OSError: [Errno 7] Argument list too long: 'php' - Python 3.6

Question

I want to call PHP script from my Python script

I have this code

subprocess.run(['php', "script.php", long_string], stdout=subprocess.PIPE)

but I am getting error

OSError: [Errno 7] Argument list too long: 'php'

I have read online threads that I should always use subprocess.run for Python 3+

I have also tried

subprocess.run(['ulimit', '-s', 'unlimited', 'php', "script.php", long_string], stdout=subprocess.PIPE, shell=True)

But then I get

OSError: [Errno 7] Argument list too long: '/bin/sh'

My string is 141,664 characters = 141,706 bytes and that can get larger too

What should I do? How to surpass length error for my Python script?

My uname -a output is

Linux mani 2.6.32-042stab123.9 #1 SMP Thu Jun 29 13:01:59 MSK 2017 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

I edited a bit to make it more obvious that your last item is an actual long string. Does the same command work in a terminal (outside python)? — Andras Deak -- Слава Україні, Dec 04 '18 at 11:59
@AndrasDeak its this command https://pastebin.com/M8ZdJXtT and it doesnt execute in shell — Umair Ayub, Dec 04 '18 at 12:14
You should probably add details about your OS as this is bound to be specific to it. — Andras Deak -- Слава Україні, Dec 04 '18 at 12:28
@AndrasDeak `uname -a` outputs `Linux arik 2.6.32-042stab123.9 #1 SMP Thu Jun 29 13:01:59 MSK 2017 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux` — Umair Ayub, Dec 04 '18 at 12:31
[This Q&A](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/19354870/bash-command-line-and-input-limit) doesn't offer workarounds... can you change from command line args to stdin? — Andras Deak -- Слава Україні, Dec 04 '18 at 12:35
@AndrasDeak sorry for lack of knowledge, how do I change to stdin? is that something to do in the subprocess.run code in Python side? — Umair Ayub, Dec 04 '18 at 12:37
Sorry, I was too terse from mobile. I meant rewriting the php script so it takes the data from stdin instead. — Andras Deak -- Слава Україні, Dec 04 '18 at 12:42
Check this one: https://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/45583/argument-list-too-long-how-do-i-deal-with-it-without-changing-my-command — Samuel, Dec 04 '18 at 12:46
@AndrasDeak it worked, thanks for pointing me to right direction — Umair Ayub, Dec 04 '18 at 13:20

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered Dec 04 '18 at 13:19

Thanks to @Andras Deak for pointing me to right direction, solution was to to send and read data from STDIN instead of Command Line

WORKING SOLUTION

Python code

subprocess.run(['php', "script.php"], input=long_string.encode("utf-8"), stdout=subprocess.PIPE)

PHP code

//to receive data from our Python scrapers
if (defined('STDIN')) {
    $post = json_decode(fgets(STDIN), true);
}

Python code

subprocess.run(['php', "script.php", long_string], stdout=subprocess.PIPE)

PHP code

//to receive data from our Python scrapers
if (defined('STDIN')) {
    $post = json_decode($argv[1], true);
}