How can I run several PHP scripts from within a PHP script (like a batch file)?

Question

How can I run several PHP scripts from within another PHP script, like a batch file? I don't think include will work, if I understand what include is doing; because each of the files I'm running will redeclare some of the same functions, etc. What I want is to execute each new PHP script like it's in a clean, fresh stack, with no knowledge of the variables, functions, etc. that came before it.

Update: I should have mentioned that the script is running on Windows, but not on a web server.

Answer 1

You could use the exec() function to invoke each script as an external command.

For example, your script could do:

<?php

exec('php -q script1.php');
exec('php -q script2.php');

?>

Exec has some security issues surrounding it, but it sounds like it might work for you.

Answer 2

// use exec http://www.php.net/manual/en/function.exec.php

<?php

exec('/usr/local/bin/php somefile1.php');
exec('/usr/local/bin/php somefile2.php');

?>

In the old days I've done something like create a frameset containing a link to each file. Call the frameset, and you're calling all the scripts. You could do the same with iframes or with ajax these days.