How to execute a binary file via command line?

laredotornado · 01-23-2013, 08:05 AM

Hi,

I'm using Mac 10.7.5. I'm trying to write a script to conditionally launch an application, but I can't actually figure out how to launch that application. The application lives here

Code:

Daves-MacBook-Pro:~ davea$ ls -al /Users/davea/.magicJack/Softphone/magicJack.app/Contents/MacOS/magicJack 
-rwxr-xr-x  1 davea  staff  23080080 Jan 21 13:33 /Users/davea/.magicJack/Softphone/magicJack.app/Contents/MacOS/magicJack

but when I try and run the script via command line, I get an error …

Code:

Daves-MacBook-Pro:~ davea$ bash /Users/davea/.magicJack/Softphone/magicJack.app/Contents/MacOS/magicJack
/Users/davea/.magicJack/Softphone/magicJack.app/Contents/MacOS/magicJack: /Users/davea/.magicJack/Softphone/magicJack.app/Contents/MacOS/magicJack: cannot execute binary file

Anyone know the proper way to execute a binary file from the command line? Thanks, - Dave

jsalmi · 01-23-2013, 08:50 AM

It appears you are trying to use bash to execute a binary. Rather than:

"bash /Users/davea/.magicJack/Softphone/magicJack.app/Contents/MacOS/magicJack"

just run:

"/Users/davea/.magicJack/Softphone/magicJack.app/Contents/MacOS/magicJack"

Without the quotes, of course.

Bash will be looking for a shell script to interpret, not a binary.

hayne · 01-23-2013, 11:55 AM

And if you want to run this from a shell script, you could use the "system" command. Check almost any tutorial on Bash - e.g. the ones listed in the last section of this Unix FAQ

laredotornado · 01-23-2013, 05:33 PM

Shoot that was easy! Thanks, - Dave

agentx · 01-24-2013, 09:30 AM

And if you want it to run periodically/automatically you should use launchd

01-23-2013, 11:55 AM	#3
hayne Site Admin Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Montreal Posts: 31,940	And if you want to run this from a shell script, you could use the "system" command. Check almost any tutorial on Bash - e.g. the ones listed in the last section of this Unix FAQ __________________ hayne.net/macosx.html

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01-23-2013, 08:50 AM	#2
jsalmi Triple-A Player Join Date: May 2008 Location: Down by the river Posts: 190	It appears you are trying to use bash to execute a binary. Rather than: "bash /Users/davea/.magicJack/Softphone/magicJack.app/Contents/MacOS/magicJack" just run: "/Users/davea/.magicJack/Softphone/magicJack.app/Contents/MacOS/magicJack" Without the quotes, of course. Bash will be looking for a shell script to interpret, not a binary.

01-23-2013, 05:33 PM	#4
laredotornado Prospect Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 35	Shoot that was easy! Thanks, - Dave

01-24-2013, 09:30 AM	#5
agentx Hall of Famer Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Brighton, UK Posts: 3,807	And if you want it to run periodically/automatically you should use launchd