Search indexer killed by PHP max_execution_time despite sulu_search.indexer_timeout setting

The sulu_search.indexer_timeout setting does not override the global PHP max_execution_time for all contexts. In Sulu 2.5, this setting is used to call set_time_limit() specifically within the console command. If your PHP CLI environment has a hard limit defined in php.ini, or if you are triggering the index via the Admin UI, the process may be terminated before the Sulu-specific timeout is reached.

Why the timeout occurs

• CLI vs. Web Context: The sulu_search.indexer_timeout is primarily applied to bin/websiteconsole sulu:search:index. It has no effect on indexing triggered through the Sulu Admin interface, which remains strictly bound by the web server's PHP max_execution_time.
• PHP Configuration: In some environments, the CLI max_execution_time is set to a non-zero value in php.ini. While set_time_limit() attempts to extend this, certain environment-level restrictions or PHP configurations can prevent the extension.
• No Checkpointing: Sulu 2.5 does not support checkpointing or resuming an interrupted rebuild. If the process is killed, all progress is lost, and the next run must start from scratch.

Recommended Resolution Steps

To ensure the indexer completes for large content trees, you must address the execution limit specifically for the CLI environment:

1. Increase CLI Execution Limit

Instead of relying on the Sulu-level setting, override the PHP execution limit for the command execution itself. You can do this by passing the environment variable when running the command:

PHP_MAX_EXECUTION=0 php bin/websiteconsole sulu:search:index

Alternatively, ensure your CLI php.ini has max_execution_time = 0 (which means infinite for the CLI only).

2. Use Background Processing

For large datasets, avoid using the Admin UI for full reindexes. Use the CLI via a process manager like supervisor or a systemd service to ensure the process is not tied to a browser-session timeout.

3. Verification of Configuration

To verify if your CLI is respecting the limits, run the following command and check the active limit value:

php -i | grep max_execution_time

Diagnostic Question

Are you triggering the reindex via the command line or the Sulu Admin interface? (If it is the Admin UI, the sulu_search.indexer_timeout setting is effectively ignored.)