How to execute file.py on HTML button press using Django?

Question

My goal is to click an HTML button on my Django web page and this will execute a local python script.

I am creating a local web application as an interface to a project. This will not be hosted and will always just run on my local machine. My project is run with a python script (which carries out numerous tests specific to my project). All I need is for a button in my web interface to execute this script on my machine.

I have a template index.html where the whole web page is located. I presume I need to call some form of views function possibly when the button is pressed?

How to execute python code by django html button?

This question suggests:

def index(request):
    if request.method == 'GET':
        return render(request, 'yourapp/index.html', {'output': ''})
    elif request.method == 'POST':
        py_obj = mycode.test_code(10)
        return render(request, 'yourapp/output.html', {'output': py_obj.a})

I tried this just as a test but nothing happened when I went to the URL (located in the appropriate views.py):

def runtest(request):
    print("Hello World")
    Popen(['gnome-terminal', '-e', 'echo "Hello World"'], stdout=PIPE)
    return

However I don't quite understand if this achieves what I need it to, I am struggling to understand what the answer is suggesting.

Where in the Django framework can I specify a call to a local python script when a button is pressed?

(I have very limited experience with web applications, this is simply just meant to be a simple interface with some buttons to run tests)

frmbelz · Accepted Answer · 2023-01-19 20:43:13Z

14

You want to try to submit a form on the button click. You can then import the functions you want to run from the script and call them in your view. You then redirect to the same page.

I hope this helps!

index.html

<form method="post">
    {% csrf_token %}
    <button type="submit" name="run_script">Run script</button>
</form>

views.py

if request.method == 'POST' and 'run_script' in request.POST:

    # import function to run
    from path_to_script import function_to_run
    
    # call function
    function_to_run() 

    # return user to required page
    return HttpResponseRedirect(reverse(app_name:view_name))

edited Jan 19, 2023 at 20:43

frmbelz

2,66331 silver badges31 bronze badges

answered Jan 31, 2019 at 0:43

James

4614 silver badges12 bronze badges

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

4 Comments

HCF3301 Over a year ago

That has really helped, could you explain what the argument "reverse(app_name:view_name)" does? (mainly the reverse that I am not familiar with)

James Over a year ago

From the docs: "If you need to use something similar to the url template tag in your code". It just calls the view using it's name rather that sending you to a specific url, much like creating a link with the url template tag <a href="{% url 'app_name:view' %}"</a> (docs.djangoproject.com/en/2.1/ref/urlresolvers)/…

Alternating pulse Over a year ago

@James Where does code in if body needs to be placed? Should it be there in the same view function that called index.html template on request?

James Over a year ago

@Alternatingpulse yeah, the code above for the views.py should go in the view that loaded the page. It's just like a normal form submission. If you mean the html code, that just goes where ever you want your button to be.

Josh · Accepted Answer · 2020-01-28 08:14:04Z

4

Adding to answer above. You can run the function in a different view completely:

<form method="post" action="{% url 'app:view/function' %}"> {% csrf_token %} <button class="btn btn-danger btn-block btn-round">Perform task</button> </form>

And render whatever template you want (same template will execute task but seem like nothing has happened). This is handy if you already have a 'POST' form handler.

answered Jan 28, 2020 at 8:14

Josh

2,6261 gold badge26 silver badges28 bronze badges

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

How to execute file.py on HTML button press using Django?

2 Answers 2

4 Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Linked

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

2 Answers 2

4 Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Linked

Related