Scott wrote:
I want to write a script to automate log archiving/compressing on a
Win2003 server. I have Python 2.6 installed. I am planning to use 7-
zip for compression (because I have been using it manually for a while
now). For now all operations will be local in the C: drive.
As a total beginner I'm having trouble grasping the control of
external programs.
I have found these options but have not tried any yet - I would like
some advice on which approach would be the most appropriate to begin
with.
Command Line Application Approach:
os.system
os.spawn*
os.popen*
popen2.*
commands.*
All of the above recommend replacing with subprocess module
subprocess - latest way to do command line?
pexpect module - http://sourceforge.net/projects/pexpect/, Most recent
file is dated 1/5/2008
It should work on any platform that supports the standard Python
pty module. (Windows?)
pty - "On Windows, only sockets are supported; on Unix, all
file descriptors." (gulp, ??)
COM Application Approach:
Per the 7-zip FAQ: Use the 7z.dll or 7za.dll - I haven't found these
files yet on sf.net.
comtypes 0.6.2 - has the word COM in it?
pywin32 / win32com - there's that word again.
And then there is this whole idea of "wrappers."
Thanks,
Scott
Hello Scott,
I did not see what version of Python you are using (3.x?, 2.x?) so I'll
answer based on Python 2.6.4 which I am using.
If you already can accomplish your task with a series of commands, from
a console window, my recommendation is to first read the Python
documentation for os.system(...) which allows you to pass, as a
parameter, any command you can type at a console window. Then, read the
subprocess module documentation (particularly Section "18.1.3.3.
Replacing os.system()"). Use the subprocess module Popen(...) function
as a replacement for os.system(...). You may include as many calls to
Popen(...), in your Python script, as needed.
I do not know much about 7-zip so I can not say if the above
command-line-like approach is feasible, but a quick glance at the FAQ
indicates it probably is.
Since you are just getting started, for simplicity, I would recommend
against trying to use the 7-zip COM
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Component_Object_Model) interface or the
7z.dll (which should be in the C:\Program Files\7-Zip\ folder) directly
via the Python ctypes module (included in Python 2.6).
HTH,
-- jv
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