Runtime.getRuntime().exec

hi all,
im running my java under Linux.
i want to copy a big bulk of files from one folder to other folder.
when i implement Runtime.getRuntime().exec("cp -r /sourcefolder /destintationfolder").
its been execute but the copy process didnt complete yet.
is there any way to be sure that the command finished, so i can be sure the command finish its work.
TIA

Gabi wrote:
..please do not answer .Please do not ask dumb, poorly researched, poorly thought out questions then expect people to rush to your service.
This is not your personal help desk.

Similar Messages

How to execute an application in Solaris using Runtime.getRuntime.exec() ?

I am currently doing a project which requires the execution of Solaris applications through the use of Java Servlet with this Runtime method - Runtime.getRuntime.exec()
This means that if the client PC tries to access the servlet in the server PC, an application is supposed to be executed and launched on the server PC itself. Actually, the servlet part is not an issue as the main problem is the executing of applications in different platforms which is a big headache.
When I tried running this program on a Windows 2000 machine, it works perfectly fine. However, when I tried it on a Solaris machine, nothing happens. And I mean nothing... no errors, no nothing. I really don't know what's wrong.
Here's the code.
public void doPost(HttpServletRequest request, HttpServletResponse response)
     throws ServletException, IOException
     response.setContentType("text/html");
     PrintWriter out = response.getWriter();
          Process process;                                                       Runtime runtime = Runtime.getRuntime();
          String com= "sh /opt/home/acrobat/";
          String program = request.getParameter("program");
          try
                    process = runtime.exec(com);
          catch (Exception e)
               out.println(e);
It works under Windows when com = "c:\winnt\system32\notepad.exe"
When under Solaris, I have tried everything possible. For example, the launching of the application acrobat.
com = "/opt/home/acrobat"
com = "sh /opt/home/acrobat"I have also tried reading in the process and then printing it out. It doesn't work either. It only works when excuting commands like 'ls'
BufferedReader read = new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader(process.getInputStream()));Why is it such a breeze to execute prgrams under Windows while there are so many problems under Solaris.
Can some experts please please PLEASE point out the errors and give me some advice and help to make this program work under Solaris! Please... I really need to do this!!
My email address - [email protected]
I appreciate it.
By the way, I'm coding and compiling in a Windows 2000 machine before ftp'ing the .class file to the Solaris server machine to run.

it is possible that you are trying to run a program that is going to display a window on an X server, but you have not specified a display. You specifiy a display by setting the DISPLAY environment variable eg.
setenv DISPLAY 10.0.0.1:0
To check that runtime.exec is working you should try to run a program that does not reqire access to an X Server. Try something like
cmd = "sh -c 'ls -l > ~/testlist.lst'";
alternatively try this
cmd = "sh -c 'export DISPLAY=127.0.0.1:0;xterm '"
you will also need to permit access to the X server using the xhost + command

How to get return value from Java runtime.getRuntime.exec?

I'm running shell commands from an Oracle db (11gr2) on aix.
But, I would like to get a return value from a shell comand... like you get with "echo $?"
I use a code like
CREATE OR REPLACE JAVA SOURCE NAMED common."Host" AS
import java.io.*;
public class Host {
public static int executeCommand(String command) {
    int retval=0;
    try {
        String[] finalCommand;
        finalCommand = new String[3];
        finalCommand[0] = "/bin/sh";
        finalCommand[1] = "-c";
        finalCommand[2] = command;
      final Process pr = Runtime.getRuntime().exec(finalCommand);
      pr.waitFor();
   catch (Exception ex) {
      System.out.println(ex.getLocalizedMessage());
      retval=-1;
    return retval;
/but I do not get a return value... because I don't know how to get return value..
Edited by: user9158455 on 22-Sep-2010 07:33

Hi,
Have your tried pr.exitValue() ?
I think you also need a finally block that destroys the subprocess
Regards
Peter

