start default application for read a pdf from python

Angelo Ballabio

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Sep 8, 2009, 3:42:20 PM9/8/09

to

I try to start a default application for reading a pdf file inside the
python script.

I try

os.startfile(name,option) but say me startfile not implemented

there are some system to start for example acrobar or okular from the
script with a name of pdf file?

thenks Angelo

Grant Edwards

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Sep 8, 2009, 4:01:13 PM9/8/09

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On 2009-09-08, Angelo Ballabio <ang...@email.it> wrote:

> I try to start a default application for reading a pdf file
> inside the python script.
>
> I try
>
> os.startfile(name,option) but say me startfile not implemented

Are you _sure_ it says startfile not implemented? Or does
it say this:

>>> os.startfile("foo.bar")
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "<stdin>", line 1, in <module>
AttributeError: 'module' object has no attribute 'startfile'

[You'll always get better answers if your questions are
specific and precise -- whenever possible, you should paste in
actual code and error messages.]

> there are some system to start for example acrobar or okular
> from the script with a name of pdf file?

Google tells me that Okular is something for KDE. That implies
that you're running Linux or Unix? [When asking a question, you
also need to provide OS, Python version, etc.]

If you are running Linux/Unix, then I suspect the answer to
your problem can be seen in the fine documentation at

http://docs.python.org/library/os.html#process-management

os.startfile(path[, operation])

Start a file with its associated application.
[...]
Availability: Windows.

If you want to do something similar on Unix/Linux, you'll
probably need to call some desktop-specific.

Googling for python+startfile+linux found me these links:

http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-list/2003-March/193897.html
http://lists.freebsd.org/pipermail/freebsd-python/2004-August/000138.html

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at EGO SHATTERING impulse
visi.com rays, polyester poltroon!!

Angelo Ballabio

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Sep 8, 2009, 4:22:40 PM9/8/09

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Sorry to not be very specific

My problem is a way to run a default application to read and show a pdf
file from unix or windows, i have a mixed ambient in the office, so I am
try to find a way to start a application to show this pdf file I
generate whith reportlab. actualy I write a file in a directory and then
I have to open the directory find a file and open it, I try to find a
way to do this automatic, in this way then they only have to close the
windows.

sorry I do not see before is only for windows, so this means under unix
system I cant to use.

thenks for the suggestion

Angelo

Grant Edwards ha scritto:

Albert Hopkins

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Sep 8, 2009, 7:22:10 PM9/8/09

to pytho...@python.org

On Tue, 2009-09-08 at 22:22 +0200, Angelo Ballabio wrote:
> My problem is a way to run a default application to read and show a
> pdf
> file from unix or windows, i have a mixed ambient in the office, so I
> am
> try to find a way to start a application to show this pdf file I
> generate whith reportlab.

The (most) portable way to do so in Linux (not necessarily Unix) is to
use the xdg-open command. Ex,

subprocess.Popen(['xdg-open', 'my-document.pdf'])

If you want cross-platform between Linux/Windows, then it's advisable to
write a wrapper function that checks the value of sys.platform and and
acts accordingly.

-a

Angelo Ballabio

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Sep 9, 2009, 3:59:22 PM9/9/09

to

Thenks for this suggestion, at the end I find this solution

import os
.
.
#then where I decide to show the file in the default application I put this

#file_name the name I construct with path and all necessary
#recor contain all the data of one record end the 4th position
#the name of the file
#for example
file_name = os.path.join('document',str(record[3]) + ".pdf")
#the joun function make the separator from ducoment to the file
#name relative to operatin system (windows '\') , (unix '/')

#then where I call the default program
if os.name == "nt":
os.filestart("%s" % nome_file)
elif os.name == "posix":
os.system("/usr/bin/xdg-open %s" % nome_file)