passing command to command prompt via exec

Spud_Nic

I've been searching previous posts about this, and looking at the options in the manual but I need a little further help!

I want to execute a "tracert" command in the command prompt via php (using windows)

I've managed to use passthru() to open the command prompt (but it doesn't allow me to use it) and when I close it, it outputs the command prompt output in the browser.

I don't mind whether the result is passed back to the browser to stays in the command prompt window (but that would use exec() I would think).

So how can I tell the command prompt that launches to execute the line

tracert 192.190.201.273

(dummy ip)

So far my experimental code is:

<?php
passthru("c:\windows\system32\cmd.exe");

?>

EDIT: my backslashes have been stripped from the path, but you know what I mean!
Grateful for any help!

laserlight

Cant you just do:

<?php
passthru('tracert 192.190.201.273');
?>

Spud_Nic

Thanks.

I didn't realise it was that easy!!!!

It turns out that the shell_exec is the best function for me to use!

Cheers.

sunshadow_x

Hello.

I am running php 5.1.1 and IIS Windows XP SP2. I have figured out how to get exec() and passthru() to work by enabling read and execute permissions for iwam and iusr accounts on cmd.exe as well as the executable I am trying to run.

I can get things like exec("dir"); to work and exec("date /t");, but these are system shell commands, not executables.

When I try to run an executable by this means:

exec("x:\path\chkdsk.exe c:",$output,$returnval);

I get no output but the $returnval is 1.

I'm at a loss...I'm not sure why this won't work. shell_exec() won't work at all wven with shell commands, and passthru() behaves similarly to exec();

Any suggestions?