Strange behaviour of Runtime.getRuntime().exec(command)

hello guys,
i wrote a program which executes some commands in commandline (actually tried multiple stuff.)
what did i try?
open "cmd.exe" manually (administrator)
type "echo %PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE%" and hit enter, which returns me
"AMD64"
type "java -version" and hit enter, which returns me:
"java version "1.6.0_10-beta"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.6.0_10-beta-b25)
Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 11.0-b12, mixed mode)"
type "reg query "HKLM\SOFTWARE\7-zip"" returns me:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\7-zip
Path REG_SZ C:\Program Files\7-Zip\
i wrote two functions to execute an command
1) simply calls exec and reads errin and stdout from the process started:
public static String execute(String command) {
          String result = "";
          try {
               // Execute a command
               Process child = Runtime.getRuntime().exec(command);
               // Read from an input stream
               InputStream in = child.getInputStream();
               int c;
               while ((c = in.read()) != -1) {
                    result += ((char) c);
               in.close();
               in = child.getErrorStream();
               while ((c = in.read()) != -1) {
                    result += ((char) c);
               in.close();
          } catch (IOException e) {
          return result;
     }the second function allows me to send multiple commands to the cmd
public static String exec(String[] commands) {
          String line;
          String result = "";
          OutputStream stdin = null;
          InputStream stderr = null;
          InputStream stdout = null;
          // launch EXE and grab stdin/stdout and stderr
          try {
               Process process;
               process = Runtime.getRuntime().exec("cmd.exe");
               stdin = process.getOutputStream();
               stderr = process.getErrorStream();
               stdout = process.getInputStream();
               // "write" the parms into stdin
               for (int i = 0; i < commands.length; i++) {
                    line = commands[i] + "\n";
                    stdin.write(line.getBytes());
                    stdin.flush();
               stdin.close();
               // clean up if any output in stdout
               BufferedReader brCleanUp = new BufferedReader(
                         new InputStreamReader(stdout));
               while ((line = brCleanUp.readLine()) != null) {
                    result += line + "\n";
               brCleanUp.close();
               // clean up if any output in stderr
               brCleanUp = new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader(stderr));
               while ((line = brCleanUp.readLine()) != null) {
                    result += "ERR: " + line + "\n";
               brCleanUp.close();
          } catch (IOException e) {
               // TODO Auto-generated catch block
               e.printStackTrace();
          return result;
     }so i try to execute the commands from above (yes, i am using \\ and \" in java)
(1) "echo %PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE%"
(2) "java -version"
(3) "reg query "HKLM\SOFTWARE\7-zip""
the first function returns me (note that ALL results are different from the stuff above!):
(1) "" <-- empty ?!
(2) java version "1.6.0_11"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.6.0_11-b03)
Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 11.0-b16, mixed mode, sharing)
(3) ERROR: The system was unable to find the specified registry key or value.
the second function returns me:
(1) x86 <-- huh? i have AMD64
(2) java version "1.6.0_11"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.6.0_11-b03)
Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 11.0-b16, mixed mode, sharing)
(3) ERROR: The system was unable to find the specified registry key or value.
horray! in this version the java version is correct! processor architecture is not empty but totally incorrect and the reg query is still err.
any help is wellcome
note: i only put stuff here, which returns me strange behaviour, most things are working correct with my functions (using the Runtime.getRuntime().exec(command); code)
note2: "reg query "HKLM\HARDWARE\DESCRIPTION\System\CentralProcessor\0" /t REG_SZ" IS working, so why are "some" queries result in ERR, while they are working if typed by hand in cmd.exe?

ok, i exported a jar file and execute it from cmd:
java -jar myjar.jar
now the output is:
(1) "" if called by version 1, possible to retrieve by version 2 (no clue why!)
(2) "java version "1.6.0_10-beta"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.6.0_10-beta-b25)
Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 11.0-b12, mixed mode)"
(3) C:\Program Files\7-Zip\
so all three problems are gone! (but its a hard way, as i need both functions and parse a lot of text... :/ )
thanks for the tip, that eclipse changes variables (i really did not knew this one...)

