Unable to execute external python script from django

Question

I am trying to execute a Python script from within my Django app. I tried executing it from the terminal and it works correctly, so I know the called Python script is working fine. The Python scripts calls an external program which overwrites a file on the server. The external program has all required permissions. I even tried using 777 permissions for all files involved, but still no use.

Django View:

import subprocess
subprocess.call("python " + script_dir+"testScript.py", shell=True)

Python - 2.7

I can execute simpler commands like

subprocess.call("rm " + script_dir+"test.txt", shell=True)

EDIT: I am not only executing python scripts from the terminal, I also need to execute a blender script, which again works fine by itself(when executed directly from the terminal) but does not generate the required output from within django.

This was the error as in my Django console :

OSError at /getObj/

[Errno 2] No such file or directory

Request Method:     GET
Request URL:    http://192.168.1.21:8081/getObj/?width=5.0&height=6.0&depth=7.0
Django Version:     1.7.8
Exception Type:     OSError
Exception Value:    

[Errno 2] No such file or directory

Exception Location:     /usr/lib/python2.7/subprocess.py in _execute_child, line 1327
Python Executable:  /usr/bin/python
Python Version:     2.7.6

Why would you call a Python script via subprocess? Why not import it and call it directly? — Daniel Roseman
– Daniel Roseman, Commented Jul 10, 2015 at 11:57
actually I need to run 3 scripts from the Django app, 2 of which are not directly python scripts. So I need to use subprocess anyway. Though you do have a point there. — ms95
– ms95, Commented Jul 10, 2015 at 12:13
You specified wrong path to file. Write to log the string script_dir+"testScript.py" Make sure it's absolute — deathangel908
– deathangel908, Commented Jul 10, 2015 at 12:38
I checked the path just before the function call. It is indeed absolute. — ms95
– ms95, Commented Jul 10, 2015 at 12:44

geckon · Accepted Answer · 2015-07-10 13:27:28Z

2

First, I'd suggest to run Python code by importing it, not running it in a separate process (unless you have special reasons to do that). Since you mentioned other non-Python scripts you want to run, I'll suggest a generic way.

I would try and run the script using Popen like this:

from subprocess import Popen, PIPE

# ...

p = Popen(["python", "testScript.py"], cwd=script_dir, stdout=PIPE, stderr=PIPE)
out, err = p.communicate()

Then you have standard output in out and standard error output in err. Even if it doesn't run successfully, you have something to work with after inspecting the two variables.

edited Jul 10, 2015 at 13:27

answered Jul 10, 2015 at 13:13

geckon

8,8326 gold badges39 silver badges61 bronze badges

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

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Unable to execute external python script from django

1 Answer 1

Comments

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

1 Answer 1

Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related