How to automate a command with PHP in web app

Question

I have a directory that when accessed through the terminal, I run the command 'make' then 'make install' which subsequently builds a dictionary file. I want to automate this process, which will kick off when the user selects a button on the interface.

Using PHP in my web app I want to navigate to the directory which I have done so here:

chdir('../DictionaryFolder');

Then, I thought this PHP command would run the make and make install:

exec(make);
exec(make install);

But this does nothing.

Any help will be much appreciated!

Ahmed Ginani · Accepted Answer · 2017-05-11 10:54:46Z

1

You need to write the command like the following,

<?php 
     $output = shell_exec('make;make install;');
     echo "<pre>$output</pre>";
?>

Shell exec will do the trick by calling $output via pre tag.

answered May 11, 2017 at 10:54

Ahmed Ginani

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2 Comments

ChatNoir Over a year ago

The output displayed (for some reason, only the first 4 lines) is as expected, but the dictionary file which is normally built when the command is run from the terminal, does not appear

ChatNoir Over a year ago

Sorry, I realised the permissions on the folder I was trying to access were read only, after changing to read & write it worked!

Bast · Accepted Answer · 2017-05-11 10:56:18Z

1

Exec() try to execute PHP like eval() in JS, shel_exec execute commande like you with CLI

answered May 11, 2017 at 10:56

Bast

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