How to limit the max execution time of a PHP script

Question

I have a php script (file.php) that is used to counts banner impressions and returns an image, it end like this:

readfile('http://somedomain.com/banner.jpg');
mysql_close();
exit;

This file is used very much, and sometimes when the image is hosted on external server it load slow.

So to reduce my hosting usage i think to add a max execution time only on this script, for example: if 5-10 seconds are passed, the script closes

i think that is possibile, but how?

php.net/manual/en/info.configuration.php#ini.max-execution-time — Mark Baker
– Mark Baker, Commented Apr 4, 2014 at 16:10
But why can't you simply point the HTML directly to this external file? Why does it have to be requested through your script? If you want to count banner impressions, read the logs for 'somedomain.com — Mark Baker
– Mark Baker, Commented Apr 4, 2014 at 16:11

VolkerK · Accepted Answer · 2014-04-04 16:15:56Z

2

I just tested set_time_limit() but apparently readfile('http...'); doesn't honor this setting. The script was executed longer than the amount of time set via set_time_limit, but then aborted before the next "in-script" statment was executed.
But since php 5.2.1 the http url wrapper has a context option timeout which seems to do the trick.

mysql_close();
$ctx = stream_context_create( array(
    'http' => array(
        'timeout'  => 4.7 // in seconds
    )
);
readfile('http://somedomain.com/banner.jpg', false, $ctx);
exit;

see http://docs.php.net/context.http

answered Apr 4, 2014 at 16:15

VolkerK

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3 Comments

ipel Over a year ago

Very useful! Thank you very much! Just one question, it work with https too?

VolkerK Over a year ago

@ipel : as stated in the documentation: Context options for http:// and https:// transports

ipel Over a year ago

just to be sure, to use the stream_context_create function with https pages, in my case, should i use: "steam_context_create(Array("http" => Array(..." or "steam_context_create(array('ssl' => array(.."???

René Höhle · Accepted Answer · 2014-04-04 16:10:44Z

1

You can set the execution time on the top of your script with the set-time-limit function.

answered Apr 4, 2014 at 16:10

René Höhle

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1 Comment

RobP Over a year ago

much more useful answer than .ini file change, which affects ALL scripts (scary compatibility issue!) and may not be possible in shared hosting.

Matthew Thomas · Accepted Answer · 2014-04-04 16:13:06Z

0

Change you max_execution_time in you php.ini or add to your script ini_set('max_execution_time', 5);

answered Apr 4, 2014 at 16:13

Matthew Thomas

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