executing system calls

[earthdirt]

Python Newbie running Mandriva Linux.

I want to do a system call from a python program. Mandriva has a package manager command called urpmi. If I wanted it to install a rpm I would say on the command line "urpmi rpmname". How can execute this command from my python program?

I found 'subprocess' in the python docs, imported it into IDLE, but I can't seem to make it's example work.

So, if I wanted to do the "urpmi rpmname" command or "urpmi --auto-update" which would update my system, what should the python statement look like in my python code?

Thanks!

[Laharl]

Use os.system(). It takes a string input that is the same thing you would normally type on the command line to do something, for example, to do ls,

import os
os.system('ls')
 

If those commands require root, as their equivalents do under Ubuntu, there's a bit more work needed, but it's still doable. I think.