Launch an Executable with PHP

[rick2302]

Am trying to use PHP to launch an Executable file on the Server.The server is on a local network, not the web, so we're not worried about permissions or anything.Have been trying fopen() with no luck.A hyperlink works fine, but we'd rather the user not have to click anything. Once the page loads, the executable should launch.

[justsomeguy]

You can't use PHP to run a program on the client machine. You can use something like exec to run a program on the server, but the users won't see the program. If you want the program to run on the client machine then the user has to click a link to launch it.

[boen_robot]

Something like setting the window.location to the program's executable would also start the program I think and automatically, but the user would (naturally) be promted if (s)he wants to open the executable, save it or cancel the opening.

[justsomeguy]

It would have to be a path that the client can find, so it would either need to be a known local path that is the same on all clients or a network share that anyone can reach.

[rick2302]

I have PHP writing the HTML so just before the </body> added this:echo ' <script type="text/javascript"> window.location="file://MenuShare/ShowMenu.bat"; </script>';and it works fine, launching the Batch file that in turn launches the Executable.I found that trying to launch the Executable directly caused two prompts to "Run", whereas using the Batch file only prompts once. That is still one too many (would rather zero interaction from the user), but at least the user does not have to launch the executable themselves, just needs to acknowledge the "Run".Thanks for the suggestions!!