PHP execute batch files to start recording ffmpeg and to kill ffmpeg

Question

Hi was just wondering if anyone knows a way that i can run a batch file that contains multiple "start ffmpeg" commands, that allows me to kill it using a batch file at some random point in time.

I have one batch that starts 4 videos recording from a rtsp feed to file. And another one that taskkills that ffmpeg process. The problem is that i can run these successfully by running in cmd prompt, but when i try to use exec(record.bat) or popen() etc, it runs the ffmpeg process in the background, and the stoprecord.bat can't kill it error is:

The Process with PID x <child process of PID y> could not be terminated.


Reason: This Process can only be termintated forcefully (with /f option)

I don't want to force it, because the mp4 file corrupts when you force close it. When i run the bat files directly i dont need that force option. I have tried giving the folders full permissions for the IIS_IUSRS user, i have made the bat and folder creater as IIS_IUSRS (thought the mkdir in the batch gives not permission to IIS usr which it is recording the video to).

Any one have any clue why this wouldnt work. I have put the bat files below and the php script which calls them.

Record.bat

cd C:\inetpub\wwwroot\ESTF\batch
tasklist /FI "IMAGENAME eq ffmpeg_sr.exe" | find ":" > NUL
if errorlevel 1 exit
set MEDIA_DIR=C:\inetpub\wwwroot\ESTF\media\recordings
set WEB_DIR=C:\inetpub\wwwroot\estf\
set VLC_DIR=C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC
set ROOM=simroom
set M=1
set N=1
set CURRENT_DAY=day1
set FFMPEG_DIR=C:\inetpub\wwwroot\ESTF\ffmpeg\bin                
call "date.bat"
if not exist %MEDIA_DIR%\curDate.txt (
    mkdir %MEDIA_DIR%
    icacls %MEDIA_DIR% /grant Everyone:(f)
    echo %DATESTR%>%MEDIA_DIR%\curDate.txt
    echo %CURRENT_DAY%>%MEDIA_DIR%\curDay.txt
    goto :LOOP2
)
if exist %MEDIA_DIR%\curDate.txt (
    set /p STORED_DATE=<C:\inetpub\wwwroot\ESTF\media\recordings\curDate.txt
)

if /I %STORED_DATE%==%DATESTR% (
        set /p CURRENT_DAY=<C:\inetpub\wwwroot\ESTF\media\recordings\curDay.txt
        goto :LOOP2
)
if /I NOT %STORED_DATE%==%DATESTR% (
    echo %DATESTR%>%MEDIA_DIR%\curDate.txt
    goto :LOOP1
)

:LOOP1
    set DAY_LOOP=%MEDIA_DIR%\day%M%
    if exist %DAY_LOOP% (
        set /a M = %M%+1
        goto :LOOP1
    )
    if not exist %DAY_LOOP% (
        mkdir %DAY_LOOP%
        icacls %DAY_LOOP% /grant Everyone:(f)
    )
    set CURRENT_DAY=day%M%
    @echo %CURRENT_DAY%>%MEDIA_DIR%\curDay.txt

:LOOP2
    set CURRENT_ROOM=%MEDIA_DIR%\%CURRENT_DAY%\%ROOM%\Team%N%
    if exist %CURRENT_ROOM% (
        set /a N = %N%+1
        goto :LOOP2
    )
    if not exist %CURRENT_ROOM% (
        mkdir %CURRENT_ROOM%
        icacls %CURRENT_ROOM% /grant Everyone:(f)
    )

cd %FFMPEG_DIR%

echo %CURRENT_ROOM%>%MEDIA_DIR%\%CURRENT_DAY%\%ROOM%\teamNo.txt
echo recording>%WEB_DIR%\srRecording.txt
start ffmpeg_sr  -i rtsp://192.168.0.50:554/Streaming/Channels/1 -c:v copy -c:a libmp3lame -strict experimental "%CURRENT_ROOM%\1.mp4"
start ffmpeg_sr  -i rtsp://192.168.0.51:554/Streaming/Channels/1 -c:v copy "%CURRENT_ROOM%\2.mp4"
start ffmpeg_sr  -i rtsp://192.168.0.52:554/Streaming/Channels/1 -c:v copy "%CURRENT_ROOM%\3.mp4"
start ffmpeg_sr  -i rtsp://192.168.0.21:554/Streaming/Channels/1 -c:v copy "%CURRENT_ROOM%\4.mp4"
start ffmpeg_sr -f dshow -i audio="Microphone (High Definition Audio Device)" -c:a libmp3lame -strict experimental "%CURRENT_ROOM%\0.mp3"
exit

Stoprecord.bat

taskkill /im ffmpeg_sr.exe /t
set WEB_DIR=c:\inetpub\wwwroot\estf\
set FFMPEG_DIR=C:\inetpub\wwwroot\ESTF\ffmpeg\bin\
echo stopped>%WEB_DIR%\srRecording.txt
set /p CURRENT_DAY=<C:\inetpub\wwwroot\ESTF\media\recordings\curDay.txt
set /p CURRENT_ROOM=<C:\inetpub\wwwroot\ESTF\media\recordings\%CURRENT_DAY%\simroom\teamNo.txt
echo %CURRENT_ROOM%
cd %FFMPEG_DIR%
ffmpeg -i %CURRENT_ROOM%/ -i %CURRENT_ROOM%/0.mp3 -c:v copy -c:a copy -strict experimental -map 0:v:0 -map 1:a:0 %CURRENT_ROOM%/1.mp4
ffmpeg -i %CURRENT_ROOM%/1_temp.mp4 -c:v copy -c:a copy -strict experimental -map 0:v:0 -map 1:a:0 %CURRENT_ROOM%/1.mp4
REM del %CURRENT_ROOM%\1_temp.mp4
del %CURRENT_ROOM%\0.mp3
exit

record.php

<?php
echo exec('whoami');
//$recordPath = 'c:\inetpub\wwwroot\estf\batch\srRecord.bat';
//exec('c:\inetpub\wwwroot\estf\batch\srRecord.bat');
$handle = popen('start c:\inetpub\wwwroot\estf\batch\srRecord.bat exit','r');
pclose($handle);
echo $handle;
?>

stoprecord.php

<?php
//exec('c:\inetpub\wwwroot\estf\batch\srRecordStop.exe /dev/null');
$handle = popen('start c:\inetpub\wwwroot\estf\batch\srRecordStop.bat','r');
pclose($handle);
//die();
echo $handle;
?>

I have tried exec(), pclose(popen()), shell_exec(), tried adding /dev/nul & to both the php file and ffmpeg in the batch file.

Regards,

Mitchell

It looks like this problem has been well described in an ffmpeg ticket. It seems that ffmpeg has implemented sending 'q' to the app to gracefully stop a stream recording, but I have no idea how to do this for a background process. Maybe you could try a couple other binaries to kill your streams gracefully: @kill or nircmd closeprocess? — UltrasoundJelly
Ok well is there another method where i can run the script on the computer for an unset period of time, then kill it on command? Telnet, ssh? — Mitchell Day

Mitchell Day Mitchell Day · Accepted Answer · 2018-02-28T01:16:23

So I ended up using a couple of things. Firstly i converted the batch to an exe. I then created a task in task scheduler. I then used pclose(popen($com,'r')); to run the task which started the exe file and opened the ffmpeg processes on the desktop.

Obviously not a direct route to executing the ffmpeg, but it works for my system. This allows me to make another event that cancels them(or just run a exec(taskkill ffmpeg.exe) command.

PHP execute batch files to start recording ffmpeg and to kill ffmpeg

1 Answers