Python 3.4.3 subprocess.Popen get output of command without piping?

Question

I am trying to assign the output of a command to a variable without the command thinking that it is being piped. The reason for this is that the command in question gives unform

Answer 1

A working polyglot example (works the same for Python 2 and Python 3), using pty.

import subprocess
import pty
import os
import sys

master, slave = pty.openpty()
# direct stderr also to the pty!
process = subprocess.Popen(
    ['ls', '-al', '--color=auto'],
    stdout=slave,
    stderr=subprocess.STDOUT
)

# close the slave descriptor! otherwise we will
# hang forever waiting for input
os.close(slave)

def reader(fd):
    try:
        while True:
            buffer = os.read(fd, 1024)
            if not buffer:
                return

            yield buffer

    # Unfortunately with a pty, an 
    # IOError will be thrown at EOF
    # On Python 2, OSError will be thrown instead.
    except (IOError, OSError) as e:
        pass

# read chunks (yields bytes)
for i in reader(master):
    # and write them to stdout file descriptor
    os.write(1, b'' + i + b'')