How do I execute a program from Python? os.system fails due to spaces in path

Question

I have a Python script that needs to execute an external program, but for some reason fails.

If I have the following script:

import os;
os.system(\"C         


        

Answer 1

Suppose we want to run your Django web server (in Linux) that there is space between your path (path='/home/<you>/<first-path-section> <second-path-section>'), so do the following:

import subprocess

args = ['{}/manage.py'.format('/home/<you>/<first-path-section> <second-path-section>'), 'runserver']
res = subprocess.Popen(args, stdout=subprocess.PIPE)
output, error_ = res.communicate()

if not error_:
    print(output)
else:
    print(error_)

---

[Note]:

• Do not forget accessing permission: chmod 755 -R <'yor path'>
• manage.py is exceutable: chmod +x manage.py

Answer 2

I suspect it's the same problem as when you use shortcuts in Windows... Try this:

import os;
os.system("\"C:\\Temp\\a b c\\Notepad.exe\" C:\\test.txt");

Answer 3

No need for sub-process, It can be simply achieved by

GitPath="C:\\Program Files\\Git\\git-bash.exe"# Application File Path in mycase its GITBASH
os.startfile(GitPath)

Answer 4

At least in Windows 7 and Python 3.1, os.system in Windows wants the command line double-quoted if there are spaces in path to the command. For example:

  TheCommand = '\"\"C:\\Temp\\a b c\\Notepad.exe\"\"'
  os.system(TheCommand)

A real-world example that was stumping me was cloning a drive in VirtualBox. The subprocess.call solution above didn't work because of some access rights issue, but when I double-quoted the command, os.system became happy:

  TheCommand = '\"\"C:\\Program Files\\Sun\\VirtualBox\\VBoxManage.exe\" ' \
                 + ' clonehd \"' + OrigFile + '\" \"' + NewFile + '\"\"'
  os.system(TheCommand)

Answer 5

For python >= 3.5 subprocess.run should be used in place of subprocess.call

https://docs.python.org/3/library/subprocess.html#older-high-level-api

import subprocess
subprocess.run(['notepad.exe', 'test.txt'])

Answer 6

For Python 3.7, use subprocess.call. Use raw string to simplify the Windows paths:

import subprocess
subprocess.call([r'C:\Temp\Example\Notepad.exe', 'C:\test.txt'])