Use Python to run interactive python scripts

Question

I have Python script that takes a User input during runtime and gives some outputs. Example code:

import random
l1 = ['Bob', 'Eric', 'Dimitar', 'Kyle']
l2 = ['Scott', 'Mat', 'Con']
n = raw_input('Enter no. of persons:  ')
for i in range(int(n)):
    print random.choice(l1) + '  ' + random.choice(l2)

Output:

$ ./generate_name.py 
Enter no. of persons:  2
Kyle  Scott
Eric  Mat

Now I want to write another Python script that would run the first python script multiple times with a specific input (the input sequence is stored in a list) and record the outputs in file. Moreover, I can't make any changes in the first Python Code.

I can use the subprocess module to run the script and record the output but how do I take care of the interactive User input part?

Do you Mean something like: subprocess.Popen('./generate_name.py <<< 2', shell= 1) . Yes that would work. Thanks a lot :) — Tapajit Dey
– Tapajit Dey, Commented Jan 27, 2014 at 11:13
You should probably be using the stdin argument to Popen rather than ever using shell=True (or your less idiomatic version). — Wooble
– Wooble, Commented Jan 27, 2014 at 11:23

glglgl · Accepted Answer · 2014-01-27 12:08:28Z

0

I see two options: you can either run it as a separate process and indeed use subprocess, such as

sp = subprocess.Popen(['./generate_name.py'], stdin=subprocess.PIPE, stdout=subprocess.PIPE)
sp.stdin.write("2\n")
sp.stdin.close()
answer = sp.stdout.read()
status = sp.wait()

or you take your script and exec it. Before you do so, you can redirect sys.stdin and sys.stdout and you can capture and monitor all changes you make. This way, you can run it inside one process.

answered Jan 27, 2014 at 12:08

glglgl

91.5k13 gold badges157 silver badges230 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

Comments

Community · Accepted Answer · 2017-05-23 10:25:55Z

0

First, see execute python script multiple times and running script multiple times simultaniously in python 2.7. Alse, see run multiple Python scripts from a single parent script.

edited May 23, 2017 at 10:25

CommunityBot

11 silver badge

answered Jan 27, 2014 at 12:22

Mihai8

3,1471 gold badge23 silver badges33 bronze badges

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Use Python to run interactive python scripts

2 Answers 2

Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Linked

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

2 Answers 2

Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Linked

Related