Launching an external command prompt

[panic]

I have a .bat file stored locally that I would like launched from PHP.

Here's the code I've tried using:

exec("cmd /K test.bat");

The PHP script that contains the code above hangs when executed. What is the correct way to do this?

Or is there a way to have PHP display the output from the .bat file on the fly (as opposed to waiting for the .bat file to execute THEN dump the output?)

-p

[mcavic]

I don't use php in Windows, but try cmd /c instead of /k

/C Carries out the command specified by string and then terminates
/K Carries out the command specified by string but remains

Or to display the output on the fly, try:

$pp = popen("cmd /c test.bat", "r");
while ($s = fgets($pp)) {
print "$s";
}
pclose($pp);

[panic]

I've tried both /k & /c switches, but PHP still hangs.

For the sake of debugging, I emptied out test.bat just to make sure it's not the contents that are causing PHP to hang, but unfortunately PHP is still hanging.

Using the popen method produces the same result - PHP hanging.

Any idea as to what the problem might be?

[eelixduppy]

Try just this:

exec("test.bat");

[panic]

Try just this:

exec("test.bat");

It executes silently, but keep in mind that I'm trying to monitor/view the output from test.bat.

[eelixduppy]

exec returns a string which is the last line in the output of the script. So then try this:

echo exec("test.bat"); 

[panic]

exec returns a string which is the last line in the output of the script. So then try this:

echo exec("test.bat");

It doesn't hang, but it outputs after test.bat has been fully executed - not while the output from test.bat is being generated.

[eelixduppy]

Ahh, I'm sorry. I seemed to have misread that detail. Try the example above with this change:

$pp = popen("test.bat", "r");
while ($s = fgets($pp)) {
print $s;
}
pclose($pp); 

[panic]

This seems to be working from the command line - but is there any way I can get it to output to the browser in real time?

I've seen it done before by using a text box - any idea as to how I could go about doing this?