# Backticks returns "Bad File Descriptor" error with Apache

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/backticks-returns-bad-file-descriptor-error-with-apache/157835>\
**Category:** Deployment\
**Created:** [January 15, 2009, 7:40pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/backticks-returns-bad-file-descriptor-error-with-apache/157835 "2009-01-15T19:40:26Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![daniellesteel](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@daniellesteel](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/daniellesteel)\
**Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 7:40pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/backticks-returns-bad-file-descriptor-error-with-apache/157835/1 "2009-01-15T19:40:26Z")

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Hello,

I wanted to run a command line program from Ruby. I used `(backticks) to  
do this. It was successful if I run the program using Webrick but if I  
run it using Apache 2.2.8, a “Bad File Descriptor” error is returned.

I needed to run `svn list` command to get the names of the files in a  
target repository located in another machine. Using `(backticks) to run  
the command gives me the output that i need.

Can anybody help tell me why `(backticks) return this kind of error in Apache? Or is there a better way to run a command line in ruby that returns the same as the output of`(backticks).

Please help.  
Thank you very much.