Making curl request from Python

Question

I know the library requests, but I don't want to use it for different reasons.

So what I am trying is to make a Post request with formdata with curl from Python.

The command looks something like this:

command = "curl --insecure POST --form file1='@path_to_file' --form file2='@path_to_file2' --form config='{"key1": {"key11": "value11", "key12": "value12"}, "key2": {"key21": "value21", "key22": "value22"}' <REST API Adress>"

So if I copy this code manually into the linux terminal it works perfectly fine, but when I am trying to automate that with python subprocess there are backslashs added everywhere in the command. I think that is the reason why it always fails. The code looks like this:

p = Popen([command], cwd=<some path>, stdout=PIPE, stderr=PIPE)
process_output, process_error = p.communicate()

It just fails and prints me a command that looks like this:

command = "curl --insecure POST --form file1=\'@path_to_file\' --form file2=\'@path_to_file2\' --form config=\'{"key1": {"key11": "value11", "key12": "value12"}, "key2": {"key21": "value21", "key22": "value22"}\' <REST API Adress>"

I mean I get it. It is because of the single quotes, but how can I avoid this? Like how can I actually execute the correct command without backslashs?

You can add three quotation marks (""") before and after the string. Like this: """curl --insecure POST --form file1='@path_to_file' --form file2='@path_to_file2' --form config='{"key1": {"key11": "value11", "key12": "value12"}, "key2": {"key21": "value21", "key22": "value22"}' <REST API Adress>""" — Elias Fizesan
– Elias Fizesan, Commented Mar 22, 2022 at 19:06

chepner · Accepted Answer · 2022-03-22 19:04:35Z

1

Split the command into words like the shell would.

rest_api_address = ...
commmand = ["curl",
            "--insecure", "POST",
            "--form", "file1=@path_to_file",
            "--form", "file2=@path_to_file2",
            "--form", "config={...}",
            rest_api_address]

p = Popen(command, ...)

The single quotes were for the benefit of the shell; they are not necessary when bypassing the shell as we do here.

answered Mar 22, 2022 at 19:04

chepner

538k77 gold badges594 silver badges746 bronze badges

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

1 Comment

Marvin Over a year ago

Still doesn't work

Tanja B · Accepted Answer · 2024-01-10 16:03:06Z

0

I'm on windows, so i can't test, but i have better experience using the quotation marks the other way around, maybe this helps you too. So in your example:

command = 'curl --insecure POST --form file1="@path_to_file" --form file2="@path_to_file2" --form config="{"key1": {"key11": "value11", "key12": "value12"}, "key2": {"key21": "value21", "key22": "value22"}" <REST API Adress>'

answered Jan 10, 2024 at 16:03

Tanja B

135 bronze badges

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Making curl request from Python

2 Answers 2

1 Comment

Comments

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

2 Answers 2

1 Comment

Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related