PHP problem with nume1(files) in matlab

[m31hu1]

Hello, i try to execute a .m file using PHP

i wanted to count the number of jpg files in the directory but PHP was unable to detect it.

the PHP script:

<?php
execute('start /b matlab -nosplash -nodesktop -r readfilename');
?>

where readfilename is the name of the m file (readfilename.m)

the m file:

files=dir('*.jpg');
for i=1:numel(files)
a = files(i).name;
dlmwrite('names.txt', a, 'delimiter','','newline', 'pc', '-append');
end

when the matlab command window pops out, i type in numel(files) and it returns a value 0 instead of the number of image files in the directory.

how do i go about solving this problem?

please advise..

thanks.