Python Popen fails to run msiexec

Question

I'm trying to install a Windows MSI with Python like this but it fails.

Popen(shlex.split('msiexec.exe /I Z:/osd46271_2020_RC2.msi /L* install.log'))

The install.log file is created but nothing is written there. The exact same command running in Command Prompt works fine. I'm running as Administrator on Windows 2016 with Python 3.8.2. I have used similar code on the same system in the past. I can't figure out what would be breaking this.

Answer 1

Okay I figured it out already. I have to use four backslashes with shlex.split so it will be turned into two backslashes. This is kind of ugly, but it works.

Popen(shlex.split('msiexec.exe /I Z:\\\\osd46271_2020_RC2.msi /L* install.log'))