testing interactive python programs

Question

I would like to know which testing tools for python support the testing of interactive programs. For example, I have an application launched by:

$ python dummy_p         


        

Answer 1

A good example might be the file test_embed.py of the IPython package.

There two different approaches are used:

subprocess

import subprocess
# ...
subprocess.Popen(cmd, env=env, stdin=subprocess.PIPE,
                stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE)
out, err = p.communicate(_exit_cmd_string)

pexpect (as already mentioned by Brian Oakley

import pexpect
# ...
child = pexpect.spawn(sys.executable, ['-m', 'IPython', '--colors=nocolor'],
                          env=env)
# ...
child.sendline("some_command")
child.expect(ipy_prompt)