php exec issue with wamp

Question

I am using wamp on a windows machine and just wanted to invoke an exe on this via a php web page. When I am launching the php from commandline on server its working fine but when invoke same php via browser from other machine it does not work and waits forever. My php file is like this

<?php 
 exec("calc.exe");
?>

When I access this from client (http://servername/exec.php) it waits forever. I know its a permission issue with apache on windows, but not sure how to fix this.

Answer 1

It won't work.

As you are running Apache as a Windows service, which runs on different logon session, it will not show the application windows. Also, the application will run on the webserver system only and not on the system where you are accessing the php file through browser.

As the calculator application is waiting for user input, the php file is loading forever in your system.

You can initiate console based applications using "exec" function.