FLOCK on webhost's server not working consistenly - what else to use?

[WAHMom]

We are running a data retrieval program which allows users to append to a file. I programmed the cgi script to to use FLOCK (see at bottom) but our web host tells me that flock is running over network file server sharing files among various users so FLOCK sometimes fails.

We are in a critical situation right now with data being lost from our clients because of this and I am desperate for an alternative file locking method.

Any advice?

Here is a snip of our cgi script utilizing FLOCK:
open(FILE, ">>/var/tilt/zzzzz/private/web.txt"
> flock(FILE,2);
> seek(FILE,0,2);
> print FILE "SUB CODE:";print FILE "$contents{'SUBCODE'}";
> <etc etc etc>
> print FILE &quot;Info submitted &quot;;
> print FILE &quot;$date\n&quot;;
> print FILE &quot; --- &quot;;
> close (FILE);
> exit;

 

[siberian]

Use something like
LockFie::Simple

http://search.cpan.org/~ram/LockFile-Simple-0.2.5/Simple.pm

Nice platform independant file based locking mechanism.

Ton of other locking libs at cpan:

http://search.cpan.org/search?query=File::Lock&mode=all

 

[tviman]

Find a more reliable web host?

There's always a better way. The fun is trying to find it!