PHP: how to start a detached process?

Question

Currently my solution is:

exec(\'php file.php >/dev/null 2>&1 &\');

and in file.php

if (posix_getpid() != pos         


        

Answer 1

No this can't be done with exec() (nor shell_exec() or system())

---

If you have the pcntl extension installed it would be:

function detached_exec($cmd) {
    $pid = pcntl_fork();
    switch($pid) {
         // fork errror
         case -1 : return false

         // this code runs in child process
         case 0 :
             // obtain a new process group
             posix_setsid();
             // exec the command
             exec($cmd);
             break;

         // return the child pid in father
         default: 
             return $pid;
    }
}

Call it like this:

$pid = detached_exec($cmd);
if($pid === FALSE) {
    echo 'exec failed';
}

// do some work

// kill child
posix_kill($pid, SIGINT);
waitpid($pid, $status);

echo 'Child exited with ' . $status;