Python vs. Perl

[Keith Dart]

Ian Bicking wrote:
> Jon Perez wrote:
> 
>> Michael McGarry wrote:
>>
>>> I intend to use a scripting language for GUI development and front 
>>> end code for my simulations in C. I want a language that can support 
>>> SQL, Sockets, File I/O, and shell interaction.
>>
>>
>>
>> In my experience, Python is definitely much more suitable than Perl
>> for the first four areas mentioned in the last sentence.  For the
>> last area, I'm not sure, but Python's capabilities in this area are
>> also quite good.
> 
> 
> Shell interaction (or rather, external process interaction) is a lot 
> better with Python 2.4's subprocess module.  Better or worse than Perl? 
>  I'm not sure; generally I'd guess better, as it avoids the shell with 
> all the shell's issues, and provides a more controlled programmatic way 
> of interacting with subprocesses.  OTOH, Perl might have perfectly good 
> modules for doing the same thing.  I can only say it's been missing for 
> a while in Python, and it's good to see this done right.
> 

Yow, I must not get picked up in Google enough. ;-) The "proctools" 
module in the pyNMS package <http://sourceforge.net/projects/pynms/> has 
been around for years. I use it all the time for shell-like stuff. There 
is also an "expect" module, and the "termtools" module. If you need a 
more complete process spawning and controlling framework then use pyNMS. 
      It can "juggle" multiple processes, reaps child status (no 
zombies), operates asynchronously (The ProcManager object is a SIGCHLD 
handler), and works with pty's and pipes. It also offers a "thread-like" 
interface  for Python subprocesses (uses fork). Can leave some fd's open 
that you specify, can run the subprocess as a different user, and more...


Check it out.



-- 
                            \/ \/
                            (O O)
-- --------------------oOOo~(_)~oOOo----------------------------------------
Keith Dart <kdart at kdart.com>
public key: ID: F3D288E4 
============================================================================