elephant-harness

Node.js - Electron - NW.js package for asynchronous handling of PHP scripts

Quick Start

npm install elephant-harness

const elephantHarness = require("elephant-harness");

let phpTest = {};
phpTest.script = "/test/test.php";

phpTest.stdoutFunction = function (stdout) {
  console.log(stdout);
};

elephantHarness.startScript(phpTest);

Core Dependency

child_process

External Dependency

The only external dependency of elephant-harness is a PHP interpreter on PATH or
a PHP interpreter identified by its full pathname.

elephant-harness npm package test will fail if no php binary is available on PATH.

php binary should be used in Node.js applications and test scripts.

php-cgi binary should be used in Electron and NW.js applications.

API

All settings of a PHP script executed by elephant-harness are stored in a JavaScript object with an arbitrary name and the following object properties:

script
String for PHP script full path
This object property is mandatory.
```
phpTest.script = "/full/path/to/test.php";
```
stdoutFunction
will be executed every time data is available on STDOUT
The only parameter passed to the stdoutFunction is the STDOUT String.
```
phpTest.stdoutFunction = function (stdout) {
  document.getElementById("DOM-element-id").textContent = stdout;
};
```
stderrFunction
will be executed every time data is available on STDERR
The only parameter passed to the stderrFunction is the STDERR String.
```
phpTest.stderrFunction = function (stderr) {
  console.log("PHP script STDERR:\n");
  console.log(stderr);
};
```
errorFunction
will be executed on PHP script error
The only parameter passed to the errorFunction is the error Object.

The errorFunction can generate a message when PHP interpreter is not found:
```
phpTest.errorFunction = function (error) {
  if (error.code === "ENOENT") {
    console.log("PHP interpreter was not found.");
  }
};
```
exitFunction
will be executed when PHP script has ended
The only parameter passed to the exitFunction is the exit code String.

The exitFunction can generate a message when PHP script is not found:
```
phpTest.exitFunction = function (exitCode) {
  if (exitCode === 2) {
    console.log("PHP script was not found.");
  }
};
```
phpInterpreter
String for a PHP interpreter: either filename on PATH or full pathname
If no phpInterpreter is defined, php binary on PATH is used, if available.
```
phpTest.interpreter = "/full/path/to/php";
```
interpreterSwitches
Array for PHP interpreter switches
```
phpTest.interpreterSwitches = [];
phpTest.interpreterSwitches.push("-q");
```
The php-cgi binary should be used with the -q switch in Electron and NW.js
to enable quiet mode and suppress unnecessary HTTP header output.

scriptArguments
Array for PHP script arguments

phpTest.scriptArguments = [];
phpTest.scriptArguments.push("argument-one");
phpTest.scriptArguments.push("argument-two");

options
Object for PHP script options passed to the child_process core module.
Click here for a full list of all available child_process options.

options.cwd
String for a new PHP script current working directory

phpTest.options = {};
phpTest.options.cwd = "/full/path/to/current-working-directory";;

options.env
Object for a new PHP script environment

Script environment with an inherited PATH and a new variable:

phpTest.options = {};
phpTest.options.env = {};
phpTest.options.env.PATH = process.env.PATH;
phpTest.options.env.TEST = "test";

options.detached
Boolean option for starting detached PHP processes like servers

options.detached must be set to true and
options.stdio must be set to "ignore" to
start a detached process without receiving anything from it.
A process detached with the above options can run even after its parent has ended.

Example settings for a PHP server application:
```
let phpServer = {};
phpServer.script = "/path/to/php-server-application";

phpServer.options = {};
phpServer.options.detached = true;
phpServer.options.stdio = "ignore";

const elephantHarness = require("elephant-harness");
elephantHarness.startScript(phpServer);

phpServer.scriptHandler.unref();
```
requestMethod
String holding either GET or POST as a value.
requestMethod has to be set for PHP scripts reading input data in CGI mode.
```
phpTest.requestMethod = "GET";
```
or
```
phpTest.requestMethod = "POST";
```

inputData
String or Function supplying user data as its return value.

Single HTML input box example with no dependencies:

phpTest.inputData = function () {
  let data = document.getElementById("input-box-id").value;
  return data;
}

Whole HTML form example based on jQuery:

phpTest.inputData = function () {
  let formData = $("#form-id").serialize();
  return formData;
}

Interactive Scripts

elephant-harness can also start and communicate with interactive scripts having their own event loops and capable of repeatedly receiving STDIN input. Use the following code to send data to an interactive script waiting for input on STDIN:

let data = document.getElementById("interactive-script-input").value;
phpTest.scriptHandler.stdin.write(data);