Error in executing a python script at remote machine through subprocess

Question

I am trying to execute a python script through subprocess. First I tried to execute the python script present on my local machine through following code:

str = 'abc'
sub_result = subprocess.Popen([sys.executable,"./script.py"] + str)

this worked correctly. Now I am trying to execute the script present on remote machine through subprocess. First I couldn't find any example on how to do it through subprocess.Popen() like I did for local machine. I then tried to use subprocess.call() in the following code but I am having issues with it:

str = 'abc'
sub_result = subprocess.call('ssh username@hostname python ./script.py' + str)

I get following error:

File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/subprocess.py", line 524, in call
    return Popen(*popenargs, **kwargs).wait()
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/subprocess.py", line 711, in __init__
    errread, errwrite)
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/subprocess.py", line 1308, in _execute_child
    raise child_exception
OSError: [Errno 2] No such file or directory

What is the mistake I am doing and also how can I mention the password in the ssh command for connection?

UPDATE: Based on @musiphil's answer I modified my code and no I am using:

str = 'abc'
sub_result = subprocess.call(['ssh', 'username@hostname', 'python', './script.py'] + str)

But I get this error:

    ssh_askpass: exec(/usr/libexec/ssh-askpass): No such file or directory
Permission denied, please try again.
ssh_askpass: exec(/usr/libexec/ssh-askpass): No such file or directory
Permission denied (publickey,gssapi-keyex,gssapi-with-mic,password).

The code you're running should raise a TypeError (can only concatenate list (not "str") to list) before you run into SSH issues. — jd.
– jd., Commented Mar 3, 2015 at 3:45
@jd. I have kept str as list. I forgot to update the str in above code — user2966197
– user2966197, Commented Mar 3, 2015 at 3:46
keep one issue per question. There are two issues: incorrect subprocess usage and how to authenticate via ssh. @musiphil answered the former. Ask a separate question for the latter. — jfs
– jfs, Commented Mar 3, 2015 at 9:59

jd. · Accepted Answer · 2015-03-03 03:43:23Z

3

You should give an argv-style list, unless you also specify shell=True:

str = 'abc'
sub_result = subprocess.call(
    ['ssh', 'username@hostname', 'python', './script.py', str])

See https://docs.python.org/2/library/subprocess.html#subprocess.call.

edited Mar 3, 2015 at 3:43

jd.

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answered Mar 3, 2015 at 1:44

musiphil

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7 Comments

user2966197 Over a year ago

and how can I mention the password with ssh?

user2966197 Over a year ago

I got following error when I tried to execute your above code : ssh_askpass: exec(/usr/libexec/ssh-askpass): No such file or directory Host key verification failed.

jd. Over a year ago

Can you connect to the remote host by running SSH manually? In any case the subprocess approach is going to be tedious to get working. You could try paramiko which implements the SSH protocol in Python.

user2966197 Over a year ago

@jd. How can I mention the password with ssh?

jd. Over a year ago

You didn't answer my previous question. Before sending a password you need to authenticate the remote host (this uses your known_hosts file). Then passing the password is going to be quite complex, check the SSH client documentation. I mentionned paramiko, this is going to be way easier to use than the SSH command-line client.

|

Taleh Muzafferov · Accepted Answer · 2020-05-16 02:09:06Z

1

You can mention password on ssh with the help of sshpass command.

    ['sshpass', '-p', 'password', 'ssh','username@%s' % address]

answered May 16, 2020 at 2:09

Taleh Muzafferov

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