php forking/spawning question...

Hi... got the follwoing example... basically, when i call the function "spawn_" i get the passed vars for appname/args... the $appname,$args are valid when the spawn_ function is initially invoked. however, when the app does the fork, the $appname, $args get lost. when the function gets to the pcntl_exec, the vars ($appname, $args) are no longer set. so what did i miss, how is this process supposed to work? thoughts/comments... thanks ========================================================================= /* test func to spawn client thread */ function spawn_($appname, $args) { print "appname =".$appname."\n"; print_r($args); //exit(); $pid = pcntl_fork(); if ($pid == -1) { die('cannot fork'); } elseif ($pid) { print "child pid = ".$pid."\n"; //pcntl_waitpid($pid, $status); //break; //exit(); $par=1; } else { // Note that pcntl_exec() automatically prepends the program name // to the array of arguments; the program name cannot be spoofed. print "running cmd \n"; pcntl_exec($appname, $args); //system("./clientmgr.php"); exit(); } } --------------------------------------------------------------------