Calling a Python script from Javascript, both local files

Question

I'm trying to run a python script from a local javascript file (part of a locally running HTML/javascript program).

I've been googling this for hours and found a lot of solutions, none of which actually work for me.

Here is the javascript:

$.ajax({

    type: "POST",
    url: "test.py",
    data: { param: " "}
    }).done(function( o ) {
        alert("OK");
});

The test.py file is in the same folder as the script/html file.

here is the script:

#!/usr/bin/python
import os
filepath = os.getcwd()
def MakeFile(file_name):
    temp_path = filepath + file_name
    with open(file_name, 'w') as f:
    f.write('''\
def print_success():
    print "sucesss"        
''')
    print 'Execution completed.'

MakeFile("bla.txt");

It works fine when run normally.

On my Firefox console I get a "not well formed" error and the script doesn't create a file. However, I can see that Firefox does fetch the script, as I can view it in my browser by clicking the file name.

Did you properly indent the f.write() call after the with open()... line in your actual file? Have you tested the python script independent from the web? — jgitter, Feb 20 '14 at 18:13
Yup, I've tested it simply by double clicking the script file. Works fine and creates the bla.txt file. — Asgeir, Feb 20 '14 at 18:17
Are you running a local HTTP server, or just opening a local HTML file in a browser? — Anton, Feb 20 '14 at 18:40
In order for the python script to execute it has to be deployed by a web server that supports it via CGI or WSGI, etc. Check out the docs here: http://docs.python.org/2/howto/webservers.html — jgitter, Feb 20 '14 at 18:52
Damn, this is a very small project and having a server is not really an option. Any other way to do this? — Asgeir, Feb 20 '14 at 19:09
I started a simple server with CGI and it works. Hopefully it will be acceptable to launch a lightweight localhost to help with the task. — Asgeir, Feb 20 '14 at 19:22

score 5 · Accepted Answer · edited Apr 10 '15 at 15:10

5

In order for the python script to execute it has to be deployed by a web server that supports it via CGI or WSGI, etc.

Check out the docs here: webservers

edited Apr 10 '15 at 15:10

Trix

587
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answered Feb 20 '14 at 19:03

jgitter

3,396
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score 1 · Answer 2 · edited May 23 '17 at 12:01

There are three problems with your code.

First, when you call $.ajax(), it tries to parse the response as either JSON or HTML. To prevent it, use dataType: "text".

$.ajax({
    type: "POST",
    url: "111212.py",
    data: { param: " "}, 
    dataType: "text"
    }).done(function( o ) {
        alert("OK");
});

Second, fetching a local file from javascript may violate the Same Origin Policy, depending on the browser. See: Origin null is not allowed by Access-Control-Allow-Origin

An most important, fetching does not execute a file, it just reads it and returns as a string.

score 1 · Answer 3 · answered Feb 20 '14 at 19:21

1

So apparently, as has been pointed out, this can't be done, not like this. So I'm going to start a simple CGI python sever to server the HTML file, and execute the script. I've tested it and it works great!

answered Feb 20 '14 at 19:21

Asgeir

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3
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Calling a Python script from Javascript, both local files

3 Answers3

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