Call to ZIP.EXE from ASP page times out

Have you tried changing the page timeout value?  

For example:

<% Server.ScriptTimeout = 600 %>

The value is in seconds, so 600 is 10 minutes.

Ah, kev - I was too slow.

:)...np

Honestly, I don't think that is going to help anyway...it's almost the same as trying to upload a 300MB file using a classic ASP componentless method.  IF all conditions are very favorable, than it will probably work  (eventually...), however if something down the line is off...then forget about it....

Yeah, it's exactly this kind of stuff that makes learning .NET worth the effort.

Actually,

The file is not being copied from client to server over http, but locally from one folder on the server into another folder (same server).  Funny thing is that the zip process freezes at almost same point each time, at around 290MB.

I wish .NET were the choice, however this is a legacy app which took our fabulous resource overseas about 400 hours to develop.  Just doing bandage work on this.  :)

I will try the script timeout but don't think that will do it.  :/

Nope Server.ScriptTimeout = 3600 didn't work.  Zip process still freezing at around 270MB.  :/

This is the code in the ASP page:

Set oWsh = Server.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
Set oExec = Server.CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")

sExecCommand = """" & Application("Zip") & """ -A -v -r -~ """ & sBackupFolder & "\" & RequestID & ".zip"" """ & sDestinationFolder & "\*.*"""

set oExec = oWsh.Exec(sExecCommand)      
            
If not oExec.StdOut.AtEndOfStream Then
sReturn = oExec.StdOut.ReadAll
End If
            
If not oExec.StdErr.AtEndOfStream Then
sError = oExec.StdErr.ReadAll
End If

well.....that's the thing.  You aren't just trying to copy one file to another folder.   You are trying to zip it, then copy it.

Meaning, you are making the page call the request to zip the file...and then copy it.  All through HTTP.   Which is not a good idea, especially becuase the file is so big.

Your best bet may be to setup a task to run at certain times of the day to Zip the file for you on the server.  Then setup FSO to do the copy.

Yes but both folders are on the same physical disk.  And it is the shell script that runs server side that does the copying, so the client browser is not involved at all...

Unfortunately FSO is not an option, since the backup and file copy has to be done at runtime.  This is how our developers deploy code from dev -> staging -> prod.  All sites <200MB are  just fine, with the exception of this behemoth.  :/

>>Yes but both folders are on the same physical disk.  And it is the shell script that runs server side that does the copying, so the client browser is not involved at all...<<

regardless of whether or not the folders are on the same physical disk, the code you posted is being initiated from a web page...a .asp page if I am not mistaken, meaning it is doing the work through the HTTP protocol.

I'm a little lost by what you are talking about with FSO not being an option, your code clearly shows that you are already using FSO (see the Set oExec line???)

As I stated before.....your best bet is to setup a task to run at whatever interval you need it to and do the zipping stricktly on the server.

Since you can run the zip command from a command prompt, make a .bat file, and have it run via Task Manager, and not a web page.

Problem solved...  ditched Pico ZIP, got 7Zip and the process no longer freezes and I can back up applications up to 2GB w/o problems.  

Also the performance has improved, as well as the compression quality.  :)