Preventing Time Outs - HTML Forums

cmetz1977 · 11-02-2009, 01:34 PM

I have a client whose browser times out when loading a page that takes a while (20 minutes?) to generate. I could not file a response header that identifies this issue, can anyone help me with this?

I am using PHP if that is a factor...

rmathus · 11-03-2009, 01:52 AM

The page itself could be timing out for a number of reasons. Since you mentioned you're using PHP are you also using MySQL? I would assume so based on the amount of time it took for the page to load and you may want to consider optimizing the MySQL query and/or database if that's the case.

If you are indeed using MySQL, you can change the timeout settings following this reference. Otherwise, you might want to check that PHP is OK by creating a simple test page that echos a word out to the browser (or even a phpinfo() page).

-Ryan M.

cmetz1977 · 11-03-2009, 08:22 AM

Ryan,

Thank you for your response.

I have since learned that this may be a firewall issue on their end. The reason I considered sending headers was that this was only a problem for this particular client. I was hoping to manipulate their browser to not get bored and time out, to expect a long wait. This script works fine everywhere else, so it seemed to be an isolated incident.

Since the firewall theory holds water, our troubleshooting has gone in that direction. Thank you again, and Godspeed!

Horus_Kol · 11-03-2009, 05:19 PM

20 minutes to generate a page?!

you might want to think about chunking that up a bit - if it all has to be on one page (like a report or something), you could build it up in Ajax requests or something...

cmetz1977 · 11-03-2009, 06:00 PM

It's actually generating a file with about 20,000 records then transferring it to an FTP server. Although the records are coming from several different tables, they all need to be in the same file, and the client wants it all in one process.

When what we assume is the firewall, terminates the connection after so long all the processing on the server ceases as well. This leaves a fragment of the finished file on the server and it never gets sent to the FTP server.

Horus_Kol · 11-04-2009, 12:02 AM

hmm... the server should complete the script regardless of whether the connection timed out (HTTP is a stateless protocol).

I think you are hitting a timeout set in PHP or somewhere else on the server if your script is stopping...