note 109693 added to function.shell-exec

As others have noted, shell_exec and the backtick operator (`) both return NULL if the executed command doesn't output anything. This can be worked around by doing anything like the following: shell_exec ("silentcmd && echo ' '"); Here we're simply outputting blank whitespace if the command succeeds - which satisfies this slightly strange issue. From there, you can trim() the command output etc. ---- Server IP: 69.147.83.197 Probable Submitter: 194.72.68.66 ---- Manual Page -- http://www.php.net/manual/en/function.shell-exec.php Edit -- https://master.php.net/note/edit/109693 Del: integrated -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/109693/integrated Del: useless -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/109693/useless Del: bad code -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/109693/bad+code Del: spam -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/109693/spam Del: non-english -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/109693/non-english Del: in docs -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/109693/in+docs Del: other reasons-- https://master.php.net/note/delete/109693 Reject -- https://master.php.net/note/reject/109693 Search -- https://master.php.net/manage/user-notes.php