subprocess.Popen(): OSError: [Errno 8] Exec format error in python?

Question

Yesterday, I wrote and ran a python script which executes a shell using subprocess.Popen(command.split()) where command is string whic

Answer 1

The error message suggests that the external program is not a valid executable.

Answer 2

As @tripleee said, there is an issue executing your script. Make sure:

• Change the shell command to "./my_path/my_script.sh" or "/bin/bash my_path/my_script.sh". Account for environment variables, if necessary.
• Both scripts have execute bit set (chmod +x)
• The files exist at the location you think they do. (Use abspath or verify environment)
• The files have contents
• Try removing and re-typing the first line. I recommend killing the whole line, and hitting backspace several times in case there's a non-printable character before the #!

See also: Why is '#!/usr/bin/env python' supposedly more correct than just '#!/usr/bin/python'?

Answer 3

Following statement worked for me

subprocess.Popen(['sh','my_script.sh'])

Answer 4

It is recommended to install the package binfmt-support to help the system better recognize the scipts. It helps regardless of whether they have a shebang line.

Answer 5

The error is because the executables are not given in the prescribed format for subprocess to execute it.

example:

shell_command1 = r"/path/to/executable/shell/file"

shell_command2 = r"./path/to/executable/shell/file"

subprocess.call(shell_command1) or subprocess.Popen(shell_command1) will not be able to run shell_command1 because subprocess needs an executable command like (mailx, ls, ping, etc.) or executable script like shell_command2 or you need to specify command like this

subprocess.call(["sh", shell_command1])
subprocess.Popen(["sh", shell_command1])

but however, you can use os.system() or os.Popen() as well

Answer 6

I solved this by putting this line at the top of the called shell script:

#!/bin/sh

That will guarantee that the system always uses the correct interpreter when running your script.