Sample code for 30+ languages & platforms
Objective-C

Run a Command on an SSH Session Channel

See more SSH Examples

Demonstrates the Chilkat Ssh.SendReqExec method, which requests execution of a command on a session channel. The first argument is the channel number and the second is the command line. This example runs a command, reads the output until the channel closes, and prints it.

Background: exec is the workhorse for automation: run one command, collect its output, and finish — no interactive shell needed. Note carefully that a true return means the request was accepted, not that the command succeeded. To learn the command's outcome, read its output and check the channel exit status.

Chilkat Objective-C Downloads

Objective-C
#import <CkoSsh.h>
#import <NSString.h>

BOOL success = NO;

//  Demonstrates the Ssh.SendReqExec method, which requests execution of a command on a session
//  channel.  The 1st argument is the channel number and the 2nd is the command line.

CkoSsh *ssh = [[CkoSsh alloc] init];

int sshPort = 22;
success = [ssh Connect: @"ssh.example.com" port: [NSNumber numberWithInt: sshPort]];
if (success == NO) {
    NSLog(@"%@",ssh.LastErrorText);
    return;
}

//  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.
NSString *password = @"mySshPassword";

success = [ssh AuthenticatePw: @"mySshLogin" password: password];
if (success == NO) {
    NSLog(@"%@",ssh.LastErrorText);
    return;
}

//  Open a session channel.  A negative return value indicates failure.
int channelNum = [[ssh OpenSessionChannel] intValue];
if (channelNum < 0) {
    NSLog(@"%@",ssh.LastErrorText);
    return;
}

//  Request execution of a command.  A true return means the server accepted the request; it
//  does not mean the command itself succeeded.
success = [ssh SendReqExec: [NSNumber numberWithInt: channelNum] command: @"ls -l /tmp"];
if (success == NO) {
    NSLog(@"%@",ssh.LastErrorText);
    return;
}

//  IMPORTANT: Set a read timeout.  ReadTimeoutMs defaults to 0, which means no limit -- without
//  it, this call waits forever if the server never sends channel close.
ssh.ReadTimeoutMs = [NSNumber numberWithInt:15000];

//  Read the command output until the server closes the channel.
success = [ssh ChannelReceiveToClose: [NSNumber numberWithInt: channelNum]];
if (success == NO) {
    NSLog(@"%@",ssh.LastErrorText);
    return;
}

NSString *output = [ssh GetReceivedText: [NSNumber numberWithInt: channelNum] charset: @"utf-8"];
if (ssh.LastMethodSuccess == NO) {
    NSLog(@"%@",ssh.LastErrorText);
    return;
}

NSLog(@"%@",output);

[ssh Disconnect];