system call in python

[Catherine Yang]

Hi,

A question about how to execute a system command from python program. e.g.
in a python script, I need to run another program written in C++, and after
that come back to the same python program.

Is it the system module, and which function do I use to do this?

Thanks a lot
Catherine

 

[Graham Fawcett]

Hi,

A question about how to execute a system command from python program. e.g.
in a python script, I need to run another program written in C++, and after
that come back to the same python program.

Is it the system module, and which function do I use to do this?

Thanks a lot
Catherine

Probably you are looking for os.system, as in:

import os
cmd = 'ls -l /usr/bin'
os.system(cmd)

Note that this will not capture the output of the system command; you
can use the os.popen family of commands to do that.

-- Graham

 

[satish k.chimakurthi]

Hi,

I think you can do the following:

import commands
commands.getstatusoutput("...your command to execture program...")

SATISH

Probably you are looking for os.system, as in:

import os
cmd = 'ls -l /usr/bin'
os.system(cmd)

Note that this will not capture the output of the system command; you
can use the os.popen family of commands to do that.

-- Graham

--
SATISH K.CHIMAKURTHI
GRAD. RESEARCH ASSISTANT
UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY
LEXINGTON
KENTUCKY STATE

 

[Pierre Rouleau]

Hi,

A question about how to execute a system command from python program. e.g.
in a python script, I need to run another program written in C++, and after
that come back to the same python program.

Is it the system module, and which function do I use to do this?

You can use the os.system() to execute a program accessible from your
path or specified explicitly:

For more info on process control, take a look at:

http://www.python.org/doc/current/lib/os-process.html

 

[Graham Fawcett]

Wow, you guys are *really fast and very helpful*. Thanks !!!!!!!

We're merely trying to emulate our favourite language. ;-)

-- Graham

 

[Michael Hudson]

On an editorial aside, I'd nominate the "commands" module as a Python
wart.

I seem to recall python-dev agrees with you...

It's not that the functions in this module aren't useful, but why
are they divorced from the very-much-related commands in the "os"
module?

IIWG (If I were Guido) I think I would at least sub-package this
module as os.commands (in the spirit of os.path). While I was at it,
I'd probably do the same for shutil (--> os.shutil).

Hmm. In a way, os is already too fat, I'm not sure *more* stuff
should end up in there. If it was a real package, then maybe
os.commands, os.net, os.shutil would make sense, but it's not.

Occasionally people suggest that you should get at the standard
library by doing something like

from org.python import socket

but then Guido shoots them

The Python standard library is full of dark corners bearing wondrous
mysteries, a Library of Alexandria full of useful code... but surely
even Alexandria's librarians put similar scrolls on the same shelf!

This is what Alex Martelli is for

Cheers,
mwh