Access Tools from .venv

Question

What is the best way to access python tools from within a script?

For my example I want to use msgfmt.py and pygettext from the Tools/i18n package(?).

On a Linux system probably no issue, since they are already on the PATH , but under Windows I have to call them with python as interpreter, so setting the directory on the path doesn't work like in Linux.

So is calling os.system('my_pygettext_command') actually the right attempt or should I do this with a different approach, like importing? If importing would be correct, how can I access them, if they are only installed on the system installation and not in venv

Answer 1

Researching a bit further into the topic, I got really mind gobbled:

Maybe I am doing this totally wrong under windows, but my line ratio (linux/windows) to call a python tool from inside a venv: 1/34. I did not fully tested the final call under linux yet, but this ratio is only for getting the subprocess command.

This is my momentary solution and I am open for better approaches:

windows-utils

import sys
from typing import Dict


def stdout_get_command_to_dict(string: str):
    lines = [s for s in string.split("\n") if s]
    # remove header
    lines = lines[2:]
    stdout_dict = {}
    for idx, line in enumerate(lines):
        # Reduce Spaces
        while "  " in line:
            line = line.replace("  ", " ")
        line_as_list = line.split()
        stdout_dict[idx] = {
            "Version": line_as_list[2][:5],
            "Source": line_as_list[3],
            "Venv": line_as_list[3].find("venv") > 0,
        }
    return stdout_dict


def get_system_py_path(stdout_dict: Dict[int, Dict[str, str]]):
    major = sys.version_info.major
    minor = sys.version_info.minor
    micro = sys.version_info.micro
    env_version = f"{major}.{minor}.{micro}"
    for key in stdout_dict.keys():
        if stdout_dict[key]["Version"] == env_version and not stdout_dict[key]["Venv"]:
            return stdout_dict[key]["Source"]

and the script:

if platform.system() == "Windows":
        cmd = ["powershell", "get-command", "python", "-totalCount", "4"]
        processed_cmd = subprocess.run(cmd, shell=True, capture_output=True, text=True)
        stdout_as_dict = stdout_get_command_to_dict(processed_cmd.stdout)
        sys_python_path = Path(get_system_py_path(stdout_as_dict)).parent
        tool = sys_python_path / "Tools/i18n/msgfmt.py"
        tool_cmd = f"python {tool}"
    elif platform.system() == "Linux":
        tool_cmd = "msgfmt"