Python file testing line in BASH program failing with syntax error

Question

Hey guys I'm trying to integrate some PY into my shell script and running across the following error, I though quote should have quoted my variable but it looks like it's not doing what I expected, can someone help me troubleshoot this?

#!/bin/bash
host='user@localhost' 
path='/home/user/file' 

python -c "return subprocess.call(['ssh', '$host', 'test -e ' + pipes.quote($path)]) == 0"

  File "<string>", line 1
    return subprocess.call(['ssh', "user@localhost", 'test -e ' + pipes.quote(/home/jdaniel/sent)]) == 0
                                                                                 ^
SyntaxError: invalid syntax

Joran Beasley · Accepted Answer · 2014-01-22 17:42:30Z

2

python -c "return subprocess.call(['ssh', '$host', 'test -e ' + pipes.quote(\"$path\")]) == 0"

I would assume

as an aside .. why are you not just calling ssh from the bash? what benefit are you getting by using python here in this fashion? and do you not need to use import subprocess when you use the -c flag?

I would choose to do this whole program either in python or bash ... but mixing them like this feels slightly silly (especially given what your python code does)

edited Jan 22, 2014 at 17:42

answered Jan 22, 2014 at 17:36

Joran Beasley

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6 Comments

ehime Over a year ago

File "<string>", line 1 SyntaxError: 'return' outside function ??

ehime Over a year ago

Just trying to learn some PY to compliment my bash, plus bash doesn't really have a sane way for testing if files exist on another server. I guess I could use rsync, but it doesn't sound as interesting I guess.

Joran Beasley Over a year ago

yeah since you cannot have a return outside a function ... which you have a return as the only line in the program ... but thats a different problem ... but just delete the word "return" from your python code ... all your doing is calling the ssh program from inside python ... this is 100% the same as if you called it from bash afaik...

ehime Over a year ago

Working code was python -c "import subprocess, pipes; print subprocess.call(['ssh', '$host', 'test -e ' + pipes.quote(\"$path\")]) == 0" just a heads up =) waiting to accept your answer, and plus one. Thanks Joran

chepner Over a year ago

@dodomeki - Neither does Python, or you wouldn't be shelling out to ssh to check.

|

Ashoka Lella · Accepted Answer · 2014-01-22 17:48:19Z

1

You'll need to change this

pipes.quote($path)

to

pipes.quote('$path')

as pipes.quote() is expecting a string

I'd say Its better to use shell instead of python

#!/bin/bash
host='user@localhost' 
path='/home/user/file' 
ssh -q $host "test -e $path"

edited Jan 22, 2014 at 17:48

answered Jan 22, 2014 at 17:41

Ashoka Lella

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1 Comment

ehime Over a year ago

That's true, but I wasn't trying to do it in BASH, thank you though

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