Python3 – Subprocess Overview
One-liner (Same Task) Migrate os to subprocess
• print(subprocess.check_output(['ls', '-1']).decode('utf-8')) • os: output = os.spawnlp(os.P_WAIT, 'cmd', “arg')
• print(''.join(map(chr, subprocess.check_output(['ls', '-1'])))) • subprocess: output = call(['cmd', 'arg'])
Waits (No Threading) • os: pid = os.spawnlp(os.P_NOWAIT, 'cmd', 'arg')
subprocess.call(), subprocess.check_output(), • subprocess: pid = Popen(['cmd', 'arg']).pid
subprocess.getoutput(),
subprocess.Popen().stdout.readlines() Environment Variables
Threading proc = subprocess.Popen(['echo',
subprocess.Popen() os.environ['MY_ENV_VAR']])
#Windows only (threading)
DETACHED_PROCESS = 0x00000008 proc = subprocess.Popen('echo '$MY_ENV_VAR'',
subprocess.Popen([sys.executable, 'ls'], env=environ, shell=True)
creationflags=DETACHED_PROCESS).pid
#BSD only (threading) proc = subprocess.Popen(['echo',
pid = subprocess.Popen([sys.executable, 'ls'], os.path.expandvars('$MY_ENV_VAR')])
stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE,
stdin=subprocess.PIPE) • newenv = os.environ.copy()
• newenv['MY_ENV_VAR'] = 'value'
Open Program or Execute Code
subprocess.call(['EXCUTABLE']) # no threading Example
import subprocess
Get PID proc = subprocess.Popen('mousepad')
pid = subprocess.Popen(['ls', '-1'], shell=True, print(proc) # <subprocess.Popen object at
stdout=subprocess.PIPE, 0x7f3240609d30>
stderr=subprocess.STDOUT).stdout.read() pid = proc.pid # 13731
print(proc.poll()) # None
print(pid) # <subprocess.Popen object at 0x7f32405e80b8> proc.kill()
print(proc.poll()) # 0
type(pid) # subprocess.Popen proc = subprocess.Popen('mousepad')
pid = proc.pid
# .readline() reads one stdout line at a time try:
# .readlines() reads all stdout at once outs, errs = proc.communicate(timeout=15)
except TimeoutExpired: # when timer expires
Usage proc.kill() # close mousepad
x = subprocess.check_output(['cmd', 'arg1']) outs, errs = proc.communicate()
# x = b'Desktop\nDocuments\nDownloads\n'
z = x.decode('utf-8')) # plain text (str) # Example Lines
• proc.communicate(input='', timeout=int)
subprocess.getoutput('ls -l') # one str param • Return Code: p_status = proc.wait()
# Output = 'String\nString\nString'
• Send a Kill Signal: proc.send_signal(SIG)
Tricks • Stop the Process: proc.terminate()
shlex.split('ls -l') # output: ['ls', '-l'] • Wait for the Process: proc.wait()
subprocess.check_output(shlex.split('ls -l'))
Scripted Example
Shell2Python #!/usr/bin/env python3
Shell: output=`dmesg | grep hda` import subprocess, sys
Python: from subprocess import * cmd = 'netstat -p --tcp'
p1 = Popen(['dmesg'], stdout=PIPE) p = subprocess.Popen(cmd, shell=True,
p2 = Popen(['grep', 'hda'], stdin=p1.stdout, stdout=PIPE) stderr=subprocess.PIPE)
p1.stdout.close() while True: # displaying output immediately
# allow p1 to receive a SIGPIPE if p2 exits out = p.stderr.read(1)
output = p2.communicate()[0] if out == '' and p.poll() != None:
Python: break # exit after netstat closes
output = check_output('dmesg | grep hda', shell=True) if out != '': # release output
sys.stdout.write(out)
sys.stdout.flush()
Created by Devyn Collier Johnson <[email protected]> (2015 v2) More cheatsheets at DCJTech.info
