How do I run a Python script from C#?

Question

This sort of question has been asked before in varying degrees, but I feel it has not been answered in a concise way and so I ask it again.

I want to run a script in Python. Let's say it's this:

if __name__ == '__main__':
    with open(sys.argv[1], 'r') as f:
        s = f.read()
    print s

Which gets a file location, reads it, then prints its contents. Not so complicated.

Okay, so how do I run this in C#?

This is what I have now:

    private void run_cmd(string cmd, string args)
    {
        ProcessStartInfo start = new ProcessStartInfo();
        start.FileName = cmd;
        start.Arguments = args;
        start.UseShellExecute = false;
        start.RedirectStandardOutput = true;
        using (Process process = Process.Start(start))
        {
            using (StreamReader reader = process.StandardOutput)
            {
                string result = reader.ReadToEnd();
                Console.Write(result);
            }
        }
    }

When I pass the code.py location as cmd and the filename location as args it doesn't work. I was told I should pass python.exe as the cmd, and then code.py filename as the args.

I have been looking for a while now and can only find people suggesting to use IronPython or such. But there must be a way to call a Python script from C#.

Some clarification:

I need to run it from C#, I need to capture the output, and I can't use IronPython or anything else. Whatever hack you have will be fine.

P.S.: The actual Python code I'm running is much more complex than this, and it returns output which I need in C#, and the C# code will be constantly calling the Python code.

Pretend this is my code:

    private void get_vals()
    {
        for (int i = 0; i < 100; i++)
        {
            run_cmd("code.py", i);
        }
    }

user_10995981 · Answer

Actually its pretty easy to make integration between Csharp (VS) and Python with IronPython. It's not that much complex... As Chris Dunaway already said in answer section I started to build this inegration for my own project. N its pretty simple. Just follow these steps N you will get your results.

step 1 : Open VS and create new empty ConsoleApp project.

step 2 : Go to tools --> NuGet Package Manager --> Package Manager Console.

step 3 : After this open this link in your browser and copy the NuGet Command. Link: https://www.nuget.org/packages/IronPython/2.7.9

step 4 : After opening the above link copy the PM>Install-Package IronPython -Version 2.7.9 command and paste it in NuGet Console in VS. It will install the supportive packages.

step 5 : This is my code that I have used to run a .py file stored in my Python.exe directory.

using IronPython.Hosting;//for DLHE
using Microsoft.Scripting.Hosting;//provides scripting abilities comparable to batch files
using System;
using System.Diagnostics;
using System.IO;
using System.Net;
using System.Net.Sockets;
class Hi
{
private static void Main(string []args)
{
Process process = new Process(); //to make a process call
ScriptEngine engine = Python.CreateEngine(); //For Engine to initiate the script
engine.ExecuteFile(@"C:\Users\daulmalik\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python37\p1.py");//Path of my .py file that I would like to see running in console after running my .cs file from VS.//process.StandardInput.Flush();
process.StandardInput.Close();//to close
process.WaitForExit();//to hold the process i.e. cmd screen as output
}
}

step 6 : save and execute the code

user_15151603 · Answer

had same issure and this worked for me:

using IronPython.Hosting;

  var engine = Python.CreateEngine();

  engine.ExecuteFile("") //put the directory of the program in the quote marks

user_9757537 · Answer

private void run_cmd(string cmd, string args)
{
     ProcessStartInfo start = new ProcessStartInfo();
     start.FileName = "my/full/path/to/python.exe";
     start.Arguments = string.Format("{0} {1}", cmd, args);
     start.UseShellExecute = false;
     start.RedirectStandardOutput = true;
     using(Process process = Process.Start(start))
     {
         using(StreamReader reader = process.StandardOutput)
         {
             string result = reader.ReadToEnd();
             Console.Write(result);
         }
     }
}

How do I run a Python script from C#?

9 Answers