my problem with the code below. 

<?

function directoryToArray($directory, $recursive) {
        $array_items = array();
        $i = "0";
        if ($handle = opendir($directory)) {
                while (false !== ($file = readdir($handle)) && $i < "3") {
                        if ($file != "." && $file != "..") {
                                if (is_dir($directory. "/" . $file)) {
                                        if($recursive) {
                                                $array_items = array_merge($array_items, directoryToArray($directory. "/" . $file, $recursive));
                                        }
                        } else {
                                        $file = $directory . "/" . $file;
                                        $array_items[] = preg_replace("/\/\//si", "/", $file);
                                        $i++;
                                }
                        }
                }
                closedir($handle);
        }
        natsort($array_items);
        return array_reverse($array_items);
}
$data = directoryToArray('images/screenshot/', TRUE);
print_r($data);
?>


What I want is for the while loop to stop after 4 hits and exit and give me the return results. But now it continue until readdir end.

I am trying to use some php code inside of an html document and it does not work. I have a script.php file that executes perfectly when I try and use it. Here is the code I am currently using:

Code: [Select]
<?php
 echo "<title>";
 echo "the Homepage!";
 echo "</title>";
?>
Any suggestions would be great.