PHP output while script is running

[shannonlp]

Does any know how to show the status os a PHP script while the script is still running.

I only need to make this work using FF. It is a backend script. The script can take several minutes to parse. It is essentially a bot parsing large amount of text and adding results into a database.

Something like this:

Extraction Started.....
then
Looking for matches.....
then
Creating Array.....
then
etc.....

I have played with flush() and ob_flush(). They only show the results after the script is fully completed. I would like the results not necessarily line by line but module by module.

Any Ideas?

[shannonlp]

I don't think that will work!!

[DaveSawers]

I expect those unrelated posts will be removed by a moderator in due course.

Anyway, back to the question.

Simplest solution is to break your script into separate modules and execute them sequentially via AJAX calls. That way, each part can report back upon completion. Using AJAX means you don't have to refresh the entire page after each module, just add information to the progress.

[wige]

I have a PHP script that has to cycle through XML feeds containing hundreds of thousands of elements once a month. I use the same basic methodology you are looking for where it outputs a '.' each time it processes an XML element so I know the script hasn't died. The basic code is the following:

echo '. ';
if ($a % 10 == 0) {
ob_flush();
flush();
}

You can remove the if and closing brace lines so it will force output to the browser after each individual '.'. In my case, outputing the dots in groups of ten is sufficient.

In my case, AJAX calls wouldn't work because the script needs to also be executed by the operating system and by wget and cron.

[shannonlp]

wige

You nailed it. Got it figured out about an hour after making the post.

I thought AJAX at first. The problem with AJAX is you would have to open a HTTP stream for this to work. This would cause for resource issues during heavy traffic.

The script will be used for on the backend of the site. It could still impact the frontend resources.

I did find that I had to make modifications which are covered under flush() @ php.net. Mods included things like verify INI file, virus software, etc... Anything that could potentially buffer content.

Anyways thanks for the help!