multiple processes, private working directories

[r0g]

Tim Arnold wrote:
> I have a bunch of processes to run and each one needs its own working
> directory. I'd also like to know when all of the processes are
> finished.
> 
> (1) First thought was threads, until I saw that os.chdir was process-
> global.
> (2) Next thought was fork, but I don't know how to signal when each
> child is
> finished.
> (3) Current thought is to break the process from a method into a
> external
> script; call the script in separate threads.  This is the only way I
> can see
> to give each process a separate dir (external process fixes that), and
> I can
> find out when each process is finished (thread fixes that).
> 
> Am I missing something? Is there a better way? I hate to rewrite this
> method
> as a script since I've got a lot of object metadata that I'll have to
> regenerate with each call of the script.
> 
> thanks for any suggestions,
> --Tim Arnold

(1) + avoid os.chdir and maintain hard paths to all files/folders? or
(2) + sockets? or
(2) + polling your systems task list?