Exec() return var is 255, what's it mean?

PHP
1

Hello everyone, what does 255 mean from exec()'s return variable?

2

From PHP Manual

string exec ( string command [, array output [, int return_var]])

exec() executes the given command, however it does not output anything. It simply returns the last line from the result of the command. If you need to execute a command and have all the data from the command passed directly back without any interference, use the passthru() function.

3

I don’t think you understood my question (or i don’t understand the manual). The [, int return_var] returns 255 (return status of the Unix command).

The [, array output [ is returned from the executable file. The file is a verisign file for Payflow Pro, the array output is telling me it failed to connect to Verisign’s server. I want to know if the return_var has any insight as to why. I’m pretty sure each return_var (0-255) represents an error, but I don’t know what errors.

4

bump

5

anyone have an idea what the 255 means?

6

Show me the part of the code you’re using exec() on.

7

Well, it seems funny to me that 255 is also the limit on a varchar in an sql table.

2c

8

I found some code on php.net someone posted in the pfpro function: (http://us3.php.net/pfpro)


<?php

// This script shows:
//    a) how to use the Payflow Pro commandline binary to process
//      a transaction via PHP's system call, and
//    b) the setup necessary to make sure that it will work

     // Adjust these for your actual login parameters
     $user = "MyUserName";
     $vendor = "MyUserName"; // also tried vendor ID number
     $partner = "VeriSign"; // also tried Verisign (small S)
     $pwd = "myPassword";

     $host = "test-payflow.verisign.com";
     $port = "443";

     // Adjust these next two paths appropriately; i.e. where did
     // you actually put these two files?
       $binary = 'vs_inc/pfpro'; // i also used full paths for includes
       $library = 'vs_inc/libpfpro.so';
       $newld = dirname($library);

       // this is necessary to prevent RESULT=-31 errors; make sure
     // it's a *directory* that contains the cert file that came
     // with the SDK, and *don't* put a trailing slash on it
       putenv("vs_inc");


       // This next chunk of stuff assumes you're having linker issues, and
       // attempts to fix or work around them.
       // Now, let's fix the linker path:
      // $original_ld_path = getenv("LD_LIBRARY_PATH");
       //$newld .= ":$original_path";
       //putenv("LD_LIBRARY_PATH=$newld");

       // having set the linker to find the library, now call the binary:
       $cmd = "\\"TRXTYPE=S&TENDER=C&PWD=$pwd&USER=$user&VENDOR=$vendor";
       $cmd .= "&PARTNER=$partner&ACCT=4222222222222&EXPDATE=1209&AMT=14.42";
       $cmd .= "&INVNUM=1234567890&STREET=5199 JOHNSON&ZIP=94588\\"";
       $result = exec("$binary $host $port $cmd", $result_array, $exit_value);

       $valArray = explode('&', $result);

       foreach($valArray as $val) {
               $valArray2 = explode('=', $val);
               $pfpro[$valArray2[0]] = $valArray2[1];
       }

       // To look at the array structure
       print_r($pfpro);

       // This should be equal to the RESULT that came back. If you
     // get no result string back, but the exit_value here is 126 or 127,
     // you've got linker or permission problems.
       echo "the exit value of the system call to pfpro was $exit_value";
?>

The exit value is always 255.

Edit: Also, I tried it using the part of code that is commented out.

9

If you mean the binary, I don’t know how to open it w/o ruining the source. It’s from Verisign’s Payflow Pro SDK.