getting output and exit status from shell_exec()

Following worked for me with exec() to show the output

exec(your_command, $output, $return_var);
var_dump($output);
var_dump($return_var);

As you've already seen, when using shell_exec you have to chain your "real" command with echo $? to get the exit status:

 $output_including_status = shell_exec("command 2>&1; echo $?");

but if you want the clean way, then you want to use the exec function, which allows a 3rd agument explicitly for this purpose.

Use exec() or popen() (+ manual handling of the process) instead.

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