WampServer

Attempting to exec headless chrome from PHP to get the html source of a webpage after javascript runs, the command works from the windows command line, but returns nothing when executed in PHP. Note the url shown below is only for testing.

The command and script (used \ instead of / in exec below or it would not show on forum)

<?php
$output=null;
$retval=null;
exec('start chrome --headless --dump-dom https:\\developer.chrome.com\',$output, $retval);
var_dump($output);
var_dump($retval);
?>

Results
C:\wamp64\www\cz\Test\execchrome.php:5:
array (size=0)
empty
C:\wamp64\www\cz\Test\execchrome.php:6:int 0

I've also tried commands shell_exec and popen with similar results. There are no errors in the appache log. Any help appreciated.

Don't just copy a code example, read the documentation, both PHP and chrome --headless.

You'll need to use shell_exec() or oblique quotes.
What's more, you need the full chrome path and the --disable-gpu option to make it work on Windows.

What works :

$command ='"C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" --headless --disable-gpu --dump-dom h ttps://developer.chrome.com';
$output = shell_exec($command);
if(is_null($output)) error_log("output is null" ) ;
elseif($output === false) error_log("output is false" ) ;
else error_log("output=".$output);
 

Note: delete the h ttps space to prevent it from becoming a link.

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Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! That works.

"Don't just copy a code example, read the documentation"
Well obviously I missed something. Not executing Chrome from its C: file location was the biggest issue, followed by not initially coding the --disable gpu parameter.

Arn B