ActiveState Code

Recipe 576667: subprocess.terminate() not always implemented

The new subprocess module brings clarity and simplicity over the popenXX() functions and os.spawnXX() functions, but some implementations don't have the subprocess.terminate() method, which is crucial for killing a spawned process. This workaround works on both POSIX and Windows.

Python 
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# ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
# subprocess.terminate is not implemented on some Windows python versions.
# This workaround works on both POSIX and Windows.
def subprocess_terminate( proc ) :
	try:
		proc.terminate()
	except AttributeError:
		print " no terminate method to Popen.."
		try:
			import signal
			os.kill( proc.pid , signal.SIGTERM)
		except AttributeError:
			print "  no os.kill, using win32api.."
			try:
				import win32api
				PROCESS_TERMINATE = 1
				handle = win32api.OpenProcess( PROCESS_TERMINATE, False, proc.pid)
				win32api.TerminateProcess(handle,-1)
				win32api.CloseHandle(handle)
			except ImportError:
				print "  ERROR: could not terminate process."

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