php-psql lock problem

Hello to everybody!

I've a little problem with LOCK-ing a
certain row in a table using PHP and
PostgreSQL on LINUX.

>> In a few words, I'd like to undertand
>> how find out if a certain row is locked,
>> in order to prevent a kind of deadlock.

Which is the (system) table where all
locked row or tables are 'saved' ?
Is there any flag?

// ############################
Example 1:

User A:

BEGIN WORK;
select login from people where userid='1' for update;
[ ... ]
COMMIT WORK;

User B:
BEGIN WORK;
(***)
select login from people where userid='1' for update;

[ WAIT UNTIL 'COMMIT WORK' of user A ! :( ]

COMMIT WORK;

Solution:
I'd like to put in (***) a quick check in order to
know if the row with userid='1' is already locked or not.

In this way, if it's already locked, I'll use
select login from people where userid='1';
[ ONLY READ ]
instead of
select login from people where userid='1' for update;
[READ & WRITE]

// ############################
Example 2:

BEGIN WORK;
LOCK TABLE utenti IN SHARE ROW EXCLUSIVE MODE;
select login from people where userid='1';
COMMIT WORK;

// ############################

Many thanks to everybody!
Ciao!
MaURIZIO

crix98(at)____tin(dot)it

It's sure that
a small example in PHP will very very appreciated!! :))

PS: it's possible to setup a timeout for a locked table,
in order to exec an aoutomatic ROLLBACK ??
(for examples if the user goes away?

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