[Resolved] help with exec(); trying to TAR from within a script

mrsocks

hi,

i am trying to run a script that moves some images to another folder and then tar that folder.

the script runs from folderA and i need to TAR a folder (Folder😎 outside of that. right now i am using:

exec('tar -cf exportedHERE.tar \"/home/account/wwwroot/domain.com/FolderB\"', $top);

the $top section is from the php manual example and not really sure if it is needed (or what it really does).

i just want to TAR folderA and then be able to download that file from FTP.

currently, the TAR s not working using this process but if i SSH in and issue from the directory form the command line. it works fine.

dalecosp

$top is a value returned from the shell command. On my BSD boxen, that'll be 0 if successful, 1 or -1 if not. Something to remember when scripting in PHP, when 0 is generally failure 'stead of success.

When I use tar(1), it's generally like this:

$tar -r /my/path/to/folder -cf my.tarball.tar

So, I'm wondering if that shouldn't be:

exec('tar -r /home/account/wwwroot/domain.com/FolderB -cf exportedHERE.tar', $top);

You could then test the value of $top and see what you get. 'Course, the real proof would be the pudding ... did you get a tarball?

HTH,

mrsocks

thanks for the reply and the info on the "0" or "1" returned results.

i tried your order but still not tarball.

i will look around even more and see what i cna find.

thank you

dalecosp

Kewl, and TY.

You do have permission to write in the directory where's you're calling tar, don't you?

mrsocks

that was a good point. i changed the dir to where the tarred file was to go and made sure it was set to 777, then checked teh file and 777 that. just to see...

i even put a path to where the file was to be tarred to, but still nothing.

if i issue the command in the terminal, it works fine. so i am wondering if it has to do with where i am at in the directories when i sissue ithe tar or where the script is running from?

thanks

mrsocks

ok, i think i got it now.

i added a "z" to the process and named the final file .tar.gz and it all works perfectly now. (well the file downloads one folder inside of the other from the root, but not a big deal. it only does the one folder that i need.)

thanks for the help.

later