Run External App from Oracle?

[harwooddale]

Hi,
Is it possible to run an application, say FTP from within Oracle?

 

[lseboek1]

Yes it's possible via external procedure call:
example:
shell_command.c:
#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <string.h>

void sh(char *);
void sh( char *cmd )
{
int num;
num = system(cmd);
}
----------------
gcc -G -c shell_command.c
ld -r -o shell_command.so shell_command.o

In oracle:
CREATE or replace LIBRARY shell_command_lib is 'FULL_PATH_TO_MY_SCRIPTS/shell_command.so'; /

create or replace procedure shell_command(cmd IN char) as external name &quot;sh&quot; library shell_command_lib language C parameters (cmd string); /

Then you can call the shell_command procedure from whatever PL/SQL.

e.g begin
shell_command('my_shell_script');
end;



The exetrnal_procedure_listener must run:
sample listener.ora:
external_procedure_listener =
(ADDRESS_LIST =
(ADDRESS=
(PROTOCOL=IPC)
(KEY= extproc_key)
)
)

sid_list_external_procedure_listener=
(sid_list=
(sid_desc= (sid_name=extproc_agent)
(oracle_home=/ora/oracle/817)
(ENVS = LD_LIBRARY_PATH=FULL_PATH_TO_MY_SCRIPTS)
(program=extproc)
)
)