load('myfile.php') returns empty / not updating during post

Question

I'm still new to web development and I'm having some problems figuring this one out. I have the code below. A button triggers a .sh script that uploads some files while filecount.php checks the amount of files left in a directory and echo's the results.

My idea was that when you press the button, filecount.php refreshes and gives the user an idea of the amount of files left.

But when I look at my browser's dev console I see that as soon as I press the button (SendBtn) that executes the .sh, the returned filecount.php is 0 bytes (don't see a 200 get response either). Only when the post if finished filecount.php is returned correctly but at that point there are always no files left.

How can I make my page show and refresh the output of filecount.php during post?

page.php

<?php
session_start();
?>

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>Page Title</title>
<script src="https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/3.5.1/jquery.min.js"></script>
</head>
<body>

<h1>Test</h1>

<form method="post">
    <div style="display:block;">
        <button id="SendBtn" name="SendBtn">Start</button>
    </div>
</form>

<?php
if (isset($_POST['SendBtn'])) {
    $output = shell_exec("/usr/local/bin/www/test.sh");
}
?>

<button onclick="stopRefresh()">Stop</button>

<div id="container">Starting...</div>

<script>
function refreshData() {
  $('#container').load('filecount.php');
}

function stopRefresh() {
  window.clearInterval(myTimer);
}

var myTimer = window.setInterval(refreshData, 1000);
</script>

</body>
</html>

load('myfile.php') returns empty / not updating during post

0 Answers0