Executing cmd commands in Windows from PHP Issue

Question

Is it possible to execute cmd commands in Windows OS with PHP exec() function?

I tried this:

<?php

try {

    echo exec(
    'O:\test\pdftk.exe O:\test\outputs\OPP\out.pdf O:\test\outputs\OPP\out2.pdf cat output O:\test\123.pdf'
    );

} catch (Exception $e) {
    echo $e->getMessage();
}

Basically, I'm trying to merge two pdf files with the pdftk program. If I just write the same exact command to the cmd by hand, it works and the O:\test\123.pdf file is created. But when I execute the above PHP file, nothing happens (blank page, the file is not created).

Andy · Accepted Answer · 2010-06-23 08:42:27Z

2

Can your PHP user access cmd.exe? You might find the tools at Microsoft's Sysinternals very useful; particularly the process monitor.

answered Jun 23, 2010 at 8:42

Andy

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3 Comments

Richard Knop Over a year ago

I think yes. Other commands do work. If I try exec('ipconfig -all'), for example, it works. I downloaded the process monitor and it seems that every process with pdftk gets executed correctly. There is just one process which says "buffer overflown" or something like that.

Andy Over a year ago

Can you confirm that if you open cmd.exe and run 'O:\test\pdftk.exe O:\test\outputs\OPP\out.pdf O:\test\outputs\OPP\out2.pdf cat output O:\test\123.pdf' that it works as expected?

Richard Knop Over a year ago

Yes. It works as expected when I type it directly into shell.

Andy E · Accepted Answer · 2010-06-23 08:51:41Z

1

Try escaping the directory separator:

exec("O:\\test\\pdftk.exe O:\\test\\outputs\\OPP\\out.pdf O:\\test\\outputs\\OPP\\out2.pdf cat output O:\\test\\123.pdf");

Or even better, use single quotes instead:

exec('O:\test\pdftk.exe O:\test\outputs\OPP\out.pdf O:\test\outputs\OPP\out2.pdf cat output O:\test\123.pdf');

edited Jun 23, 2010 at 8:51

answered Jun 23, 2010 at 8:21

Andy E

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7 Comments

Richard Knop Over a year ago

No. That doesn't work. I also tried shell_exec() which doesn't work as well.

Andy E Over a year ago

@Richard: Even still, you will need to correctly escape the directory separator or use single quotes instead. Have you made sure exec and shell_exec are enabled in your configuration?

ant Over a year ago

@Richard Knop try something simpler like writing some text to a file with shell_exec then maybe something else is wrong and not with php configuration(that is if exec is enabled)

Richard Knop Over a year ago

exec() is enabled. I tried exec('ipconfig -all'); and shell_exec('ipconfig - all'); and both worked.

Andy E Over a year ago

@Richard: That would suggest there's a problem with your command. Try passing an array to the second parameter of exec, then print_r that array afterwards.

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MerlinTheMagic · Accepted Answer · 2016-11-01 16:13:33Z

Here is a project that allows PHP to obtain and interact dynamically with a real cmd terminal. Get it here: https://github.com/merlinthemagic/MTS

After downloading you would simply use the following code:

//if you prefer Powershell, replace 'cmd' with 'powershell'
$shellObj    = \MTS\Factories::getDevices()->getLocalHost()->getShell('cmd');

$strCmd1   = 'O:\\test\\pdftk.exe O:\\test\\outputs\\OPP\\out.pdf O:\\test\\outputs\\OPP\\out2.pdf cat output O:\\test\\123.pdf';
$return1   = $shellObj->exeCmd($strCmd1);

The return will give you the command return OR error from cmd, just as if you sat at the console. Furthermore, you can issue any command you like against the $shellObj, the environment is maintained throughout the life of the PHP script. So instead of bundling commands in a script file, just issue them one by one using the exeCmd() method, that way you can also handle the return and any exceptions.

Someone · Accepted Answer · 2010-07-20 16:05:39Z

-1

try Executing using the Admin Privileges for command prompt

answered Jul 20, 2010 at 16:05

Someone

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