How should I call a Perl Script in Java?

Question

I read Runtime.getRuntime().exec("perl script.pl") is an option, but is this the best way to do it?

I'll need an answer from that script, so I'll have to read the script's return in some cases, although I might read it from a text file on other cases.

Anyway, is exec() a good way of calling a Perl Script from Java? I should note, I'm working on a Java Web Application, so security is an issue here.

Answer 1

exec() is likely the best option and you can catch it's return value with exitValue(). You might also be interested in Inline::Java.

-John

Answer 2

This outlines how to do it fairly elegantly, though it may be more effort than it's worth: http://search.cpan.org/~nwclark/perl-5.8.9/jpl/docs/Tutorial.pod

Overview:
Well-supported by JPL, but it is a complicated process:

The JPL preprocessor parses the .jpl file and generates C code wrappers for Perl methods. It also generates Java and Perl source files.

The C compiler compiles the wrapper and links it to the libPerlInterpreter.so shared library, producing a shared library for the wrapper.

The Java compiler compiles the Java source file, which uses native methods to load the wrapper.

The wrapper connects the Java code to the Perl code in the Perl source file.

Fortunately, a generic Makefile.PL simplifies the process. This is a Perl script that generates a Makefile for you.

Answer 3

You can use Runtime.getRuntime().exec() or use the Process API. The Process API allows you to get the output of the script, so you can have both communicate.

See: http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.4.2/docs/api/java/lang/Process.html

exitValue() and getInputStream() seems to be what you need.