Can't execute PHP script using PHP exec

Question

I am trying to invoke a script which takes several seconds (web services with 3rd party) using the PHP exec call. After much struggling, I reduced this to the classic hello

Answer 1

To avoid the stated problems of PHP in this area, why not put this in inside a shell script? PHP can then execute the shell script which has all the redirections handled internally.

If you need to dynamically change things, then why not write the shell script and then execute it (and of course, clean up afterwards)?