How do scan a script for return values from a upper script in python?

Question

import os
import pdb

os.system("ToBuildOrNot.py MSS_sims")

for output in os.system:
     if ToBuildOrNot is True:
         print "The MSS_sims Needs To rebuilt"

     elif ToBuildOrNot is False:
         print "The MSS_sism does NOT Need to be Rebuilt"

     else:
         print "error"

Answer 1

Don't invoke a Python script from a Python script by using system, which spawns a whole other interpreter. Just import it. Like this:

import ToBuildOrNot
needsBuild = ToBuildOrNot.run() # or whatever you call your top-level function

Since ToBuildOrNot.py is a script now, make sure the "main" function is protected so it doesn't execute automatically on import. Most people do it this way in Python: What does if __name__ == "__main__": do?