http://stackoverflow.com/questions/24425247/difference-between-return-value-of-non-blocking-flock-function-and-the-wouldblo

gistfile1.php

<?php
// Let's create /tmp/ninja-lock1.txt ...
$fp0 = fopen('/tmp/ninja-lock1.txt', 'c');
// ... and close it imiedietly
fclose($fp0);

// File handler $fp0 was closed so flock()
// is unable to use it to gain lock.
// It will fail with wouldblock set to 0
// as it doesn't make sense to wait on unusable file handle.
//
// BTW flock() throws in such case warning "x is not a valid stream resource".
// Just for the purpose of clear output from this example
// I've suppressed it with @ - don't use @ in production
$flockResult = @flock($fp0, LOCK_EX | LOCK_NB, $wouldblock);
printf("flock=%b; wouldblock=%d (Acquire lock: %s)\n", $flockResult, $wouldblock, "failure, broken file handle");

// Two handlers for /tmp/ninja-lock2.txt
// to show flock() blocking result.
$fp1 = fopen('/tmp/ninja-lock2.txt', 'c');
$fp2 = fopen('/tmp/ninja-lock2.txt', 'c'); 

// Nobody is locking on /tmp/ninja-lock2.txt,
// so it will acquire lock and wouldblock will be 0
$flockResult = flock($fp1, LOCK_EX | LOCK_NB, $wouldblock);
printf("flock=%b; wouldblock=%d (Acquire lock: %s)\n", $flockResult, $wouldblock, "success");

// File is locked on $fp1 handle so flock won't acquire lock
// and wouldblock will be 1
$flockResult = flock($fp2, LOCK_EX | LOCK_NB, $wouldblock);
printf("flock=%b; wouldblock=%d (Acquire lock: %s)\n", $flockResult, $wouldblock, "failure, already acquired somewhere else");

// Result:
// $ php flock.php 
// flock=0; wouldblock=0 (Acquire lock: failure, broken file handle)
// flock=1; wouldblock=0 (Acquire lock: success)
// flock=0; wouldblock=1 (Acquire lock: failure, already acquired somewhere else)
?>