Question

I’m using exec to grab curl output (I need to use curl as linux command).

When I start my file using php_cli I see a curl output:

  % Total    % Received % Xferd  Average Speed   Time    Time     Time  Current
                                 Dload  Upload   Total   Spent    Left  Speed
100 75480  100 75480    0     0  55411      0  0:00:01  0:00:01 --:--:-- 60432

It means that all the file has been downloaded correctly (~ 75 KB).

I have this code:

$page = exec('curl http://www.example.com/test.html');

I get a really strange output, I only get: </html>

(that’s the end of my test.html file)

I really do not understand the reason, CURL seems to download all the file, but in $page I only get 7 characters (the lastest 7 characters).

Why?

P.S. I know I can download the source code using other php functions, but I must to use curl (as linux command).

Answer 1

Unless this is a really weird requirement, why not use PHP cURL library instead? You get much finer control on what happens, as well as call parameters (timeout, etc.).

If you really must use curl command line binary from PHP:

1) Use shell_exec() (this solves your problem)
2) Use 2>&1 at end of command (you might need stderr output as well as stdout)
3) Use the full path to curl utility: do not rely on PATH setting.