Question

Is there a way to loop in while if you start the script with python -c? This doesn’t seem to be related to platform or python version…

Linux

[mpenning@Hotcoffee ~]$ python -c "import os;while (True):    os.system('ls')"
  File "<string>", line 1
    import os;while (True):    os.system('ls')
                  ^
SyntaxError: invalid syntax
[mpenning@Hotcoffee ~]$
[mpenning@Hotcoffee ~]$ python -V
Python 2.6.6
[mpenning@Hotcoffee ~]$ uname -a
Linux Hotcoffee 2.6.32-5-amd64 #1 SMP Sun May 6 04:00:17 UTC 2012 x86_64 GNU/Linux
[mpenning@Hotcoffee ~]$

Windows

C:\Users\mike_pennington>python -c "import os;while True: os.system('dir')"
  File "<string>", line 1
    import os;while True: os.system('dir')
                  ^
SyntaxError: invalid syntax

C:\Users\mike_pennington>python -V
Python 2.7.2

C:\Users\mike_pennington>

I have tried removing parenthesis in the while statement, but nothing seems to make this run.

Answer 1

python -c $'import subprocess\nwhile True: subprocess.call(["ls"])'

would work (note the $'...' and the \n).

But it could be that it only works under bash – I am not sure…