How do I deal with a memory-hog PHP line?

ppowell

Error:

Fatal error: Allowed memory size of 18880568 bytes exhausted (tried to allocate 6000 bytes)

when running this line:

		// STEP 1: use imagecreatetruecolor() TO CREATE IMAGE RESOURCE BLUEPRINT OBJECT
		if ($this->isSuccessful && $image && preg_match('/2\.0/i', $gd_info_array[0]))
  		 $newImage = imagecreatetruecolor($image_width, $image_height);	// COMMAND ONLY IF GD 2.0+ IS SUPPORTED

Environment: PHP 4.3.2
OS: Linux Red Hat Enterprise Level 3
Web: Apache 1.x??

I am working with a 500K image in the case of the PHP line above. If the size is much smaller there are no problems. We've adjusted upload_max_filesize and memory_limit to extremely high numbers (64M each), to no avail.

Is there a different way I can write the PHP line to prevent this fatal error from occurring?

Thanx
Phil

konsu

you posted two lines. which one fails?

ppowell

It's actually one line wrapping, but it occurs with "imagecreatetruecolor"

Phil

konsu

what are the values of $image_width and $image_height when this happens?

ppowell

image_width = 1500 and image_height = 1200

Phil

konsu

if you run the below page, does it work?

<?php
$image = imagecreatetruecolor(1500 , 1200);    

?>

ppowell

No, same error occurs. Only when you reduce the numbers does it work

konsu

well, there is not enough memory. do you have to use true colour image?

ppowell

If available, yes.

Phil

ppowell

Practical problem: Apparently the issue stems from the fact that there literally wasn't enough memory on the machine; when I closed a few open processes the web app ran smoothly.

How would one work this within a marketable portable web application? That is, we give this to a client, the client uses the app and they have the same problem? Is there possibly a friendlier approach than a nasty "Fatal Error"message they'll see and not necessarily figure out?

Phil