PHP call Python script and the python script cannot write to a file

Question

I have a PHP script which calls a python script. The Python script does a simple write to file function.

Python:

f = open("xxx", "w")
f.write("xxxxxx")
f.close

PHP:

$output = system("python /home/xxxx/training/scripts/load.py);
echo $output;

If I run the Python directly, it is able to create and write to the file. But when I use the PHP to call it, no file will be created and written. Is that because of some system path related issue? How to fix it?

p.s. If I run a "whoami", it shows the user as "apache". Is that the possible reason that the write-to-file failed?

Thanks so much!

Is your file path relative or fully specified? Could be a working directory issue. — CollinD, Sep 13 '15 at 06:40
Could be anything. Where's the php side? If you want answers, provide everything. — ElefantPhace, Sep 13 '15 at 06:43
If by "use PHP" you mean calling it via browser, maybe the user that runs the webserver (in debian-based it would be wwwdata, in redhat-like httpd, I think) doesn't have write permission in the target dir. — some-non-descript-user, Sep 13 '15 at 07:38
Yes, what i meant by "use PHP" is calling it via browser. But that directory is in 777 — Evian, Sep 13 '15 at 08:47
PHP side actually nothing special $output = system("/usr/bin/python /home/xxx/training/scripts/load.py Practice 001 002 003"); — Evian, Sep 13 '15 at 08:57

score 1 · Accepted Answer · edited May 23 '17 at 11:58

this python script will have no output and the php code won't save command's output to the variable output instead it will print it immediately, you should use shell_exec for that

E.g.

<?php 
$output = shell_exec("python script.py");
print $output;
?>

anyways,

Tested on Ubuntu Server 10.04. I hope it helps you also on Archlinux.

In PHP:
<?php 

$command = escapeshellcmd('/usr/custom/test.py');
$output = shell_exec($command);
echo $output;

?>
In Python file 'test.py' verify this text in first line: (see shebang explain):
#!/usr/bin/env python
Also Python file should have correct privileges (execution for user www-data / apache if Php script runs in browser or through curl) and/or must be "executable". Also all commands in .py file must have correct privileges.
chmod +x myscript.py

Source: Running a Python script from PHP

Hi Abdallah, sorry I was my typo here. What I did in my script is f = open("xxx", "w") — Evian, Sep 13 '15 at 08:45

PHP call Python script and the python script cannot write to a file

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