Runtime.getRuntime.exec() not working when Tomcat is made a windows Sevice

Hi,
I am working on a web application which launches a exe file on subitting the form. I am using Apache Tomcat 4.0.6 to run the web application. Initially Tomcat was not made a windows service on my machine and when I launch an exe it is launching without any problems. I used the following command to launch the exe file:
<code>
Process p = Runtime.getRuntime().exec("C:\\Program Files\\Mercury Interactive\\WinRunner\\arch\\wrun.exe" + strWROptions);
</code>
The above command launches WinRunner on the local machine.
without using tomcat if I just compile and run a test program with this command, the exe is launching perfectly. But, Once I made tomcat a windows service on my machine the exe is not launching.
Also, a process is being created in the windows task bar named wrun.exe once I submit the form but WinRunner is not lauching on the desktop.
Can any one please help and suggest me.
Thanks,
Ramesh

The version of Java I am using is 1.4.2. Even without
using the string array as you mentioned, the exe
(wrun.exe) is launched on my desktop if I don't run
Tomcat as a windows service. But the problem arises on
making it a service :-(
That is strange because going by the documentation what you have been using should never work. I can't test it though, I'm not on MSWindows at the moment..
Now, when I use this string array convention, I am
getting an error saying "The tool could not launch..
some error occured".
That's not a Java error message, it must come from WinRunner. This means that you have succesfully started WinRunner (great!) but something else is wrong; maybe the parameters you pass to it are incorrect.
How would you run it on the command line? Like this?wrun -t "D:\L5_QE\L5A\Initial" -create_text_report on -runThat line executes the wrun program and passes it five parameters, not three. The first parameter is "-t", the second "D:\L5_QE\L5A\Initial", the third "-create_text_report", the fourth "on", and the fifth "-run". The array of strings that corresponds to that line isString[] command = {"C:\\Program Files\\Mercury Interactive\\WinRunner\\arch\\wrun.exe",
                "-t", "D:\\L5_QE\\L5A\\Initial",
                "-create_text_report", "on",
                "-run"};

PROBLEM in executing a shell command through Runtime.getRuntime().exec()

Hi all,
I was trying to execute the following code:
import java.io.BufferedReader;
import java.io.InputStream;
import java.io.InputStreamReader;
import java.sql.CallableStatement;
import java.sql.Connection;
import java.sql.DriverManager;
import java.sql.PreparedStatement;
import java.sql.Statement;
import java.sql.ResultSet;
* Created on Mar 13, 2007
* To change the template for this generated file go to
* Window>Preferences>Java>Code Generation>Code and Comments
* @author 195092
* To change the template for this generated type comment go to
* Window>Preferences>Java>Code Generation>Code and Comments
public class ClassReportDeleteDaemon {
     ClassReportDeleteDaemon()
     public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception
          Connection conn = null;
          Statement stmt = null;
          ResultSet rs;
          String strQuery = null;
          String strdaysback = null;
          String delstring = null;
          int daysback;
          try
               System.out.println("REPORT DELETION ::: FINDING DRIVER");
               Class.forName("oracle.jdbc.driver.OracleDriver");
          catch(Exception e)
               System.out.println("REPORT DELETION ::: DRIVER EXCEPTION--" + e.getMessage());
               System.out.println("REPORT DELETION ::: DRIVER NOT FOUND");
          try
               String strUrl = "jdbc:Oracle:thin:" + args[0] + "/" + args[1] + "@" + args[2];
               System.out.println("REPORT DELETION ::: TRYING FOR JDBC CONNECTION");
               conn = DriverManager.getConnection(strUrl);
               System.out.println("REPORT DELETION ::: SUCCESSFUL CONNECTION");
               while(true)
                    System.out.println("WHILE LOOP");
                    stmt = conn.createStatement();
                    strQuery = "SELECT REP_DAYS_OLD FROM T_REPORT_DEL";
                    rs = stmt.executeQuery(strQuery);
                    while(rs.next())
                         strdaysback = rs.getString("REP_DAYS_OLD");
                         //daysback = Integer.parseInt(strdaysback);
                    System.out.print("NO of Days===>" + strdaysback);
                    delstring = "find /tmp/reports1 -name " + "\"" + "*" + "\"" + " -mtime +" + strdaysback + " -print|xargs rm -r";
                    System.out.println("DELETE STRING===>" + delstring);
                    Process proc = Runtime.getRuntime().exec(delstring);
                    //Get error stream to display error messages encountered during execution of command
                    InputStream errStream=proc.getErrorStream();
                    //Get error stream to display output messages encountered during execution of command
                    InputStream inStream = proc.getInputStream();
                    InputStreamReader strReader = new InputStreamReader(errStream);
                    BufferedReader br = new BufferedReader(strReader);
                    String strLine = null;
                    while((strLine=br.readLine())!=null)
                         System.out.println(strLine);
               }     //end of while loop
          }     //end of try
          catch (Exception e)
               System.out.println("REPORT DELETION ::: EXCEPTION---" + e.getMessage());
               conn.close();
     }     //end of main
}     //end of ClassReportDeleteDaemon
But it is giving the error "BAD OPTION -print|xargs". The command run well in shell.
Please help.
Thanking u.......

