# Getting Ruby to output a windows command to text (log) file **URL:** \ **Category:** Ruby\ **Created:** [September 17, 2008, 8:54pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/getting-ruby-to-output-a-windows-command-to-text-log-file/148865 "2008-09-17T20:54:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![merc](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/f07891/32.png) [@merc](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/merc)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2008, 8:54pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/getting-ruby-to-output-a-windows-command-to-text-log-file/148865/1 "2008-09-17T20:54:09Z")
Hey folks, I’m trying to create a program to ping one of my company’s computers every minute to measure latency, and output the results to a text file. I’ve been able to figure out / cobble together most of what I need (see attached ping.rb file) but the problem i’m having is I cannot figure out how to get Ruby to copy the results from the ping to the text file that is created. What I get currently when I run the program (from the log file): * * * Wed Sep 17 13:52:45 -0500 2008 System Ping Monitor: Wed Sep 17 13:52:45 -0500 2008 * * * The “ping” command doesn’t output the way I need it to, HALP!! ---
**Author:** ![merc](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/f07891/32.png) [@merc](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/merc)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2008, 9:59pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/getting-ruby-to-output-a-windows-command-to-text-log-file/148865/2 "2008-09-17T21:59:24Z")
If you need to also get at stderr … take a look at popen3 ilan Tony Mcneil wrote: > * * * > > Wed Sep 17 13:52:45 -0500 2008 > System Ping Monitor: > > Wed Sep 17 13:52:45 -0500 2008 > > * * * > > The “ping” command doesn’t output the way I need it to, HALP!! ---
**Author:** ![merc](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/f07891/32.png) [@merc](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/merc)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2008, 9:40pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/getting-ruby-to-output-a-windows-command-to-text-log-file/148865/3 "2008-09-17T21:40:38Z")
See [http://www.ruby-doc.org/core/classes/Kernel.html#M006001](http://www.ruby-doc.org/core/classes/Kernel.html#M006001) : `cmd` =\> string Returns the standard output of running cmd in a subshell. The built-in syntax %x{…} uses this method. Sets $? to the process status. `date` #=\> “Wed Apr 9 08:56:30 CDT 2003\n” `ls testdir`.split[1] #=\> “main.rb” `echo oops && exit 99` #=\> “oops\n” $?.exitstatus #=\> 99 gegroet, Erik V. ---
**Author:** ![merc](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/f07891/32.png) [@merc](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/merc)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2008, 10:08pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/getting-ruby-to-output-a-windows-command-to-text-log-file/148865/4 "2008-09-17T22:08:42Z")
Erik V. wrote: > See [http://www.ruby-doc.org/core/classes/Kernel.html#M006001](http://www.ruby-doc.org/core/classes/Kernel.html#M006001) : > > `cmd` =\> string > > Returns the standard output of running cmd in a subshell. The built-in > syntax %x{�} uses this method. Sets $? to the process status. > > `date` #=\> “Wed Apr 9 08:56:30 CDT 2003\n” > `ls testdir`.split[1] #=\> “main.rb” > `echo oops && exit 99` #=\> “oops\n” > $?.exitstatus #=\> 99 > > gegroet, > Erik V. hrm, I’ve tried looking over the documentation in the link you provided, but I’m having difficulty understanding it. Could you provide an example of the code? thanks again, ~Tony ---
**Author:** ![merc](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/f07891/32.png) [@merc](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/merc)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2008, 11:38pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/getting-ruby-to-output-a-windows-command-to-text-log-file/148865/5 "2008-09-17T23:38:07Z")
Tony Mcneil wrote: > Erik V. wrote: > > > See [http://www.ruby-doc.org/core/classes/Kernel.html#M006001](http://www.ruby-doc.org/core/classes/Kernel.html#M006001) : > > > > `cmd` =\> string > > hrm, I’ve tried looking over the documentation in the link you > provided, but I’m having difficulty understanding it. Could you provide > an example of the code? > > thanks again, > ~Tony This won’t work (even when you remove the typo .to\_S): f.puts system(‘ping 192.168.1.74’).to\_S The ping will be executed, but you are logging if it succeeded, not the output. Erik is pointing to a working solution: f.puts `ping 192.168.1.74` Note these `` are backticks, not single quotes. hth, Siep ---
**Author:** ![merc](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/f07891/32.png) [@merc](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/merc)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2008, 10:02pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/getting-ruby-to-output-a-windows-command-to-text-log-file/148865/6 "2008-09-17T22:02:14Z")
Thanks much Erik! I still need to study that link / see if I can figure out exactly what that means, but that should work perfectly, thanks again! ---
**Author:** ![merc](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/f07891/32.png) [@merc](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/merc)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2008, 3:46pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/getting-ruby-to-output-a-windows-command-to-text-log-file/148865/7 "2008-09-18T15:46:01Z")
> This won’t work (even when you remove the typo .to\_S): > f.puts system(‘ping 192.168.1.74’).to\_S > > The ping will be executed, but you are logging if it succeeded, not the > output. > Erik is pointing to a working solution: > > f.puts `ping 192.168.1.74` > > Note these `` are backticks, not single quotes. > > hth, > > Siep Thank you! that was the bit that made the difference (backtick instead of quote) The .to\_S was more of an experiment that I forgot to pull immediately 🙂 thanks for all your help everyone!