Question

I’m a newbie, so be kind 🙂

What is the simplest solution for checking for, retrieving and using newly received data from a mysql database?

The database is being updated from an external api. Ideally I would get it as it arrives but using intervals could work too.
On the first iteration and then once every 5 minutes if there is no new data meanwhile – do an action with the next entry of the array which might cause data to be updated within the next 5 min. But I want to make sure to stop everything if the new data has been received, and just perform some stuff in php.

what’s the most simple solution? php vs jquery/ajax?

my proposed solution is in jquery:

        <script>
            var newdata = false;
            if(newdata === false){
                setTimeout (function(){
                    $.each(array, function(){
                            $.post('checkdb.php',data,function(resp){
                                          if(resp){
                                          newdata=resp;
                                          return newdata;                                                  
                                          }
                                          else{
                                          $.post('doaction.php',data);
                                          // cause a potential update within the next 5 min
                                          }
                            });
                    });
                }, 300000); 
            }
            else{
                // move newdata back to php and (then) do something with response
            }
        </script>

Thanks! 🙂

Answer 1

My solution in the end is indeed in php and not ajax (there is really no need for client side in this situation).

Here’s the outline:

    <?php
        while (something is true){
            //do stuff

            flush(); // execute the stuff you did until now
            sleep(300); // wait 5 min
            // now check database and retrieve new data, if any, and insert into $result 

            if (isset($result)){
                //do stuff with the $result
                break; // get out of the loop
            }
        }
    ?>