I have a script running fine under Linux, this is how it works: 
use DBI;
while (1) {
  my $dbh = DBI->connect(); # Parent connecting
  # .. get a job list ..
  $dbh->disconnect(); # <-- NB!
  foreach my $job (@jobs) {
    my $pid = fork();  
    if (defined $pid) {
      if ($pid) {
        $children{$pid} = time; # This is the parent
      } else {
        child($job); # This is the child process
      }
    } else {
      logmsg "fork() failed: $!\n";
    }
  }
  sleep 1;
}

sub child {
  my $job = shift;
  my $dbh = DBI->connect(); # Child connecting
  # .. do the job ..
  $dbh->disconnect();
  exit;
}

[download]
I thought I had avoided the potential problems involved with sharing a handle between processes, but much to my surprise ActivePerl on WinXP crashes when the child tries to connect: 

DBD::mysql::dr connect failed: handle 1 is owned by thread 183f3e8 not
+ current thread 260eb64 (handles can't be shared between threads and 
+your driver may need a CLONE method added) at C:/PERL/site/lib/DBI.pm
+ line 598.
DBD::mysql::dr disconnect_all failed: handle 1 is owned by thread 183f
+3e8 not current thread 260eb64 (handles can't be shared between threa
+ds and your driver may need a CLONE method added) at C:/PERL/site/lib
+/DBI.pm line 677.
END failed--call queue aborted.

[download]
What handle am I trying to share? Why is the parent $dbh not destroyed before the child process tries to connect?

In reply to DBI and fork() on Win32 by FloydATC

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