[Python-Dev] subprocess shell=True on Windows doesn't escape ^ character

[Tim Golden]

On 15/06/2014 08:54, Paul Moore wrote:
> On 15 June 2014 00:15, Greg Ewing <greg.ewing at canterbury.ac.nz> wrote:
>> However, it says the Windows version uses CreateProcess, which
>> doesn't use PATH.
>
> Huh? CreateProcess uses PATH:

Just to be precise:

CreateProcess *doesn't* use PATH if you pass an lpApplicationName 
parameter. It *does* use PATH if you pass a lpCommandLine parameter 
without an lpApplicationName parameter. It's possible to do either via 
the subprocess module, but the latter is the default.

If you call:

subprocess.Popen(['program.exe', 'a', 'b'])

or

subprocess.Popen('program.exe a b'])


Then CreateProcess will be called with a lpCommandLine but no 
lpApplicationName and PATH will be searched.

If, however, you call:

subprocess.Popen(['a', 'b'], executable="program.exe")

then CreateProcess will be called with lpApplicationName="program.exe" 
and lpCommandLine="a b" and the PATH will not be searched.

TJG