CODEWITHSUNDEEP
pythonbatch-filepython-3.xautomation
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Reputation: 411

Python/Batch: Use Python to press any key to continue

I am using a python script to automate a process involving batch files. These are batch files that are used for other applications and I am not allowed to edit them.

At the end of the batch file, it prompts the following:

"Press any key to continue ..."

How do I use python to recognize when this prompt appears, and how do I respond to it? I want to be able to close the file so I can run the next batch file.

Currently I have found the following solution, but it's terrible and makes me feel dirty inside:

#Run the batch file with parameter DIABFile
subprocess.Popen([path + '\\' + batchFile, path + '\\' + DIABFile])

#Sit here like an idiot until I'm confident the batch file is finished
time.sleep(4)

#Press any key
virtual_keystrokes.press('enter')

Any ideas?

Attempt #1

p = subprocess.Popen([path + '\\' + batchFile, path + '\\' + DIABFile],
                 bufsize=1, stdin=subprocess.PIPE, stdout=subprocess.PIPE)

while p.poll() is None:
    line = p.stdout.readline()
    print(line)
    if line.startswith('Press any key to continue'):
        p.communicate('\r\n')

Resulted in the following output and error:

b'\r\n'
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "C:\workspace\Perform_QAC_Check\Perform_QAC_Check.py", line 341, in <module>
    main()
  File "C:\workspace\Perform_QAC_Check\Perform_QAC_Check.py", line 321, in main
    run_setup_builderenv(sandboxPath, DIABFile)
  File "C:\workspace\Perform_QAC_Check\Perform_QAC_Check.py", line 126, in run_setup_builderenv
    if line.startswith('Press any key to continue'):
TypeError: startswith first arg must be bytes or a tuple of bytes, not str
The process tried to write to a nonexistent pipe.

The part that seemed weirdest to me was that the startswith first arg must be bytes or a tuple of bytes, not str. I looked up the documentation and it definitely should be a string? tutorial of startswith

So I looked online and found this little bit.

The error message seems to be a bug in Python, as it is exactly the other way around. But still, no problems here, add after line #75 in indian.py

try:
    line = line.decode()
except AttributeError:
    pass

And so I did.

Attempt #2

p = subprocess.Popen([path + '\\' + batchFile, path + '\\' + DIABFile],
                 bufsize=1, stdin=subprocess.PIPE, stdout=subprocess.PIPE)

while p.poll() is None:
    line = p.stdout.readline()
    print(line)
    try:
        line = line.decode()
        if line.startswith('Press any key to continue'):
            p.communicate('\r\n')
    except AttributeError:
        pass

Resulted in the following output:

b'\r\n'
b'Build Environment is created.\r\n'
b'\r\n'
b'Please Refer to the directory: C:/directory\r\n'
b'\r\n'

And then it hangs there... That is the last output before the "Please press any key to continue" should show up, but it never does.

Notes

I have since taken the second script and asked it to find "Please Refer", which it does. Unfortunately, then the script hangs again at the line:

p.communicate('\r\n')

Ending the program, again, prints the error:

The process tried to write to a nonexistent pipe.

Which I believe is related to this bug.

I can't imagine what I'm trying to do is THAT out of the ordinary. Since this is seemingly a little more complicated than expected I would like to say I am using XP and Python version 3.3.

Upvotes: 4

Views: 4928

Answers (4)

Christian
Christian

Reputation: 305

As stated in the OP, none of the solutions were solving the problem. So at the end the solution from Bryce solved the problem for me:

subprocess.call([path + '\\' + batchFile, path + '\\' + DIABFile], stdin=subprocess.DEVNULL)

Upvotes: 1

MaximusPrime
MaximusPrime

Reputation: 1

The solution from this post worked for me:

Try to execute cmd.exe /c YourCmdFile < nul

YourCmdFile - full path to your batch script

Upvotes: -2

Betagan
Betagan

Reputation: 121

You could parse the output of the subprocess and match on the "Press any key to continue" phrase to continue on.

See this thread: read subprocess stdout line by line especially what he posted as Update2

It might look like this:

import subprocess
proc = subprocess.Popen([path + '\\' + batchFile, path + '\\' + DIABFile],stdout=subprocess.PIPE)

for line in iter(proc.stdout.readline,''):
    if (line.rstrip() == "Press any key to..":
        break;

Upvotes: 1

Andrew Clark
Andrew Clark

Reputation: 208495

Something like the following should work:

p = subprocess.Popen([path + '\\' + batchFile, path + '\\' + DIABFile],
                     bufsize=1, stdin=subprocess.PIPE, stdout=subprocess.PIPE)
while p.poll() is None:
    line = p.stdout.readline()
    if line.startswith('Press any key to continue'):
        p.communicate('\r\n')

Upvotes: 4

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