Xbase++

Run a Command on an SSH Session Channel

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.

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LOCAL nSuccess
LOCAL oSsh
LOCAL nSshPort
LOCAL cPassword
LOCAL nChannelNum
LOCAL cOutput

nSuccess := 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.

oSsh := CreateObject("Chilkat.Ssh")

nSshPort := 22
nSuccess := oSsh:Connect("ssh.example.com", nSshPort)
IF (nSuccess == 0)
    ? oSsh:LastErrorText
    oSsh:destroy()
    RETURN
ENDIF

//  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.
cPassword := "mySshPassword"

nSuccess := oSsh:AuthenticatePw("mySshLogin", cPassword)
IF (nSuccess == 0)
    ? oSsh:LastErrorText
    oSsh:destroy()
    RETURN
ENDIF

//  Open a session channel.  A negative return value indicates failure.
nChannelNum := oSsh:OpenSessionChannel()
IF (nChannelNum < 0)
    ? oSsh:LastErrorText
    oSsh:destroy()
    RETURN
ENDIF

//  Request execution of a command.  A 1 return means the server accepted the request; it
//  does not mean the command itself succeeded.
nSuccess := oSsh:SendReqExec(nChannelNum, "ls -l /tmp")
IF (nSuccess == 0)
    ? oSsh:LastErrorText
    oSsh:destroy()
    RETURN
ENDIF

//  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.
oSsh:ReadTimeoutMs := 15000

//  Read the command output until the server closes the channel.
nSuccess := oSsh:ChannelReceiveToClose(nChannelNum)
IF (nSuccess == 0)
    ? oSsh:LastErrorText
    oSsh:destroy()
    RETURN
ENDIF

cOutput := oSsh:GetReceivedText(nChannelNum, "utf-8")
IF (oSsh:LastMethodSuccess == 0)
    ? oSsh:LastErrorText
    oSsh:destroy()
    RETURN
ENDIF

? cOutput

oSsh:Disconnect()

oSsh:destroy()