How can the system() function in PHP be utilized to handle return values from external .EXE files effectively?
When using the system() function in PHP to execute external .EXE files, it can be challenging to handle return values effectively. One way to address this is by using the exec() function instead, which allows you to capture the output and return value of the command.
$command = 'your_external_program.exe';
$output = '';
$return_var = 0;
exec($command, $output, $return_var);
echo "Output: " . implode("\n", $output) . "\n";
echo "Return Value: " . $return_var;