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DataFlex

Start a Remote Shell with QuickShell

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Demonstrates the Chilkat Ssh.QuickShell method, which starts a remote shell using the simplified sequence OpenSessionChannelSendReqPtySendReqShell. It takes no arguments and returns the shell channel number, or -1 on failure. The default PTY size is 80 columns by 24 rows.

Background: Note that QuickShell does allocate a PTY, so unlike a bare SendReqShell the remote shell runs interactively: it prints a command prompt, echoes the commands you send, and runs interactive login scripts. That is convenient for terminal-style work but means the output contains prompts and echoed input that scripted parsing must tolerate. The method returns as soon as the shell request is accepted — it does not consume the initial login text or prompt, so read and discard that before relying on command output.

Chilkat DataFlex Downloads

DataFlex
Use ChilkatAx-win32.pkg

Procedure Test
    Boolean iSuccess
    Handle hoSsh
    Integer iSshPort
    String sPassword
    Integer iChannelNum
    Boolean iCaseSensitive
    String sOutput
    String sTemp1
    Boolean bTemp1

    Move False To iSuccess

    //  Demonstrates the Ssh.QuickShell method, which starts a remote shell using the simplified
    //  sequence OpenSessionChannel, SendReqPty, and SendReqShell.  It takes no arguments and returns
    //  the shell channel number, or -1 on failure.  The default PTY size is 80 columns by 24 rows.

    Get Create (RefClass(cComChilkatSsh)) To hoSsh
    If (Not(IsComObjectCreated(hoSsh))) Begin
        Send CreateComObject of hoSsh
    End

    Move 22 To iSshPort
    Get ComConnect Of hoSsh "ssh.example.com" iSshPort To iSuccess
    If (iSuccess = False) Begin
        Get ComLastErrorText Of hoSsh To sTemp1
        Showln sTemp1
        Procedure_Return
    End

    //  Normally you would not hard-code the password in source.  You should instead obtain it
    //  from an interactive prompt, environment variable, or a secrets vault.
    Move "mySshPassword" To sPassword

    Get ComAuthenticatePw Of hoSsh "mySshLogin" sPassword To iSuccess
    If (iSuccess = False) Begin
        Get ComLastErrorText Of hoSsh To sTemp1
        Showln sTemp1
        Procedure_Return
    End

    //  Start the shell.  Note that QuickShell allocates a PTY, so the remote shell runs
    //  interactively: it prints a command prompt and echoes the commands that are sent to it.
    Get ComQuickShell Of hoSsh To iChannelNum
    If (iChannelNum < 0) Begin
        Get ComLastErrorText Of hoSsh To sTemp1
        Showln sTemp1
        Procedure_Return
    End

    //  QuickShell returns as soon as the shell request is accepted -- it does not wait for or
    //  consume the initial login text or prompt.
    Get ComChannelSendString Of hoSsh iChannelNum "uname -a; echo DONE_MARKER" + (character(10)) "utf-8" To iSuccess
    If (iSuccess = False) Begin
        Get ComLastErrorText Of hoSsh To sTemp1
        Showln sTemp1
        Procedure_Return
    End

    //  IMPORTANT: Set a read timeout before receiving until a match.  ReadTimeoutMs defaults to 0,
    //  which means no limit -- without it, this call waits forever if the received data never
    //  contains a match.
    Set ComReadTimeoutMs Of hoSsh To 15000

    Move False To iCaseSensitive
    Get ComChannelReceiveUntilMatch Of hoSsh iChannelNum "DONE_MARKER" "utf-8" iCaseSensitive To iSuccess
    If (iSuccess = False) Begin
        Get ComLastErrorText Of hoSsh To sTemp1
        Showln sTemp1
        Procedure_Return
    End

    Get ComGetReceivedText Of hoSsh iChannelNum "utf-8" To sOutput
    Get ComLastMethodSuccess Of hoSsh To bTemp1
    If (bTemp1 = False) Begin
        Get ComLastErrorText Of hoSsh To sTemp1
        Showln sTemp1
        Procedure_Return
    End

    Showln sOutput

    Send ComDisconnect To hoSsh


End_Procedure