# Call Perl script from Ruby **URL:** \ **Category:** ruby-talk\ **Created:** [8 March 2006 14:00 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/call-perl-script-from-ruby/25553 "2006-03-08T14:00:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Nick\_Snels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bc79bd/32.png) [@Nick\_Snels](https://rubytalk.org/u/Nick_Snels)\ **Post date:** [8 March 2006 14:00 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/call-perl-script-from-ruby/25553/1 "2006-03-08T14:00:42Z")
Hi, I have a very basic Perl script (calls a nice CPAN library not available in Ruby) that prints it output to the screen. In Ruby I call it like: sql = `vendor\\sql\\[sql.pl](http://sql.pl) "#{@question.sql}"` But I get the following error Errno::ENOEXEC in Question#create Exec format error - vendor\converters\sql\[sql.pl](http://sql.pl) "select \* from cdcol.cds" When I call it from DOS it works perfectly. How can I fix this? And is there an alternative for using ` (backquotes)? Thanks for the help. Kind regards, Nick > **···** > > -- > Posted via [http://www.ruby-forum.com/](http://www.ruby-forum.com/). ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_Peters](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@Steve\_Peters](https://rubytalk.org/u/Steve_Peters)\ **Post date:** [8 March 2006 15:01 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/call-perl-script-from-ruby/25553/2 "2006-03-08T15:01:01Z")
IO.popen is one way to go. Here's a quick example... ls = IO.popen("ls -ltr", "r") puts ls.readlines Kernel.exec should be the same as using the backquotes. If you need something more robust, take a look at Open3. Steve Peters steve@fisharerojo.org > **···** > > On Wed, Mar 08, 2006 at 11:00:42PM +0900, Nick Snels wrote: > > > Hi, > > > > I have a very basic Perl script (calls a nice CPAN library not available > > in Ruby) that prints it output to the screen. In Ruby I call it like: > > > > sql = `vendor\\sql\\sql.pl "#{@question.sql}"` > > > > But I get the following error > > > > Errno::ENOEXEC in Question#create > > Exec format error - vendor\converters\sql\sql.pl "select \* from > > cdcol.cds" > > > > When I call it from DOS it works perfectly. How can I fix this? And is > > there an alternative for using ` (backquotes)? Thanks for the help. ---
**Author:** ![Robert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e95f7d/32.png) [@Robert](https://rubytalk.org/u/Robert)\ **Post date:** [8 March 2006 15:18 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/call-perl-script-from-ruby/25553/3 "2006-03-08T15:18:41Z")
Nick Snels wrote: > Hi, > > I have a very basic Perl script (calls a nice CPAN library not > available in Ruby) that prints it output to the screen. In Ruby I > call it like: > > sql = `vendor\\sql\\sql.pl "#{@question.sql}"` > > But I get the following error > > Errno::ENOEXEC in Question#create > Exec format error - vendor\converters\sql\sql.pl "select \* from > cdcol.cds" try this: sql = `perl vendor\\sql\\sql.pl "#{@question.sql}"` Regards     robert ---
**Author:** ![Hiep\_Nguyen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Hiep\_Nguyen](https://rubytalk.org/u/Hiep_Nguyen)\ **Post date:** [2 November 2011 08:31 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/call-perl-script-from-ruby/25553/4 "2011-11-02T08:31:34Z")
Hello Robert, I am newbe, and I get in trouble with special character '-\>' e.g : use Test::WWW::Mechanize; my $mech = Test::WWW::Mechanize-\>new( ); $mech-\>get\_ok( '[http://search.cpan.org/](http://search.cpan.org/)' ); How can we deal with this character. your help is very appriciated Hiep > **···** > > -- > Posted via [http://www.ruby-forum.com/](http://www.ruby-forum.com/). ---
**Author:** ![Hiep\_Nguyen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Hiep\_Nguyen](https://rubytalk.org/u/Hiep_Nguyen)\ **Post date:** [2 November 2011 08:44 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/call-perl-script-from-ruby/25553/5 "2011-11-02T08:44:03Z")
I use \<\\> instead \<\\> and it works BTW Thanks you > **···** > > -- > Posted via [http://www.ruby-forum.com/](http://www.ruby-forum.com/). ---
**Author:** ![Logan\_Capaldo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Logan\_Capaldo](https://rubytalk.org/u/Logan_Capaldo)\ **Post date:** [8 March 2006 18:13 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/call-perl-script-from-ruby/25553/6 "2006-03-08T18:13:23Z")
Eeek! It is certainly not the same as using backquotes. exec \_replaces\_ the currently running process with its argument, he'd never return to ruby to do additional processing. > **···** > > On Mar 8, 2006, at 10:01 AM, Steve Peters wrote: > > > Kernel.exec should be the same as using the backquotes ---
**Author:** ![Rob\_Pitt1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e495f1/32.png) [@Rob\_Pitt1](https://rubytalk.org/u/Rob_Pitt1)\ **Post date:** [9 March 2006 09:27 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/call-perl-script-from-ruby/25553/7 "2006-03-09T09:27:44Z")
Slightly OTT, I accidently ran a perl script with: ruby script.pl The other day, and it executed fine!!!! > **···** > > On 8 Mar 2006, at 18:13, Logan Capaldo wrote: > > > On Mar 8, 2006, at 10:01 AM, Steve Peters wrote: > > > > > Kernel.exec should be the same as using the backquotes > > > > Eeek! It is certainly not the same as using backquotes. exec \_replaces\_ the currently running process with its argument, he'd never return to ruby to do additional processing. ---
**Author:** ![Rob\_Pitt1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e495f1/32.png) [@Rob\_Pitt1](https://rubytalk.org/u/Rob_Pitt1)\ **Post date:** [9 March 2006 09:28 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/call-perl-script-from-ruby/25553/8 "2006-03-09T09:28:02Z")
Look at them gem called "session". It's nice for executing processes. > **···** > > On 8 Mar 2006, at 18:13, Logan Capaldo wrote: > > > On Mar 8, 2006, at 10:01 AM, Steve Peters wrote: > > > > > Kernel.exec should be the same as using the backquotes > > > > Eeek! It is certainly not the same as using backquotes. exec \_replaces\_ the currently running process with its argument, he'd never return to ruby to do additional processing. ---
**Author:** ![Logan\_Capaldo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Logan\_Capaldo](https://rubytalk.org/u/Logan_Capaldo)\ **Post date:** [9 March 2006 23:11 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/call-perl-script-from-ruby/25553/9 "2006-03-09T23:11:21Z")
Was it print "Hello, world!\n" ? > **···** > > On Mar 9, 2006, at 4:27 AM, Rob Pitt wrote: > > > Slightly OTT, I accidently ran a perl script with: > > > > ruby script.pl > > > > The other day, and it executed fine!!!!