Alternate to PHP exec() function

Question

Currently I am using:

exec("zcat $filename", $output)

To uncompress a .Z type file but unfortunately my hosting company has now disabled this function.

Is there a workaround?

$pathtofile = "filename.lis.Z";
exec("zcat $pathtofile", $output);

Unfortunately the `compress` format `.Z` is not understood by zlib itself, so PHPs `gzuncompress()` won't work. If you can't use `exec` anymore, you'll have to adapt your file sources. Use `gzip` from now on. — mario, Sep 27 '11 at 06:39
Unfortunately the files I am fetching are in .Z format. Unless there is an automatic way of converting them to gzip format I have to stick with .Z format. Do you know any host which allows exec() ? — Saad Bashir, Sep 27 '11 at 06:47
Well, practically any professional hoster is using suexec rather than the safemode workaround. Note that your `zcat` was a special version with .Z support; you might need to reinstall that or use `uncompress -c $filename` rather. Also remember `escapeshellarg()` here. — mario, Sep 27 '11 at 06:50
I haven't used escapeshellarg() but php.net help file says "Escape a string to be used as a shell argument" but the issue is i think in order to use it i still need system() or exec() but my hosting has blocked both. Do you know any service provide who might not give me such nightmares? — Saad Bashir, Sep 27 '11 at 06:59
@mario how to use suexec? My hosting company told me that they have installed suexec but i can't still use exec() function so wondering how does it work now? — Saad Bashir, Sep 28 '11 at 07:26
Has nothing do to with each other (suexec is a server setting, not a php function). Change your hoster. — mario, Sep 28 '11 at 11:40
Dam! I can't find a host which is offering exec() i have tried searching for one even on google but no success so far — Saad Bashir, Sep 28 '11 at 17:28
Just get a basic unmanaged VPS for $5/month and set up the stack yourself, and you won't have to worry about what the host disables. — Markus AO, Mar 22 '22 at 07:25

score 12 · Answer 1 · answered Sep 27 '11 at 06:45

12

do this

echo ini_get("disable_functions");

to know if you are able to use one of the following:

system(); exec(); passthru(); shell_exec();

but if it's a shared hosting all the above are for sure blocked and you will have to find an alternative

answered Sep 27 '11 at 06:45

Eli Y

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show_source, system, shell_exec, passthru, exec, popen, proc_open, chmod, mkdir, chdir,allow_url_fopen,rmdir – Saad Bashir Sep 27 '11 at 06:53

score 5 · Answer 2 · answered Sep 28 '11 at 13:01

5

.Z files are LZW compression. If you can't run shell commands on your host, you can use an LZW PHP library. Here are two:

answered Sep 28 '11 at 13:01

six8

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score 3 · Answer 3 · answered Sep 27 '11 at 06:35

3

system($shell_command, $response_var);

So in your case:

system("zcat $filename", $output);

answered Sep 27 '11 at 06:35

Atticus

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i can almost bet that they blocked this and passthru() too – Eli Y Sep 27 '11 at 06:38
im sure they did too lol, just throwing out alternative methods – Atticus Sep 27 '11 at 06:39
they have disabled system() too – Saad Bashir Sep 27 '11 at 06:47
Yea figures, you need to call them and explain your situation. if they aren't interested in re-configuring anything for you, then you need to switch hosts. – Atticus Sep 27 '11 at 06:48
Well I tried calling them and didn't help since they aren't interested in re-configuring. Any recommendations as to which host might allow using exec() ? – Saad Bashir Sep 27 '11 at 06:51

score 0 · Answer 4 · answered Mar 22 '22 at 07:02

In my case, disabled commands are

dl
sh2_exec
diskfreespace
disk_free_space
disk_total_space
escapeshellarg
escapeshellcmd
exec
highlight_file
link
lchgrp
lchown
passthru
pclose
popen
proc_close
proc_get_status
proc_nice
proc_open
proc_terminate
set_time_limit
shell_exec
show_source
symlink
system
mail
sendmail

So if one of those commands not blocked in your side, you may find a way to execute command.

Alternate to PHP exec() function

4 Answers4

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