PHP MySQL Negative Value (Balance) Issue - php

Question

I am developing a desktop software where it charge user per execution the main action. For example say it will charge user 0.1$ for per PDF print.
and my software provide multithreading. .
so, if it run single thread it works fine :)
but the problem is if user run multiple thread at one (say 10/20 threads)
it (php) also continues user to allow the server/execution even balance get below zero..
though my php script check whether balance is positive ..
but after user run multiple threads balance become like -5.95$ or -25.75$ etc
and that is a big security/financial issue..
here is the code I am using:
<?php
$strSQL = "Select * from users where Email = '$strUser'";
$return = mysql_query($strSQL, $strDBConn);
$strDBData = mysql_fetch_array($return, MYSQL_ASSOC);
//checking balance
$strBalance = $strDBData['Balance'];
if($strBalance < 0)
{
// if balance 0 then exit so, my software/thread will not process further
mysql_close($strDBConn);
exit('Balance Exceed');
}
//rest of the codes that realted to service executaion
// code that substract the balnce
$dblCost = 0.25;
$strSQL = "Update users set Balance = Balance - '$dblCost' where Email = '$strUser'";
$return = mysql_query($strSQL, $strDBConn);
//rest finising codes
?>
any help/suggestion would be highly appreciated..
thanks in advance.
best regards

Answer 1

I think, this is a quite similar question:
What is equivalent of the C# lock statement in PHP?
First, try to switch away from the old "mysql" to somethin new, maybe some PDO like DB access ;).
Then, for getting around with multi-thread in php, it can be a good idea, to write a file for every userid (!) and lock this file, when there's a request. When file is locked in another thread, wait for x seconds for the file to be unlocked by the locker-thread. If it is not unlocked within time, something went wrong. When in locked-thread all went good, unlock the file after every operation needed.
Theoraticaly you will be good with then till there's a multi-thread soloution in PHP ;)