Comments on: Executing System Commands with ColdFusion http://blog.stannard.net.au/2007/09/21/executing-system-commands-with-coldfusion/ Sun, 08 Jan 2012 15:53:25 +0000 hourly 1 By: Executing System Commands with ColdFusion http://blog.stannard.net.au/2007/09/21/executing-system-commands-with-coldfusion/comment-page-1/#comment-1510 Executing System Commands with ColdFusion Wed, 02 Mar 2011 20:59:17 +0000 #comment-1510 [...] This is an update to a previous entry. [...] [...] This is an update to a previous entry. [...]

]]> By: Indy http://blog.stannard.net.au/2007/09/21/executing-system-commands-with-coldfusion/comment-page-1/#comment-1508 Indy Wed, 02 Mar 2011 20:10:56 +0000 #comment-1508 Nice one. But as another person noted earlier, the java option also has its limits. If one was to execute something like <code>ps -ef | grep 'java'</code>, it does not work. I'm sure there are many other examples. I'm surprised that CF makes such a mysterious (and a bit unusable) command. The only way I can reliably get it to work is to first write to a bat/shell script. And then execute that. This approach works well if you have limited requests of this nature. It does not scale. Ruby/Rails on the other had, provides a simple and powerful way to do this. Normally I don't end up using either Ruby or ROR, but I think I might have to end up using it as issuing system commands is a critical part of the app that I'm working on at the moment. Nice one. But as another person noted earlier, the java option also has its limits.

If one was to execute something like ps -ef | grep 'java', it does not work. I’m sure there are many other examples.

I’m surprised that CF makes such a mysterious (and a bit unusable) command. The only way I can reliably get it to work is to first write to a bat/shell script. And then execute that. This approach works well if you have limited requests of this nature. It does not scale.

Ruby/Rails on the other had, provides a simple and powerful way to do this. Normally I don’t end up using either Ruby or ROR, but I think I might have to end up using it as issuing system commands is a critical part of the app that I’m working on at the moment.

]]> By: Kelly http://blog.stannard.net.au/2007/09/21/executing-system-commands-with-coldfusion/comment-page-1/#comment-308 Kelly Thu, 13 Dec 2007 08:35:10 +0000 #comment-308 Very nice and useful method. It solves my problem Very nice and useful method. It solves my problem

]]> By: Kevan Stannard http://blog.stannard.net.au/2007/09/21/executing-system-commands-with-coldfusion/comment-page-1/#comment-306 Kevan Stannard Wed, 07 Nov 2007 02:43:00 +0000 #comment-306 Hi Sami, great! Hi Sami, great!

]]> By: Sami Hoda http://blog.stannard.net.au/2007/09/21/executing-system-commands-with-coldfusion/comment-page-1/#comment-305 Sami Hoda Tue, 06 Nov 2007 15:20:05 +0000 #comment-305 Nice work. I'm using this in a project! Nice work. I’m using this in a project!

]]> By: Kevan Stannard http://blog.stannard.net.au/2007/09/21/executing-system-commands-with-coldfusion/comment-page-1/#comment-309 Kevan Stannard Sat, 27 Oct 2007 00:53:54 +0000 #comment-309 Unfortunately there is a problem with this method - this may work for some applications but not all. The standard error stream and standard output streams should not be read sequentially - rather they should be read simultaneously. If they are not read simultaneously then the process may 'block' and appear to hang. So where to from here? 1) Use the Batch File Wrapper method mentioned above, but this results in a few temp files that need to be cleaned up. 2) Write a bit of Java code to do the work for you and call it from within CF. 3) Possibly do this in CF8. The CFTHREAD tag might allow this to be done. Not sure. Unfortunately there is a problem with this method – this may work for some applications but not all.

The standard error stream and standard output streams should not be read sequentially – rather they should be read simultaneously. If they are not read simultaneously then the process may ‘block’ and appear to hang.

So where to from here?

1) Use the Batch File Wrapper method mentioned above, but this results in a few temp files that need to be cleaned up.

2) Write a bit of Java code to do the work for you and call it from within CF.

3) Possibly do this in CF8. The CFTHREAD tag might allow this to be done. Not sure.

]]> By: David Stockton http://blog.stannard.net.au/2007/09/21/executing-system-commands-with-coldfusion/comment-page-1/#comment-307 David Stockton Fri, 21 Sep 2007 08:48:04 +0000 #comment-307 Nice to know I'm not the only one stuck interfacing with certain apps that need to be called from the CLI. Good article. Nice to know I’m not the only one stuck interfacing with certain apps that need to be called from the CLI.

Good article.

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