[erlang-questions] Erlang module for "controlling" (linux/unix) commands?

[Boris Mühmer]

I'm using the following code (test_command/0 is my entry point for the
tests):

%%% ================================================================
%%% test_command
%%% ================================================================
test_command() ->
   MysqlCmd = "/usr/local/bin/mysql",
   Args =
    [
          "--host=mysql-host"
         ,"--user=MySqlSuperUser"
         ,"--password=MySecretPassword"
         ,"-e"
         ,"SELECT user,password,host FROM mysql.user;"
    ],
   Result = execute_command(MysqlCmd, Args),
   Line =
"----------------------------------------------------------------------------",
   io:format("~s~nResult:~n~p~n~s~n",[Line, Result, Line]),
   ok.

%%% ================================================================
%%% execute_command
%%% ================================================================
execute_command(Command, Arguments) when is_list(Command),
is_list(Arguments) ->
   PortSettings =
     [
        {args, Arguments}
        ,exit_status
        ,stderr_to_stdout
        ,{line, 1024}
     ],
   Port = erlang:open_port({spawn_executable, Command}, PortSettings),
   execute_command_loop(Port, []).

%%% ================================================================
%%% execute_command_loop
%%% ================================================================
execute_command_loop(Port, Data) ->
   receive
        {Port,{exit_status, ExitStatus}} ->
           {ExitStatus, lists:reverse(Data)};
        {Port,{data, NewData}} ->
           execute_command_loop(Port, [NewData | Data]);
        Other ->
           io:format("Other:~p~n",[Other]),
           execute_command_loop(Port, Data)
   end.


I'm not sure if this is "good" code... it works... also when errors occur
(e.g. "mysql.users" instead of "mysql.user", or adding a non-existing
column).

Is it possible to circumvent the "lists:reverse/1" call in
"execute_command_loop/2"???


  - boris