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Tcl

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 Tcl Downloads

Tcl

load ./chilkat.dll

set success 0

#  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.

set ssh [new_CkSsh]

set sshPort 22
set success [CkSsh_Connect $ssh "ssh.example.com" $sshPort]
if {$success == 0} then {
    puts [CkSsh_lastErrorText $ssh]
    delete_CkSsh $ssh
    exit
}

#  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.
set password "mySshPassword"

set success [CkSsh_AuthenticatePw $ssh "mySshLogin" $password]
if {$success == 0} then {
    puts [CkSsh_lastErrorText $ssh]
    delete_CkSsh $ssh
    exit
}

#  Open a session channel.  A negative return value indicates failure.
set channelNum [CkSsh_OpenSessionChannel $ssh]
if {$channelNum < 0} then {
    puts [CkSsh_lastErrorText $ssh]
    delete_CkSsh $ssh
    exit
}

#  Request execution of a command.  A 1 return means the server accepted the request; it
#  does not mean the command itself succeeded.
set success [CkSsh_SendReqExec $ssh $channelNum "ls -l /tmp"]
if {$success == 0} then {
    puts [CkSsh_lastErrorText $ssh]
    delete_CkSsh $ssh
    exit
}

#  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.
CkSsh_put_ReadTimeoutMs $ssh 15000

#  Read the command output until the server closes the channel.
set success [CkSsh_ChannelReceiveToClose $ssh $channelNum]
if {$success == 0} then {
    puts [CkSsh_lastErrorText $ssh]
    delete_CkSsh $ssh
    exit
}

set output [CkSsh_getReceivedText $ssh $channelNum "utf-8"]
if {[CkSsh_get_LastMethodSuccess $ssh] == 0} then {
    puts [CkSsh_lastErrorText $ssh]
    delete_CkSsh $ssh
    exit
}

puts "$output"

CkSsh_Disconnect $ssh

delete_CkSsh $ssh