Question

Here’s my goal :
I have a Windows XP PC with all the source code in it and a development database.
Let’s call it “pc.dev.XP”.
I have a destination computer that runs Linux.
Let’s call it “pc.demo.Linux”.
Here’s what I’ve done on “pc.dev.XP” (just so you get the context) :

• installed all cygwin stuff
• created a valid rsa key and put it on the dest
  backup computer so that ssh doesn’t
  ask for a password
• rsync works pretty well this way

If i try to do this on “pc.dev.XP” via a command line :

cd \cygwin\bin
ssh [e-mail] "cd /var/www && ls -al"

this works perfectly without asking a password
Now here’s what I want to do on the “pc.dev.XP”:

• launch a php script that extract the dev. database into a sql file
• zip this file
• transfer it via ftp to the “pc.demo.Linux”
• log to the “pc.demo.Linux” and execute “unzip then mysql -e “source unzipped file”

if I run on “pc.dev.XP” manually :

putty -load "myconf" -l Fred -pw XXX -m script.file.that.unzip.and.integrates.sql

this works perfectly.
Same for :

cd \cygwin\bin
ssh Fred@dest "cd /var/www && ls -al"

If I try to exec() in php (wamp installed on “pc.dev.XP”) those scripts they hangs. I’m pretty sure this is because the user is “SYSTEM” and not “Fred”, and putty or ssh ask for a password but maybe I’m wrong.

Anyway I’m looking for a way to automate those 4 tasks I’ve described and I’m stuck because exec() hangs. There’s no problem with safe_exec_mode or safe_exec_dir directives, they’re disabled on the development machine, thus exec() works pretty well if I try some basic stuff like exec(“dir”)

Any idea what I could do / check / correct ?

Answer 1

Here’s what I did :
a batch file that :

1. Calls a php file via “php.exe my_extract_then_compress_then_ftp.php”
2. Calls rsync to synchronize the source folder
3. Calls putty -l user -pw password -m file_with_ssh_commands_to_execute

It works like a charm.