form input and shell commands

Beginners - Learning PHP
#1

hi all - i’m new to php and also new to this forum.

i have a form that reads in 2 inputs from the user: database name and directory.

DB Name:
Directory:

what i’m trying to do is, based on the user inputs, would for the dbname, execute a mysqldump to backup the database. and for directory, execute a tar -czvf $dir.tar.gz $dir.

i have the following for the tar part:

$directory=$_POST[“dir”];

$output = shell_exec('tar -czvf {$directory}.tar.gz <?php echo $directory; ?>');

however, it’s not executing. please help. thanks

#2

First, is this on a linux system or windows?

I would tell you to hesitate doing it this way as well…

#3

this is linux. thanks

sample input:

dbname: mydb
dir: /var/www/test

#4

[php]$output = shell_exec('tar -czvf {$directory}.tar.gz <?php echo $directory; ?>');[/php]

This won’t work anyway. You are trying to add new php tags while you are still in php. Also, variables are not transposed when in single quotes.

shell_exec may not work for your system. It is HIGHLY dangerous and not something to mess with.

#5

then what do you suggest i do to perform 2 tasks: tar a directory and mysqldump the db based on the 2 inputs?

#6

Try this,
[php]$output = shell_exec(“tar -czvf $directory.tar.gz $directory”);[/php]

I have crons that do my dumps, and if a user needs it they can go to the directory it dumps to. That keeps the people that should have access to it and keeps out the ones that shouldn’t.

#7

still does not work :’(

#8

Replace shell_exec with pass_thru(). As I said your system may not allow it. This isn’t shared hosting is it?

#9

this is my testing vm.

i can execute both from shell and cron them. this is fine and working. i just want to make it more interactive for users to provide what they want to dump and tar.

for some reason, i don’t think the linux shell is able to read the super global variables? it’s only available during the php session?

#10

It should be available if you are running it from a page, from cron or dpi those variables are empty.

#11

$echo $directory

no result.

#12

Try, echo $_SERVER[‘DOCUMENT_ROOT’];

#13

[DOCUMENT_ROOT]

i guess my question should have been:

how do i pass php variable to the shell?

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