running shell command in Perl script

deci007 · 02-05-2010, 10:26 PM

Does not work.

Code:

#!/usr/bin/perl
$etcdir = 'ls -l /etc';
print $etcdir;
#END
------------result--------
#perl -w abc123.pl
ls -l /etc[root@localhost perl]
#

This method works.

Code:

#!/usr/bin/perl
$etcdir = system("ls -l /etc");
print $etcdir;
#END

how do i run commands directly without using system or exec ?

perl version is 5.8.8 built for i386-linux-thread-multi

bmxcess · 02-05-2010, 10:35 PM

You can open a pipe:

Code:

open( PIPE, "ls -l /etc|" )   or die "Couldn't read pipe: $!";
while ( <PIPE> ) {  
    printf "output:",$_;
}
close PIPE;

nodopro · 02-06-2010, 02:31 AM

How about this:

Code:

#!/usr/bin/perl
my $etcdir = `ls -l /etc`;
print $etcdir;
#END

ricstirato · 02-06-2010, 07:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nodopro

How about this:

Code:

my $etcdir = `ls -l /etc`;

I think that was the point in the original post - he used normal single ticks, but you must use backticks.

deci007 · 02-06-2010, 11:10 PM

this doesn't work either;

Code:

#!/usr/bin/perl
use strict;
my $etcdir = `ls -l /etc`;
print $etcdir;
#END

chrism01 · 02-07-2010, 06:12 PM

The point about backticks (`) not single quotes (') is correct.
When you say it doesn't work, show how you ran it and what you got.
Incidentally, I'd change the code

Code:

#!/usr/bin/perl -w
use strict;
my $etcdir = `ls -l /etc`;
print "$etcdir\n";