Why is a 0 returned in system date?

Question

While executing the below script in the interactive prompt, there is an additional 0 is returned. Why is that 0 there?

>>> import os
>>> os.system('date')
Sun Oct  2 19:20:29 IST 2016  
0

per http://stackoverflow.com/questions/26005583/return-value-of-x-os-system 0 means success. — MmmHmm, Oct 02 '16 at 13:59
The function prints the time and then return `0`. Try `a = os.system('date')` You won't see the zero now. Now check the value of a and you will find it `0`. — Jithin Pavithran, Oct 02 '16 at 14:07

score 3 · Accepted Answer · answered Oct 02 '16 at 13:59

3

Thats the exit status of the program, 0 normally means the program finished without error.

answered Oct 02 '16 at 13:59

Raphael Roth

score 2 · Answer 2 · answered Oct 02 '16 at 14:03

2

You are performing a system call. 0 is the return code of this call. If you are trying to just get the current time use: datetime.datetime.now()

answered Oct 02 '16 at 14:03

squanto773

2 Answers2