Python's os.system within a for loop: how to wait for a command to finish before re-starting the loop?

Question

I am new in using os.system (in Python 3) and am trying to execute a program that I would normally run in a Linux terminal. I need to iterate a few times and am using something like the following loop:

for item in item_list:
    os.system("gnome-terminal -- program_execute "+item)

The problem is that this loop simutaneously opens n terminal windows (the length of my item_list is n) and executes all of them at the same time. My question is:

How could I run the loop len(item_list) times with the next run starting only after the current one finishes?

I can't use sleep() because the running time varies from item to item and I would like to optimize the process.

EDIT: I've tried using .communicate() and .wait() without success. I would like os.system (or os.subprocess) to understand that the gnome-terminal is still running, only passing by the next element in the loop after gnome-terminal from previous loop has closed.

Does this answer your question? [Python popen command. Wait until the command is finished](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/2837214/python-popen-command-wait-until-the-command-is-finished) — mkrieger1, Sep 27 '20 at 01:37
this was already asked: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/8953119/python-waiting-for-external-launched-process-finish — otarey, Sep 27 '20 at 02:37
@mkrieger1, it actually does not. Even when I use .communicate() or .wait() the problem persists. — 12924835928, Sep 28 '20 at 16:48
How exactly did you use the `subprocess` module? Can you please update the question with a [mre]? — mkrieger1, Sep 28 '20 at 17:07
@mkrieger1, I managed to fix it passing a --disable-factory after calling the terminal. Thanks! — 12924835928, Sep 29 '20 at 11:55

score 0 · Answer 1 · answered Sep 29 '20 at 11:54

0

I used subprocess with the code below and it worked, i.e. the software runs once and finishes completely before going to the next loop.

for item in item_list:
    subprocess.call(["gnome-terminal","--disable-factory","--","my_command"])

answered Sep 29 '20 at 11:54

12924835928

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Python's os.system within a for loop: how to wait for a command to finish before re-starting the loop?

1 Answers1