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View Full Version : Explanation of usage of fork() in Perl please


Jeepers
11-30-2002, 02:50 PM
I have just changed my web server from an NT one to a Unix one and am having to re-write some of the perl scripts.

I maintain a subscribed list of many thousands to which I send emails every month. On NT using fork() to send multiple emails does not work, you have to send each one separately using a loop. From the look of some scripts this can be avoided by using fork(), however I cant work out how it does it.

Could somebody explain it to me please without being too technical.

All I have at the moment from other scripts is


$pid = fork();
if($pid){

# then prints a message saying emails are being sent

exit();
}
else {
close(STDOUT);

# then goes on to send emails out via the loop method

Please please help. Thanks