Help controlling CDROM from python

[R. Bernstein]

If you want an OS neutral way one may be able to use pycdio from the
Cheese shop.

It requires libcdio to be installed and that sometimes the case if you
have a free media player (like vlc or xine, or mplayer) installed.

I don't really use it all that often so I can't vouch for how good it
is. (Although there *are* regression tests). 

Ognjen Bezanov <Ognjen at mailshack.com> writes:

> Hello,
> 
> I am trying to control a CD-ROM drive using python. The code I use is
> shown below.
> 
> > import CDROM
> > from fcntl import ioctl
> > import os
> > 
> > 
> > class Device:
> > 
> > 	CDdevice=""
> > 	CDfd = None
> > 	
> > 	def __init__(self,name):
> > 		self.CDdevice = name	#we get a device name when module loaded
> > 		
> > 		if self.CDdevice == "":
> > 			print "No device specified"
> > 			sys.exit(-1)
> > 		self.openCD()	
> > 		
> > 	def openCD(self):
> > 			
> > 		try:
> > 			self.CDfd = open(self.CDdevice, 'r') #open the device and return filedescriptor 
> > 		
> > 		except(OSError,IOError): #if there is an OS or IO Error (usually indicates nodisk)
> > 			print "Device Error, Halting.... (usually means drive or disk not found)"  
> > 			sys.exit(-1)
> 
> >	def unlockCD(self):
> > 		return self.sendCDcommand(CDROM.CDROM_LOCKDOOR,0)
> 
> > 	def ejectCD(self):
> > 		self.unlockCD() #we need to unlock the CD tray before we try to eject, otherwise we get an IO Error (#5)
> > 		return self.sendCDcommand(CDROM.CDROMEJECT)
> > 	
> 
> 
> > 	def sendCDcommand(self,command,argument=''):
> > 	    return ioctl(self.CDfd,command,argument)
> > 	    	
> 
> 
> 
> The code that calls the class is a follows:
> 
> > import CD_Bindings
> > 
> > CD = CD_Bindings.Device("/dev/cdrom")
> > 
> > print CD.ejectCD()
> 
> This works great, but only when there is a disk inside, otherwise we get
> an error.
> 
> My issue is that I need to be able to eject the CDROM tray even if there
> is no disk inside.
> 
> This is possible because other programs (like the linux "eject" command)
> can do it. Its just a question of how it is done in python. So I'm
> posting here in the hope someone can tell me.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Ognjen