php and multitasking

[Lakshmipathi]

Hi,
Here is my problem,
i have to upload a zip file and process it...
i want to do it as background process in php.
Once the file is uploaded(and after clicking upload button) it invokes say,fun1()

/* some php codes */

fun1()
$f=popen("/root/Desktop/dbstuff.php","r");
pclose($f);
------------------------
dbstuff.php is the separate program accessing database which should run as background
process
when i run the program in standalone its working but it's working using broser
popen() is not seems to be working...how to establish this ....
--------------
I guess this is similar to fork() and exec() in unix system calls.
but i don't have any idea to do similar in php...
Thx.

[Lakshmipathi]

...it's sloved ...we forgot to provide access to our group in /etc/sudoers file
and now exec() works fine with php
Thanks.