Server side executables

[Donny Bahama]

This is probably super basic, but can someone get me started on how to execute a server-side executable via a link on a (client side) web page? I just want to click a button on a web page on the client and have it execute "ontheserver.bat".

I'm running IIS5 on a Windows XP machine. I'm using version 4.4.2 of php. Note that this is entirely internal - home LAN only - and I am the only user, so security is not an issue.

[Donny Bahama]

I found this thread: Run .EXE program via PHP and I've read http://www.php.net/manual/en/function.exec.php but I'm getting an "unable to fork" error when trying to execute this code:

PHP: Select all

<?php
exec('start /B "window_name" "notepad.exe"');
?>

[Donny Bahama]

I found the answer here: http://www.somacon.com/p255.php - sort of... it has to do with permissions for the Internet guest account "IUSR_WEB_SERVER_MACHINE_NAME". Now that I fixed that, it executes ontheserver.bat - which creates a directory and a test.txt file within the new directory - but the page itself doesn't return after running ontheserver.bat. It just sits there "Loading..."

[Rob]

put an 'exit' as the last line of your bat.... if that doesnt work, try 'stop'

[Donny Bahama]

LOL! Rob - you ROCK, my friend!

I had *just* figured that out and was coming back to post my findings! This works:

PHP: Select all

<?php
$ret = system('start /B C:\website\usbuirt\ontheserver.bat');
?>

IF you use "exit" on the last line of the batch file.