php cron script not reading arguments from commend line - php

Question

I have two file.
One is a simple text file that has all the real path link of my scron script with arguments
The other file is my cron script itself.
my contab text file is simply this:
#!/bin/sh
/usr/bin/php -f /home/path/reports/report.php arg1
/usr/bin/php -f /home/path/reports/report.php arg2
The cron script reads the argument in the crontab file and will run accordingly to what argument it is.
report.php --
php $args = $argv[1];
$count = 0;
switch($args){
case 'arg1':
code and create certain file ....
exit;
case 'arg2':
code and create certain file ...
exit;
} // <--- this script runs perfectly if I run script manually through putty commend line, meaning it will run exactly what I want depending on what $argv[1] I put in manual commend line, BUT doesn't run automatically from crontab script
This file does not run and have no idea why, it runs when I manually run report.php through commend line, it works.
One thing i have noticed and got it to kind of work is by changing the report.php to this:
report.php --
$args = $argv[1];
$count = 0;
switch($args){
case ($args ='arg1'): // <- just putting the equal sign makes it work
code and create certain file ....
exit;
case ($args = 'arg2'):
code and create certain file ...
exit;
} // <-- this script was a test to see if it had anything to do with the equal sign, surprisingly script actually worked but only for first case no what matter what argv[1] I had, this is not what I am looking for.
The problem was it only works for the first case, no matter what argument I put in the text file in crobtab it always run the first case. It's probably because I am stating $args = 'arg1', so it always see it as arg1.
So I tried to make it work by doing this instead:
report.php --
$args = $argv[1];
$count = 0;
switch($args){
case ($args =='arg1'): // <- == does not work at all....
code and create certain file ....
exit;
case ($args == 'arg2'):
code and create certain file ...
exit;
} // <--- this script runs perfectly if I run script manually through putty commend line, but not automatically from crontab script
and this runs nothing, it does not pick up my argument at all, just to note this report.php file with the comparison "==" runs perfectly if I run manually on commend line.
What is going on? Why doesn't the cron script read my argument correctly when I use the "==" to find out my arguments from the crontab file.

Answer 1

As for $argv -> "Note: This variable is not available when register_argc_argv is disabled.". I'd suggest to switch to $_SERVER['argv'] and $_SERVER['argc'] (yes, you read correctly) instead of $argv/$argc stuff.
And as for this
case ($args ='arg1'): // <- just putting the equal sign makes it work
man, you clearly do not understand what you doing and what's the difference between ($args=='arg1') and ($args='arg1')!
--[ code for comment bellow ]----
save this as test.php:
<?php
echo $_SERVER['argv'][1] ."\n";
and test it.
$ php test.php abd
abd

Answer 2

The reason the first works is because if you use = instead of == you are setting the variable within the if statement.
Try var_dump($argv) and see if anything is assigned to the variable.

Answer 3

As #arxanas mentions in the comments, your switch is AFU. Read the documentation here. case statements already do the equivalent of $x == [value], so you only need to use case [value]:.
switch($args) {
case ($args =='arg1'):
.
.
.
break;
.
.
.
}
should be
switch($args) {
case 'arg1':
.
.
.
break;
.
.
.
}