Executing nodejs script file in PHP using exec()

Question

In my Application, I want to execute a Node.JS file from PHP which in turn makes an HTTP request to another PHP file.

In short this is the Process that I am doing.

PHP file--->calls--> Nodejs file--->processes data -->and makes http request to-->PHP File

When I run the nodejs file via terminal, it successfully makes the http request to another PHP file and I get what I want.

But, when I try to run the nodejs file through PHP, the nodejs files is not able to find some modules.

My code in PHP:

$nodeJsPath = '/var/www/html/projectfolder/js/nodefunc.js';

$ret = exec("node ".$nodeJsPath.' 2>&1', $out, $err);

This is the error that I am getting:

Array
(
    [0] => module.js:457
    [1] =>     throw err;
    [2] =>     ^
    [3] => 
    [4] => Error: Cannot find module 'some_module'
    [5] =>     at Function.Module._resolveFilename (module.js:455:15)
    [6] =>     at Function.Module._load (module.js:403:25)
    [7] =>     at Module.require (module.js:483:17)
    [8] =>     at require (internal/module.js:20:19)
    [9] =>     at Object.<anonymous> (/var/www/html/projectfolder/js/nodefunc.js:5:9)
    [10] =>     at Module._compile (module.js:556:32)
    [11] =>     at Object.Module._extensions..js (module.js:565:10)
    [12] =>     at Module.load (module.js:473:32)
    [13] =>     at tryModuleLoad (module.js:432:12)
    [14] =>     at Function.Module._load (module.js:424:3)
)

Solution 1

I got it finally. Its just ignorng the NODE_PATH variable for reasons unkown :(

In the Nodejs File I hade to give the absolute path of the module like this:

var request = require("/usr/lib/node_modules/request");

Solution 2

Your goal is to execute a node command after changing directory. Thus, you will need to run multiple sequential commands via the PHP exec() function.

Commands:

1. cd /var/www/html/projectfolder/js
2. node nodefunc.js 2>&1

This is possible by adding && or ; in between the commands.

$ret = exec("cd /var/www/html/projectfolder/js; node nodefunc.js 2>&1", $out, $err);

Solution 3

1. check whether the modules are installed (npm install)
2. run the execin the node application current working directory:

exec("cd ". dirname($nodeJsPath). " && node nodefunc.js 2>&1", $out, $err);

Comments

[Abhinav]

May I know why the downvote and whats wrong with this question?

[krampstudio]

Does it work when running the command from CLI ?

[Abhinav]

Yeah it does run properly when executed from the terminal

[Abhinav]

hi..it may sound a bit naive but i am not well versed with nodejs, where should I exactly execute npm install because I can see those installed modules folder in this path /usr/lib/node_modules

[Abhinav]

I am still getting the same error even after changing the directory in the exec command

[krampstudio]

you need to run npm install into the folder that contains your node project (the project with your package.json file)

[Abhinav]

Mine actually is not a node project, its a codeigniter project comepletely in PHP, with with just one js file which has nodejs code since I can achieve one particular functionality only by using nodejs

[Abhinav]

I have installed those modules globally and the package.json is in this folder: /usr/lib/node_modules/npm/package.json. I am clueless as to what to do

[krampstudio]

I think the issue is because your dependencies are installed globally instead of locally, because I don't think php's exec knows the environment variable NODE_PATH

[Abhinav]

yes bro...I had to include the absolute path of the module..thanx anyway

[nssmart]

guess it's worth mentioning the solution was proposed by @krampstudio :)