CODEWITHSUNDEEP
phpubuntutimeout
Michael Burford
Michael Burford

Reputation: 71

PHP scripting timing out after 60 seconds

Im currently writing a php script which accesses a csv file on a remote server, processes the data then writes data to the local MySQL database. Because there is so much data to process and insert into the database (50,000 lines), the script takes longer than 60 seconds to run. The problem I have is, the script times out after 60 seconds.

To make sure its not a MySQL issue, i created another script that enters an infinite loop, and it too times out at 60 seconds.

I have tried increasing/changing the following settings on the Ubuntu server but it hasn't helped: max_execution_time max_input_time mysql.connect_timeout default_socket_timeout the TimeOut value in the apache2.conf file.

Could it possibly be an issue because i'm accessing the PHP file from a web browser? Do web browsers have time out limits?

Any help would be appreciated.

Upvotes: 1

Views: 10003

Answers (4)

Jeff Luyet
Jeff Luyet

Reputation: 502

For CentOS8, the below settings worked for me:

sed -i 's/default_socket_timeout = 60/default_socket_timeout = 6000/g' /etc/php.ini
sed -i 's/max_input_time = 60/max_input_time = 30000/g' /etc/php.ini
sed -i 's/max_execution_time = 30000/max_execution_time = 60000/g' /etc/php.ini
echo "Timeout 6000" >> /etc/httpd/conf/httpd.conf

Restarting apache the usual way isn't good enough anymore. You have to do this now:

systemctl restart httpd php-fpm

Synopsis:

If the script(PHP function) takes 61 seconds or above, then you will get a gateway timeout error. The term Gateway is referred to as the PHP worker, meaning the worker timed out because thats how it was configured. It has nothing to do with networking.

php-fpm is a new service in CentOS8. From what I gathered from the internet (I have not verified this myself), it basically has executables(workers) running in the background waiting for you to give it scripts (PHP) to execute. The time saving is the executables are always running. Because they are already running you suffer no start-up time penalty.

Upvotes: 0

Michael Burford
Michael Burford

Reputation: 71

I finally worked out the reason the request times out. The problem lies with having virtual server hosting.

The request from the web browser is sent to the hosting server which then directs the request to the virtual server (acts like a separate server). Because the hosting server doesn't get a response back from the virtual server after 60 seconds, it times out and sends a response back to the web browser saying exactly this. Meanwhile, the virtual server is still processing the script.

When the virtual server finally finishes processing the script, it is too late as the hosting server has already returned a timeout error to the front-end user.

Because the hosting server is used to host many virtual servers (for multiple different users), it is generally not possible to change the timeout settings on this server.

So, final verdict: The timeout error cannot be avoided with virtual hosting. If this is a serious issue, you may need to look into getting dedicated server hosting.

Upvotes: 2

TheWalkingPanda
TheWalkingPanda

Reputation: 183

Michael,

Your problem should come from the PHP file and not the web browser accessing it.

Did you try putting the following lines at the beginning of your PHP file ?

set_time_limit(0);
ini_set ('max_execution_time',  0);

PHP has 2 configuration files, one for Apache and one for CLI, which explains why when running the script in command line, you don't have a timeout. The phpinfo you gave me has a max_execution_time at 6000

See set time limit documentation.

Upvotes: 0

RiggsFolly
RiggsFolly

Reputation: 94682

The simplest and least intrusive way to get over this limit is to add this line to your script.

Then you are only amending the execution time for this script and not all PHP scripts which would be the case if you amended either of the 2 PHP.INI files

ini_set ('max_execution_time',  -1);

When you were trying to amend the php.ini file I would guess you were amending the wrong one, there are 2, one used only be the PHP CLI and one used by PHP running with Apache.

For future reference to find the actual file used by php-apache just do a 

<?php
phpinfo();
?>

And look for Loaded Configuration File

Upvotes: 2

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