Since the pipe '|' is interpreted by the shell then you need the shell to invoke your command
        String[] command = {"sh","-c","find /tmp/reports1 -name " + "\"" + "*" + "\"" + " -mtime +" + strdaysback + " -print|xargs rm -r"};
        final Process process = Runtime.getRuntime().exec(command);
You should also read http://www.javaworld.com/javaworld/jw-12-2000/jw-1229-traps.html at least twice and implement the recommendation regarding stdout and stderr.
P.S. Why are you not using Java to find and delete these files?
Message was edited by:
sabre150

Running curl command from a java program using Runtime.getRuntime.exec

for some reason my curl command does not run when I run it from within my java program and errors out with "https protocol not supported". This same curl command however runs fine from any directory on my red hat linux system.
To debug the problem, I printed my curl command from the java program before calling Runtime.getRuntime.exec command and then used this o/p to run from the command line and it runs fine.
I am not using libcurl or anything else, I am running a simple curl command as a command line utility from inside a Java program.
Any ideas on why this might be happening?

thanks a lot for your response. The reason why I am using curl is because I need to use certificates and keys to gain access to the internal server. So I use curl "<url> --cert <path to the certificate>" --key "<path to the key>". If you don't mid could you please tell me which version of curl you are using.
I am using 7.15 in my system.
Below is the code which errors out.
public int execCurlCmd(String command)
          String s = null;
          try {
              // run the Unix "ps -ef" command
                 Process p = Runtime.getRuntime().exec(command);
                 BufferedReader stdInput = new BufferedReader(new
                      InputStreamReader(p.getInputStream()));
                 BufferedReader stdError = new BufferedReader(new
                      InputStreamReader(p.getErrorStream()));
                 // read the output from the command
                 System.out.println("Here is the standard output of the command:\n");
                 while ((s = stdInput.readLine()) != null) {
                     System.out.println(s);
                 // read any errors from the attempted command
                 System.out.println("Here is the standard error of the command (if any):\n");
                 while ((s = stdError.readLine()) != null) {
                     System.out.println(s);
                 return(0);
             catch (IOException e) {
                 System.out.println("exception happened - here's what I know: ");
                 e.printStackTrace();
                 return(-1);
     }

How to use Runtime.getRuntime().exec() in JSP? is it works in JSP or not

Hi to all,
i want run a .exe file from JSP file. In java i am able do this, using Runtime.getRuntime().exec().
but same thing, when i trying with JSP it is not working?
plz let me is there any other ways to do it..

It depends, usually (ie in an J2EE container) you're not allowed to access files or the runtime environment, by definition. What do you wan't to achieve with the exe?
--olaf

Runtime.getRuntime().exec and quoted strings?

Attempting to execute a command containing a quoted string. Being very new to Java I'm guessing I'm not doing it right. Below are two code bits the first one works the second doesn't. So the question is "How do I use quoted strings in a command with .exec?"
// this one works
try {
p = Runtime.getRuntime().exec("ls -l tst.java");
p.waitFor();
System.out.println("Done!");
catch(Throwable e) {
system.out.println("Errors!");
// this one fails
try {
p = Runtime.getRuntime().exec("ls -l \"tst.java\"");
p.waitFor();
System.out.println("Done!");
catch(Throwable e) {
system.out.println("Errors!");

