Running Batch File from Python

Question

I am trying to run a batch file through python; however, it is not recognizing the path. It stops reading the path after the space between 'Practice' and 'Folder'. How can I fix this? I've tried the r and using forward and backward slashes. Any help would be awesome. Thank you!

import os
Practice = r"C:\Users\Username\Desktop\Practice Folder\Practice.bat"
os.system(Practice)

'C:\Users\Username\Desktop\Practice' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file.

Answer 1

Try using call from subprocess module. You need to enclose the command only in double quotes.

from subprocess import call
call(r'"C:\Users\Username\Desktop\Practice Folder\Practice.bat"')

(Notice the order of placing quotes...)

This would even work with os.system() provided you take care the order of quotation marks.

from os import system
system(r'"C:\Users\Username\Desktop\Practice Folder\Practice.bat"')

This should help fix your problem.

Answer 2

Change working directory to the script directory as you are using some relative redirection paths. Pushd changes current directory to any drive and can map network drives. The && chains commands and only runs the right hand command if the left hand command succeeds. %UserProfile% is a standard environmental variable which is usually better then using a fixed path of C:\Users\Username.

import os
Practice = r'pushd "%UserProfile%\Desktop\Practice Folder" && Practice.bat'
os.system(Practice)

• J. D.: Worked exactly the way i needed! Thank you!

Answer 3

You probably need to use two types of quotation marks e.g.

import os
Practice = r"'C:\Users\Username\Desktop\Practice Folder\Practice.bat'"
os.system(Practice)

As it is, your string does not contain quotation marks - you need to include quotation marks within your string or else Windows will think that Folder\Practice.bat is an argument to the command rather than a continuation of the file path

• J. D.: This gives the "The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect." error.

Answer 4

Try this

import os
Practice = os.path.abspath(r"C:\Users\Username\Desktop\Practice Folder\Practice.bat")

Edit:

Something like this worked for me

os.system(r'"C:\Users\Username\Desktop\Practice Folder\Practice.bat"')

• SuperStew: Does it work if you copy/paste "C:\Users\Username\Desktop\Practice Folder\Practice.bat" into the command line?
• J. D.: It does not, it gives the error "'C:\Users\Username\Desktop\Practice' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file."
• SuperStew: Are you including the quotations marks? Because they're important
• J. D.: Ahhhh, it works. Your code here also works now: os.system(r'"C:\Users\Username\Desktop\Practice Folder\Practice.bat"') But now I have to figure out why it is not executing the whole batch file. It executes everything when I double click on the batch file but does partial when executing from cmd and python. Giving me the error "The system cannot find the path specified." from the batch file now.
• SuperStew: Cool. If that gets you what you want, go ahead and accept the answer to close the question.