confusing behaviour of os.system

[Todd]

I'm trying to run the following in python.

os.system('/usr/bin/gnuclient -batch -l htmlize -eval "(htmlize-file
\"test.c\")"')

This connects to xemacs with gnuclient and runs htmlize. If I run it
from a shell, xemacs gives me an error, but it generates the html file
just fine. If I run the same statement in python, I get the exact same
behaviour, but there's no file.

I'm not sure what the issue is. I thought maybe it's putting it in
another directory or there might be some permissions problem. Any
ideas? If you want to try it, just make sure to run "M-x
gnuserve-start" first.

[Ben Cartwright]

Todd wrote:

I'm trying to run the following in python.

os.system('/usr/bin/gnuclient -batch -l htmlize -eval "(htmlize-file
\"test.c\")"')

Python is interpreting the \"s as "s before it's being passed to
os.system. Try doubling the backslashes.

print '/usr/bin/gnuclient -batch -l htmlize -eval "(htmlize-file> \"test.c\")"' /usr/bin/gnuclient -batch -l htmlize -eval "(htmlize-file> "test.c")" print '/usr/bin/gnuclient -batch -l htmlize -eval "(htmlize-file> \\"test.c\\")"'

/usr/bin/gnuclient -batch -l htmlize -eval "(htmlize-file> \"test.c\")"

--Ben

[Todd]

Ben Cartwright wrote:

Todd wrote:

I'm trying to run the following in python.

os.system('/usr/bin/gnuclient -batch -l htmlize -eval "(htmlize-file
\"test.c\")"')

Python is interpreting the \"s as "s before it's being passed to
os.system. Try doubling the backslashes.

print '/usr/bin/gnuclient -batch -l htmlize -eval "(htmlize-file> \"test.c\")"' /usr/bin/gnuclient -batch -l htmlize -eval "(htmlize-file> "test.c")" print '/usr/bin/gnuclient -batch -l htmlize -eval "(htmlize-file> \\"test.c\\")"'

/usr/bin/gnuclient -batch -l htmlize -eval "(htmlize-file> \"test.c\")"

--Ben

Thanks! Yay multiple layers of string interpretation.

[Ben Finney]

"Todd" <go******@signalsguru.net> writes:

Ben Cartwright wrote:

>> print '/usr/bin/gnuclient -batch -l htmlize -eval "(htmlize-file> \"test.c\")"'

/usr/bin/gnuclient -batch -l htmlize -eval "(htmlize-file> "test.c")"

>> print '/usr/bin/gnuclient -batch -l htmlize -eval "(htmlize-file> \\"test.c\\")"'

/usr/bin/gnuclient -batch -l htmlize -eval "(htmlize-file> \"test.c\")"

--Ben

Thanks! Yay multiple layers of string interpretation.

If it helps, Python has "raw string" syntax that can help alleviate this.

print r'/usr/bin/gnuclient -batch -l htmlize -eval "(htmlize-file> \"test.c\")"' /usr/bin/gnuclient -batch -l htmlize -eval "(htmlize-file> \"test.c\")"
filename = "test.c"
cmd_template = r'/usr/bin/gnuclient -batch -l htmlize -eval "(htmlize-file> \"%s\")"'
command = cmd_template % filename
print command

/usr/bin/gnuclient -batch -l htmlize -eval "(htmlize-file> \"test.c\")"
--
\ "Everything is futile." -- Marvin of Borg |
`\ |
_o__) |
Ben Finney