Defining the command line arguments of a linux command in python

Question

first of all, sorry for the imprecise title (if someone has a better suggestion how to name this thread feel free to tell me), my question is not that complicated at all.

I wrote a small program in Python where i execute a command line:

import os

os.system("sudo rtcwake -m off -s 100")

As some of you may know it is simply an rtcwake command that shuts down the computer and turns it on again (after 100 seconds).

I would like to implement this program in a way that when executed (from the console for example) the user gets to enter the number of seconds the computer should be down, instead of having the 100 seconds predetermined.

What is the correct way to do this?

perreal · Accepted Answer · 2013-07-04 23:26:19Z

1

format is your friend:

import os, sys 
if len(sys.argv) == 2:
  os.system("sudo rtcwake -m off -s {}".format(sys.argv[1]))
else: print "usage: ..."

so the seconds are command line parameters. Or, you can make it interactive:

import os
secs = raw_input()
os.system("sudo rtcwake off -s {}".format(secs))

to verify that the user input is an integer:

try:    secs = int(secs)
except: print 'usage: '

edited Jul 4, 2013 at 23:26

answered Jul 4, 2013 at 21:44

perreal

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2 Comments

user2013394 Over a year ago

Regarding your interactive variable, if the user enters anything which is not a number, the commando line gets in trouble. How would you check for this? I thought on executing an "if type(secs) is int -> os.system("sudo.....) else print 'incorrect, try again' os.system("python nameoftheprogram.py") but as i am reading making typechecks on python is not recomended...?

perreal Over a year ago

@user2013394, the type is str after the raw_input even if the input is a valid integer. added a possible check in the example.

Samy Arous · Accepted Answer · 2013-07-04 21:44:20Z

1

use ArgumentParser

parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description='Shutdown your computer and turns it on after x seconds.')
parser.add_argument('delay', metavar='x', type=int,
                   help='The number of seconds the computer should be down.', default=100)
args = parsre.parse_args()
x = args.delay

answered Jul 4, 2013 at 21:44

Samy Arous

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