Logging error in automated php script

[davemehta]

I have a php script that gets called by a payment processing server to validate information and setup and account. The entire script works fine until it gets to a remote included file and that script will run but it doesn't return to my calling script properly.

1. The included file takes about 45 seconds to complete... does processing stop on my original php file (that called the other script) and wait for it to return or does it continue on. This could be a time-out issue then?

2. BIGGER PROBLEM:

I want to log what is going on because now my included file isn't even running. I am sure php may be providing an error but since I don't physically call the script in a browser I can't see the error. How can I write all errors that would appear to a log file for review?

Here is some code from the php script:

echo "Above this processess fine. I write to a log so I know all the steps before this work";

$log_handle = @fopen($logfilename, 'ab');
@fwrite($log_handle, "- About to run included script\r\n");
@fclose($log_handle);

include "http://www.mydomain.com/domains/createAccount.php?acctdomain=$domain&acctEmail=".$_POST['EMAIL']."&contactName=".$_POST['NAME'].";

$log_handle = @fopen($logfilename, 'ab');
@fwrite($log_handle, "- SCRIPT COMPLETE";
@fclose($log_handle);

My included file used to run correctly but not return and print the "SCRIPT COMPLETE" text to my log file, it was weird but I could live with it.

Now it's not even running and I need to log why. How can I do this?

Thanks.

[davemehta]

I checked my error logs and everything and still can't get anything to happen, help!

[maxpup979]

well the first thing you may want to do is remove the @ from the code. that supresses errors. give it a shot, and see what happens

[davemehta]

I see what you are saying but the @'s are just in front of the logging statements and those work fine.

It's specifically the incude statement that isn't running. And I need to know how to tell the system to catch any errors thrown by that line and write them to a file.

I tried calling the script from a browser by passing the same variables the payment processor's script would and the incllude line works fine (it does take about 30 seconds to run) but then my script ends gracefully.

I think it has to be a timeout issue, and since I am calling the script in the browser it doesn't timeout but when it's called by the payment processor's script it might time-out cause there is no browser to keep it alive?!?

[davemehta]

I wouldn't think this would be that tough a problem... anyone?!?!