# Request timeout question

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/request-timeout-question/122982>\
**Category:** Rails\
**Created:** [December 13, 2007, 6:16am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/request-timeout-question/122982 "2007-12-13T06:16:13Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![adrian](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/82dd89/32.png) [@adrian](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/adrian)\
**Post date:** [December 13, 2007, 6:16am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/request-timeout-question/122982/1 "2007-12-13T06:16:13Z")

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Hi All

I am trying to generate pdf reports/documents based on time consuming  
database queries and associated calculations. When these are run in  
development mode they work fine (apart from taking a long time  
5-10mins) but when these are run on the production system they result  
in timeout errors.

Is there a better way to approach this problem? The controller method  
using the following statement:

send\_data pdf.render, :filename =\> “financial\_summary.pdf”, :type =\>  
“application/pdf”

Any help appreciated.

Thanks  
Adrian

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**Author:** ![adrian](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/82dd89/32.png) [@adrian](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/adrian)\
**Post date:** [December 13, 2007, 7:42am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/request-timeout-question/122982/2 "2007-12-13T07:42:12Z")

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You could use a cron job to run the reports periodically and send the  
PDF files from the file system.

Background drb is another option

Sent from my iPhone

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**Author:** ![adrian](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/82dd89/32.png) [@adrian](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/adrian)\
**Post date:** [December 13, 2007, 7:55am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/request-timeout-question/122982/3 "2007-12-13T07:55:05Z")

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Could a separate thread be used?

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**Author:** ![adrian](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/82dd89/32.png) [@adrian](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/adrian)\
**Post date:** [December 13, 2007, 8:12am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/request-timeout-question/122982/4 "2007-12-13T08:12:04Z")

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Drb uses separate thread

Sent from my iPhone

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**Author:** ![adrian](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/82dd89/32.png) [@adrian](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/adrian)\
**Post date:** [December 13, 2007, 5:52pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/request-timeout-question/122982/5 "2007-12-13T17:52:47Z")

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If possible, generating the report in advance is the best option,  
since the generation seems to be rally expensive (5-10min)…

Cheers, Sazima