Resolving the Syntax Error near Unexpected Token '(' in Shell Scripts Executed via XAMPP

Learn how to fix the syntax error when executing shell commands with extended globbing in XAMPP using PHP. --- This video is based on the question https://stackoverflow.com/q/77000496/ asked by the user 'themadmassa' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/21014945/ ) and on the answer https://stackoverflow.com/a/77001149/ provided by the user 'Bodo' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/10622916/ ) at 'Stack Overflow' website. Thanks to these great users and Stackexchange community for their contributions. Visit these links for original content and any more details, such as alternate solutions, latest updates/developments on topic, comments, revision history etc. For example, the original title of the Question was: Syntax error near unexpected token `(' when running shell script from XAMPP Also, Content (except music) licensed under CC BY-SA https://meta.stackexchange.com/help/licensing The original Question post is licensed under the 'CC BY-SA 4.0' ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ ) license, and the original Answer post is licensed under the 'CC BY-SA 4.0' ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ ) license. If anything seems off to you, please feel free to write me at vlogize [AT] gmail [DOT] com. --- Understanding the Syntax Error in XAMPP Shell Scripts If you're working with XAMPP and trying to run shell commands directly from PHP, you may encounter a frustrating error: Syntax error near unexpected token '('. This usually occurs when you're using features in your commands that are specific to the Bash shell, while the command is being executed in a different shell. In this post, we'll explore this issue, why it happens, and how you can fix it effectively. The Problem When using the exec function to run shell commands from within your PHP script, you might have tried to use the command: [[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]] However, doing this returned an error in the XAMPP logs: [[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]] Understanding the Error What Went Wrong? Shell Compatibility: The shopt -s extglob and the extended globbing feature !(*.xml) are specific to the Bash shell. The exec function in a PHP environment may default to using a POSIX-compliant shell, which does not support these Bash-specific features. The Command Line: In a regular terminal, you can execute the command without issues because you are using Bash. However, within a PHP script, that same command is misinterpreted without the right shell context. The Solution To resolve this error, you need to ensure that the shell commands are executed in a Bash context. Here are two primary approaches to achieve this: Method 1: Direct Invocation of Bash Modify your command so that it explicitly calls Bash as follows: [[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]] This line tells PHP to execute the command using Bash, ensuring that all Bash-specific functionalities, including extended globbing, are recognized and processed correctly. Method 2: Create a Shell Script A better organizational approach can be to create a separate Bash script. This can help keep your PHP code clean and makes it easier to manage complex shell operations. Create a Shell Script: Create a file named remove_xml.sh with the following content: [[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]] Make the Script Executable: Ensure your script is executable by running: [[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]] Call the Shell Script from PHP: Now, you can call your shell script directly from your PHP code: [[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]] This way, the entire command runs in a Bash environment, resolving any syntax errors that occur when the command is misread by a different shell. Conclusion Errors like Syntax error near unexpected token '(' can happen when executing shell commands from PHP in XAMPP. By wrapping your commands in a bash call or creating a dedicated shell script, you can avoid these errors and ensure that your commands execute as expected. If you keep the above methods in mind, you should be well-equipped to manage shell commands through your PHP applications effectively!