Question

having a difficult time understanding how to get python to call a system function…

the_file = ('logs/consolidated.log.gz')         
webstuff = subprocess.Popen(['/usr/bin/zgrep', '/meatsauce/', the_file ],stdout=subprocess.PIPE) % dpt_search
    for line in webstuff.stdout:
        print line

Trying to get python to build another file with my search string.

Thanks!

Answer 1

I recommend the PyMotW Subprocess page from Doug Hellmann who (quoted) “Reads the docs so you don’t have to”

Apart from that:

f = file('sourcefile')
for line in f:
    if 'pattern' in line:
            # mind the , at the end,
            # since there's no stripping involved
            # and print adds a newline without it
            print line, 

if you need to match regular expressions apart from the documentation in the Python Standard Library documentation for the re module also refer to the PyMotW Regular Expression page