Communication between remote scripts

[Tim Golden]

| In article <MPG.1bb0b7d621a77bc598968c at news2.atlantic.net>, 
| secun at yahoo.com says...
| > I have a python script (A) that monitors a process (3rd 
| party) on the 
| > local machine (Windows).
| > 
| > I would like to create a second program on a remote Windows 
| computer 
| > that receives an update from program A periodically (maybe every 10 
| > minutes or so), and tells it everything is running without 
| a problem.
| > 
| > Can anyone recommend a good (and preferably simple) way for 
| two programs 
| > to communicate on a network? 

| Am I correct in saying that remote objects are not really needed for 
| this?

You have several options:

1) Email: sounds silly but is a perfectly reasonable solution if
   you already had email infrastructure on both machines and
   weren't that bothered about real time.

2) UDP heartbeat: see this recipe in the Python Cookbook.
   http://aspn.activestate.com/ASPN/Cookbook/Python/Recipe/52302

3) xml-rpc: see the Python docs.
   http://python.org/doc/2.3.4/lib/module-xmlrpclib.html

4) Pyro (Python Remote Objects). See http://pyro.sf.net.
   I suspect you don't want this, given your follow-up
   question. But it will work and is easy enough.

5) Straight socket server stuff. Again, python docs.
   http://python.org/doc/2.3.4/lib/module-SocketServer.html

6) SOAP / DCOM (if you fancy your chances) / CORBA, other acronyms.

Personally, I think xml-rpc is a good way to go for
general purpose stuff. But since you're really just
after a heartbeat, the UDP solution might be best.

TJG

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