xp_cmdshell( 
command 
[ , redir_output  | 'no_output' ] )

xp_cmdshell executes a system command and then returns control to the calling environment. The value returned by xp_cmdshell is the exit code from the executed shell process. The return value is 2 if an error occurs when the child process is started.

The second parameter affects only command line applications on Windows operating systems. For Unix, no command window appears, regardless of the setting for the second parameter.

For Windows Mobile, any commands executed are visible in the database server message log, regardless of the setting for the second parameter. The console shell \\windows\cmd.exe is needed to run the procedure.

DBA authority

• CALL statement
• Security tips

The following statement lists the files in the current directory in the file c:\temp.txt:

CALL xp_cmdshell( 'dir > c:\\temp.txt' );

The following statement carries out the same operation, but does so without displaying a Command window.

CALL xp_cmdshell( 'dir > c:\\temp.txt', 'no_output' );