Execute class method PHP with parameters on the background

Question

I have a class method that sends mails to many recipients, this method receive 2 parameters (one is an integer, and the other is a String), however, when this method is invoked from the main process, the timeout expires and the send no ends. Then, I need that this function (send) run in background, and I need to pass dynamically the parameters, so far i have tried with the exec() command.

I did read somewhere that I could pass the class and method name only putting a space in the command. Therefore, the command that I'm triyng is exec(/usr/bin/php /home/cesar/www/mails.php notices send 1 'Text' > /dev/null); however, this commando doesn't work, beacuse I don't receive the mails.

In this command:

• mail.php = file script php
• notices = Class name
• send = method name
• 1 = param1
• 'Text' = param2

Then, I have many questions:

1. What would the correct way to run this command in background?
2. How I could pass the parameters dynamically? Do I just do concatenate the command string with my variables?

By the way, this working with "Fat-Free Framework".

Thank you in advance,

Regads from Mexico,

Answer 1

Additionally to Omar's answer, I'm posting here two more solutions which are specific to the framework:

Solution 1:

Use the framework's abort() method, to disconnect the HTTP client and continue sending mails in the background:

$f3->route('GET|POST /myroute',function($f3){
    echo 'Well done Callaghan!'; // message for the client
    $f3->abort(); // stop response here => the client can request something else
    // now we can run extra tasks in the background
    ini_set('max_execution_time',3600);// it may take some time
    $mail->send();
    $mail->send();
    $mail->send();
    ...

});

Solution 2:

Use the framework's Cron plugin, to schedule background tasks:

$cron=Cron::instance();
$cron->set('MassMailing','Mass\Mailing->go','@hourly');
// Mass\Mailing->go will be executed every hour

You need a web hosting allowing cron jobs to enable this solution.