How to get output of exe in python script?

Question

When I call an external .exe program in Python, how can I get printf output from the .exe application and print it to my Python IDE?

Answer 1

To call an external program from Python, use the subprocess module.

The subprocess module allows you to spawn new processes, connect to their input/output/error pipes, and obtain their return codes.

An example from the doc (output is a file object that provides output from the child process.):

output = subprocess.Popen(["mycmd", "myarg"], stdout=subprocess.PIPE).communicate()[0]

A concrete example, using cmd, the Windows command line interpreter with 2 arguments:

>>> p1 = subprocess.Popen(["cmd", "/C", "date"],stdout=subprocess.PIPE)
>>> p1.communicate()[0]
'The current date is: Tue 04/14/2009 \r\nEnter the new date: (mm-dd-yy) '
>>>