How to set command line environment variable in PHP shell_exec

Question

The script I am trying to run via shell_exec in PHP requires an environmental variable to be set, which afaik is done via:

export VARIABLE=value

However, to run the script I am forced to do:

<?PHP
$sOutput = shell_exec("export VARIABLE=value && my_command_goeth_hereth");

It seams kinda pointless to have to export the variable every time I run any commands.

Is this the only way to do it, or am I missing a much simpler way?

zneak · Accepted Answer · 2016-04-04 18:25:52Z

21

Since environment variables are inherited, setting them inside your script will set them for the commands it launches too. You just have to use putenv.

putenv("VARIABLE=value");

edited Apr 4, 2016 at 18:25

answered Aug 26, 2010 at 2:07

zneak

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timdev · Accepted Answer · 2010-08-26 02:41:03Z

7

Won't just:

<?PHP
shell_exec('SOMEVAR=SOMEVAL /some/program');

do the trick?

If you're running multiple shell scripts, then putenv is your friend, as zneak pointed out.

EDIT with an exmaple:

env.php:

<?PHP
echo $_ENV['FOO'];
echo "\n";

runenv.php:

<?PHP
echo shell_exec('FOO=bar php env.php');

then try $ php runenv.php

edited Aug 26, 2010 at 2:41

answered Aug 26, 2010 at 2:10

timdev

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2 Comments

Stephen RC Over a year ago

Why is this any different from what I am doing above? i.e. export VARIABLE=value && command

timdev Over a year ago

it's nearly the same thing. But you don't need to export if you just want the environment to apply to a single script/program. More than one and you're probably better off with putenv()

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