Running Multiple Commands using System

dkhoriya has asked for the wisdom of the Perl Monks concerning the following question:

Monks, I am sorry to distract your meditation but I need to have your attention. I am using 'system' call for executing 'some shell' commands via running a perl script. Problem is 'some shell' commands also include a command which takes more than 2 parameters but while executing, the error is, "---- only takes one arguement". In my case, the command is "sdb -d root on" and hence the error is "root only takes one arguement". Please resolve and go back, meditate. Gestures! Update: I am not using just a single shell command in System but multiple.

system("sdb -d root on");
[download]

works fine but using multiple commands in single system call like

system("sdb -d root on 'sdb -d shell; ls'; ");
[download]

doesn't work.

Comment on Running Multiple Commands using System Select or Download Code

Replies are listed 'Best First'.
Re: Running Multiple Commands using System by Corion (Patriarch) on Jun 26, 2014 at 10:22 UTC
Have you printed the actual string that you are passing to system? `my $cmd= 'sdb -d root on'; system($cmd)== 0 or die "Couldn't launch [$cmd]: $! / $?";` [download] Most likely there is some (lack of) shell quoting going on, but it's hard to say without seeing the relevant parts of your code.	[reply] [d/l]
Re^2: Running Multiple Commands using System by dkhoriya (Initiate) on Jun 27, 2014 at 06:49 UTC
Update: I am not using just a single shell command in System but multiple. `system("sdb -d root on");` [download] works fine but using multiple commands in single system call like `system("sdb -d root on 'sdb -d shell; ls'; ");` [download] doesn't work.	[reply] [d/l] [select]
Re^3: Running Multiple Commands using System by Corion (Patriarch) on Jun 27, 2014 at 06:54 UTC
Does using multiple commands work outside of Perl?	[reply]
Re^4: Running Multiple Commands using System by dkhoriya (Initiate) on Jun 27, 2014 at 07:00 UTC
Re^5: Running Multiple Commands using System by Corion (Patriarch) on Jun 27, 2014 at 07:06 UTC
Some notes below your chosen depth have not been shown here
Re: Running Multiple Commands using System by Anonymous Monk on Jun 26, 2014 at 10:39 UTC
Please show the code that reproduces this problem, and see How do I post a question effectively? Also, take a look at IPC::System::Simple, IPC::Run, and/or IPC::Run3 for easier calling of system commands. Those modules will be of more help in error cases (especially IPC::System::Simple), and also make avoiding the shell and parameter passing easier.	[reply]
Re^2: Running Multiple Commands using System by dkhoriya (Initiate) on Jul 02, 2014 at 06:49 UTC
`#!/usr/local/bin/perl use strict; use warnings; system("sdb -d root on 'sdb -d shell; cd /opt; ls';bash ");` [download] gives error of "root does not take more than one arguement" while the following system call runs fine. `system("sdb -d shell 'cd /opt; ls';bash ");` [download] and running independently `system("sdb -d root on");` [download] also works fine.	[reply] [d/l] [select]
Re: Running Multiple Commands using System by zentara (Cardinal) on Jun 26, 2014 at 11:25 UTC
he error is, "---- only takes one arguement". In my case, the command is "sdb -d root on" and hence the error is "root only takes one arguement". Please resolve Try something like this: `my @options = ( ' -d root' , 'on'); system ("sdb @options");` [download] or play with the options till it accepts it. :-) I'm not really a human, but I play one on earth. Old Perl Programmer Haiku ................... flash japh	[reply] [d/l]
Re^2: Running Multiple Commands using System by dkhoriya (Initiate) on Jun 27, 2014 at 06:54 UTC
Doesn't work that way. I am definitely a human and I play those who aren't ;-)	[reply]