I don't know if it is too late for the answer, but I think I know what the problem is.
You are using exec(String) method, and passed String parameter is parsed using StringTokenizer class. This means that when you use quotes as in "file1 file2", StringTokenizer parses this as "file1 and then file2" so it is not understandable command.
To solve the problem, do not use exec(String) method, use exec(String[])
Using this you can send separate command and separate parameters as in following example:
If you want to send (in Unix)
grep "SHOW lotid" text.txt
(using exec("grep \"SHOW lotid\" text.txt") would not work)
Do the following
exec(new String[]{"grep", "SHOW lotid", "text.txt"});
This avoids parsing problem when quotes are used.
Mehmed

SWT window disappear while running Runtime.getRuntime().exec()

Hello,
I have create a SWT application. I am executing the folloiwng code from my SWT application.
Process process = Runtime.getRuntime().exec(param);
BufferedReader in = new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader(process.getInputStream()));
String line = null;
while ((line = in.readLine()) != null) {
During execution of the above code when click on other icon of the window task bar and click back on SWT window Icon, The windows open but it does not show annything until the code execution finish. any help would be apprecited.

This isn't an SWT forum. In the future, please post such questions on a forum specifically for SWT issues.
But to answer your question, there's a 99.9% chance this is because you're launching the process on SWT's UI thread. Similar to performing long-running tasks on Swing's EDT, this is a no-no. The SWT UI won't be able to repaint itself until after your process has finished. To remedy this, launch your process in a separate Thread.

Runtime.getRuntime().exec problems

i am trying to run files from my java application, i use the following command
Runtime.getRuntime().exec("cmd /c start " + filePath);but it seems that it cant handle file path with spaces, like
C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\My Documents\My Web\Untitled-3.fla
it works well with path like this
C:\Downloads\1.rar
am i right? and how to solve this problem? thanks

        final String[] command =
            "cmd.exe",
            "/C",
            "start \"" + filename + "\"",
        final Process p = Runtime.getRuntime().exec(command);this method can only trigger files in the same folder as the java application, isnt it?

Runtime.getRuntime().exec at JBuilder

I�m gonna show you the interest part of the program:
void jButton13_actionPerformed(ActionEvent e)
try
Process p = Runtime.getRuntime().exec(d:\\jmonrubia\\AWouter\\CntVirRel.exe");
System.out.println("Procesando.....");
int valorRetorno = p.waitFor();
System.out.println("Acabado");
catch(InterruptedException lop){lop.printStackTrace();}
catch(IOException ds){ds.printStackTrace();}
catch(IllegalThreadStateException ds){ds.printStackTrace();}
catch(Throwable t){t.printStackTrace();}
Beeing the result at the System.out:
Procesando.....
Exception! File: handler.cpp, Line: 73
Invalid filename.
Acabado
The exe file doesn�t do anything. The handler.cpp is a library which the exe file use.
But in a Example.java using JDK (javac Example.java and
later java Example) like this:
import java.io.*;
public class Example
public static void main (String args[]) throws IOException
Process proc = Runtime.getRuntime().exec("CntVirRel.exe");
try
     System.out.println("Empieza a esperar");
     proc.waitFor();
     System.out.println("Acaba la espera");
catch (InterruptedException e){}
Then here the exe file works, so ... I don�t understand why.
Here, the program run so I don�t understand why at JBuilder say
something about the handler.cpp.
I hope that with this you can understand something.
Thank you.

check the line..
Process p = Runtime.getRuntime().exec(d:\\jmonrubia\\AWouter\\CntVirRel.exe");
[\code]
there's a missing quote..in the command string

Process via Runtime.getRuntime().exec(), how to identify that it�s closed?

A process(console program) is started via Runtime.getRuntime().exec() from Swing Application.
Swing Application need to know the result of this process.
So, is there any possibility to find whether the console program is finished?

Runtime.exec() returns a Process object.
Look at its methods, especially waitFor(). Read carefully the whole Process documentation, especially what has to be done with the output streams.

