Run a Bash Script from Python and import the exported environment variables into Python

Question

I have the following Bash script called Test_Vars.sh

#!/bin/bash #----------------------------------------------------# # Environment Variables being used in the process # #----------------------------------------------------# export CLUSTER=cluster-test.cloud export USERNAME=puser export PASSWORD=$(echo "bXlQYXNzd29yZAo=" | base64 -d) echo "CLUSTER: $CLUSTER" echo "USER: $USERNAME" echo "PASS: $PASSWORD" 

Now my Python Script called test.py that calls the Bash scripts is as follows

#!/usr/bin/env python3 import os home_dir = os.environ['HOME'] username = os.environ['USER'] print("User " +username +" home Directory is " +home_dir) from subprocess import call RC = call("/disk/home/roachd/Scripts/Test_Vars.sh") cluster = os.environ['CLUSTER'] username = os.environ['USERNAME'] password = os.environ['PASSWORD'] print("Print Variables exported by Bash script Test_Vars.sh") print("Cluster: " + CLUSTER) print("User: " + USERNAME) print("PD: " + str(PASSWORD)) 

Now when I execute the Python script I get they following result:

User roachd home Directory is /disk/home/roachd CLUSTER: cluster-test.cloud USER: puser PASS: myPassword Traceback (most recent call last): File "test.py", line 12, in <module> cluster = os.environ['CLUSTER'] File "/usr/lib64/python3.6/os.py", line 669, in __getitem__ raise KeyError(key) from None KeyError: 'CLUSTER' 

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

Yeah... You can't do that. Only CHILD processes have access to the environment variables of a PARENT process. You can SET the environment variables for a new child process (depending on how you start it). The default is the parent's own variables.

From an exiting child, you get a integer representing the return status value and you can examine the output. In your script, you print the variables. In python, you can read the output to get those values.