Best way to update data in mysql online database

Question

I have an online sql database with a few tables for users matches and bets . When I update the result of any game, I need the status of all bets containing that game in the bet table to be updated. So for example if I update game 8 with the result home win I need all bets which have game 8 in them to be updated as either lost , won or still open .

The way I do this currently is that when the user turns on my android app, I retrieve all the information about the games and all the information about the user's bets using asynctasks. I then do some string comparisons in my app and then I update the data in my database using another asynctask. The issue is that this wastes a lot of computation time and makes my app UI laggy.

As someone with minimal experience with php and online databases, I'd like to ask is there a way to carry out these things in the database itself either periodically (every 3 hours for example) or whenever the data in the games table is changed using a php file for example which is automatically run?

I tried looking for some kind of onDataChanged function but couldn't find anything. I'm also not sure how to make a php file run and update data without getting the app involved.

Another idea I had was to create a very simple app which I wouldn't distribute to anyone but just keep on my phone with an update button which I could press and trigger a php file to carry out these operations for all users in my database.

I would appreciate some advice on this from someone who has experience.

Thanks :).

Answer 1

You can easily execute php script periodically if your hosting provider supports script executors like Cron.

About updating game status multiple times, first check tables engine. If you are using engine like InnoDB you can create relationship between those tables, so updating status of one row will affect all connected to them.