Wierdness w/ Runtime().getRuntime().exec between 8.1.6 and 8.1.7

A Java SP that executes OS commands runs fine in 8.1.6, but doesn't run in
8.1.7 when a window is generated as a result of the call. The Java class
follows:
package com.crtinc.oracle.util.osrun;
import java.io.*;
public class SimpleRunner extends Object {
//just run the daggone command, don't worry about any errors, feedback,
etc...
public static void run(String cmd) throws IOException {
Runtime.getRuntime().exec(cmd);
The call spec follows:
CREATE OR REPLACE PACKAGE SIMPLERUNNER AUTHID CURRENT_USER AS
PROCEDURE RUN ("cmd" IN VARCHAR2)
AS LANGUAGE JAVA
NAME 'com.crtinc.oracle.util.osrun.SimpleRunner.run(java.lang.String)';
END SIMPLERUNNER;
When deployed to v8.1.6 by a user with JAVASYSPRIV, the following call from
SQL*Plus runs and displays a window:
exec simplerunner.run('notepad.exe');
When deployed to v8.1.7, the same call causes notepad.exe to be added to the NT
Task Manager Processes tab, but the notepad window doesn't actually open up.
FWIW, the above code is a simple example - myactual utility captures the
output streams of OS commands, very much along the lines of sample code that
I've seen on Metalink - this also works fine in 8.1.6, but never returns in
8.1.7.
Granted, running Notepad is of limited utility (though it demos very well :-),
but other useful OS commands that spawna window (such as kicking of an Oracle
Report, which pops up a small status window) do not run now in 8.1.7. Running
a completely non-visual process seemsto work fine, however.
Any help much appreciated!
Thanks
Jim

Well, just for anyone who might be facing such an issue in the future...
I am running the databse on NT and it turns out that my NT service didn't have the 'Allow Service to Interact with Desktop' checkbox selected, so that's why OS commands that generated windows weren't showing up. Checking that checkbox and stopping/restarting the service solved the problem.
Jim
null

How would you capture the stdout of Runtime.getRuntime().exec())?

How would you capture the stdout of Runtime.getRuntime().exec())?
Say you wanted to execute PKZIP25.exe from java using Runtime.getRuntime().exec(). How would you capture the output of PKZIP25 (the console IO) in a file so you could check the results?
Thanks
Bill Blalock

Thanks.
Could you explain a little more?
The program I am calling seems to be executing, as far as Java is concerned, but nothing happens. I imagine I have made mistakes in calling it but can't see the output to the console.
Should I use Runtime.getRuntime().exec() or Runtime.exec() for something like this?
I appreciate the help!
Bill B.

Using Runtime.getRuntime().exec(DOS Program) with Windows 2000.

I am trying to spawn a DOS Program from within Java.
On Win95/98/ME, I use
Process     p = Runtime.getRuntime().exec("START /w command.com con /c myDOSProgram.exe");
This works on these platforms. On Win 2000, I use
Process     p = Runtime.getRuntime().exec("START /w cmd.exe con /c myDOSProgram.exe");
It does not work at all.
I have tried all combinations of using START, cmd.exe, con /c, etc.
I can spawn a Windows App using
Process     p = Runtime.getRuntime().exec("windows.exe");
And it works fine.
What does it take to spawn a DOS program from Java on the Windows 2000 op sys?

Hi. I recently wrote a java GUI that calls a DOS program with mixed success. Here's the code I used to make the call:String osName = System.getProperty("os.name" );
String[] cmd = new String[4];
if( osName.equals( "Windows 2000" ) || osName.equals( "Windows NT" ) )
     cmd[0] = "cmd.exe";
     cmd[1] = "/C" ;
     cmd[2] = "VBDoc.exe";
     cmd[3] = fileName;
else if( osName.equals( "Windows 95" ) || osName.equals( "Windows 98" ) )
     cmd[0] = "command.com" ;
     cmd[1] = "/C" ;
     cmd[2] = "VBDoc.exe";
     cmd[3] = fileName;
else
     System.out.println(osName);
Process proc = runtime.exec(cmd);Check out this article, it gives a good explanation of how to use the exec() call:
http://www.javaworld.com/javaworld/jw-12-2000/jw-1229-traps.html
Hope this helps!

Runtime.getRuntime().exec

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