Running after a page closes

[strudo]

Here's want I want to do. I have some reports that a fed from a PostgreSQL database. Some of these report can take a long time and I don't want users sitting waiting at the browser the whole time. What I would like to do is have the user request a particular report, then be able to close the browser and go off and do whatever. The server would then generate the report, preferable as a PDF but I'm open to suggestions, and email the completed report to the user. I have not been using PHP, Postgres or even Linux that long so I really have no idea how to do it.

If this sort of thing can be done using PHP and Apache could someone provide details, or a link to information on setting this up. Or if there is a better way to do it, can someone direct me to information on it.

[HalfaBee]

I think you would have to do this using the exec() or system() call and leave the process running on the server by putting a ';' at the end of the command.

system( 'createpdf.php arg=1 arg2=2;' );

This should return immeadiately and leave the script running.

You may have to put the path to php at the top of the script

#!/usr/local/php
or whereever it is located.

HalfaBee