This tutorial explains how to implement Asynchronous Process, Multi threading or Multitasking in Codeigniter PHP. It allows applications to complete multiple tasks in parallel.

Introduction

Asynchronous Process means that a process operates independently of other process. It executes process in background.

In this tutorial we will learn how to implement multiple processes that do not depend on each other’s and execute multiple task in background using PHP Languge.

In this tutorial, we will create a library in the /application/libraries directory. Within this library we will implement a method in which send a server post request and close this method. It performs independent of other task.

Create Library

Now, we will create a Mylibrary.php file in the /application/libraries/
directory. In this library, we will add a method in which get URL and Array as a parameter. We will pass array in the http_build_query() to build post string. We will also use fsockopen() to send post request to server. Here is the code of Mylibrary.php

<?php  

class Mylibrary
{

    public function __construct()
    {
        $this->ci =& get_instance();
    }

    function do_in_background($url, $params)
    {
	    $post_string = http_build_query($params);
	    $parts = parse_url($url);
            $errno = 0;
	    $errstr = "";

	   //Use SSL & port 443 for secure servers
	   //Use otherwise for localhost and non-secure servers
	   //For secure server
	    $fp = fsockopen('ssl://' . $parts['host'], isset($parts['port']) 
                   ? $parts['port'] : 443, $errno, $errstr, 30);
	    //For localhost and un-secure server
	   //$fp = fsockopen($parts['host'], isset($parts['port']) 
                    ? $parts['port'] : 80, $errno, $errstr, 30);
	    if(!$fp)
	    {
	        echo "Some thing Problem";    
	    }
	    $out = "POST ".$parts['path']." HTTP/1.1\r\n";
	    $out.= "Host: ".$parts['host']."\r\n";
	    $out.= "Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded\r\n";
	    $out.= "Content-Length: ".strlen($post_string)."\r\n";
	    $out.= "Connection: Close\r\n\r\n";
	    if (isset($post_string)) $out.= $post_string;
	    fwrite($fp, $out);
	    fclose($fp);
  }
}
?>

Create method

We need to create multiple method to be call in parallel in the controller. In this example, we will create two method to send mail and insert data.

<?php
defined('BASEPATH') OR exit('No direct script access allowed');

class Test extends CI_Controller {

        /**
         * load list modal and helpers
         */
         function __Construct(){
           parent::__Construct();
           $this->load->helper(array('form', 'url'));
           $this->load->model('test_model');
         }
    
        /**
         *  @desc : Function to send mail 
         *  @param :void
         *  @return : void
         */
	  public function sendmail(){
            $this->load->library('email');
	        $user_email  = $_POST['email'];
	        $message     = "Testing";
	     
	        $this->email->from('anand.abhay1910@gmail.com', 'Test');
	        $this->email->to($user_email); 
	        $this->email->subject("test");
	        $this->email->message($message);  
	        $this->email->send();
	    }

        /**
         *  @desc : Function to call insert() method 
         *  of test_model to insert post data in database
         *  @param :void
         *  @return : void
         */
	  public function insert(){
	           $email = $this->input->post('email');
               $name = $this->input->post('name');
               $this->test_model->insert($email, $name);
          }
}

Call Multiple Task

To execute multiple task or process in parallel or independent. First, we need to include library in the controller then call do_in_background() function of library with url and array data as a parameter.

<?php
defined('BASEPATH') OR exit('No direct script access allowed');

class Test extends CI_Controller {

        /**
         * load list modal, library and helpers
         */
         function __Construct(){
           parent::__Construct();
           $this->load->helper(array('form', 'url'));
           $this->load->model('test_model');
           $this->load->library('mylibrary');
         }
         
        /**
         *  @desc : Function to perform multiple task in background
         *  @param :void
         *  @return : void
         */
         public  function index(){

               $url = base_url()."test/sendmail";
               $url1 = base_url()."test/insert";
         	
               $param = array('email' => "anand.abhay1910@gmail.com" );
               $param1 = array('name' => "Abhay",
                               'email' => "anand.abhay1910@gmail.com" );

               $this->mylibrary->do_in_background($url, $param);
               $this->mylibrary->do_in_background($urls, $param1);
            
	    }
        
        /**
         *  @desc : Function to send mail 
         *  @param :void
         *  @return : void
         */
	    public function sendmail(){

		    $this->load->library('email');
	        $user_email  = $_POST['email'];
	        $message     = "Testing";
	     
	        $this->email->from('heyrajcool@gmail.com', 'Around');
	        $this->email->to($user_email); 
	        $this->email->subject("test");
	        $this->email->message($message);  
	        $this->email->send();
	    }
        
         /**
         *  @desc : Function to call insert() method 
         *  of test_model to insert data in database
         *  @param :void
         *  @return : void
         */
	   public function insert(){

	       $email = $this->input->post('email');
           $name = $this->input->post('name');
           $this->test_model->insert($email, $name);
	  }
}