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Open installed apps on Windows intelligently

I am coding a voice assistant to automate my pc which is running Windows 11 and I want to open apps using voice commands, I don't want to hard code every installed app's .exe path. Is there any way to get a dictionary of the app's name and their .exe path. I am able to get currently running apps and close them using this:
def close_app(app_name):
running_apps=psutil.process_iter(['pid','name'])
found=False
for app in running_apps:
sys_app=app.info.get('name').split('.')[0].lower()
if sys_app in app_name.split() or app_name in sys_app:
pid=app.info.get('pid')
try:
app_pid = psutil.Process(pid)
app_pid.terminate()
found=True
except: pass
else: pass
if not found:
print(app_name + " is not running")
else:
print('Closed ' + app_name)

Possibly using both wmic and use either which or gmc to grab the path and build the dict?
Following is a very basic code, not tested completely.
import subprocess
import shutil
Data = subprocess.check_output(['wmic', 'product', 'get', 'name'])
a = str(Data)
appsDict = {}
x = (a.replace("b\\'Name","").split("\\r\\r\\n"))
for i in range(len(x) - 1):
appName = x[i+1].rstrip()
appPath = shutil.which(appName)
appsDict.update({appName: appPath})
print(appsDict)

Under Windows PowerShell there is a Get-Command utility. Finding Windows executables using Get-Command is described nicely in this issue. Essentially it's just running
Get-Command *
Now you need to use this from python to get the results of command as a variable. This can be done by
import subprocess
data = subprocess.check_output(['Get-Command', '*'])
Probably this is not the best, and not a complete answer, but maybe it's a useful idea.

This can be accomplished via the following code:
import os
def searchfiles(extension, folder):
with open(extension[1:] + "file.txt", "w", encoding="utf-8") as filewrite:
for r, d, f in os.walk(folder):
for file in f:
if file.endswith(extension):
filewrite.write(f"{r + file}\n")
searchfiles('.exe', 'H:\\')
Inspired from: https://pythonprogramming.altervista.org/find-all-the-files-on-your-computer/

How do I create a link to a file in a specific directory?

I have a python file, which is... supposed to be an app. I found out that if I put a shortcut of it in the
"C:\Users\xxxxxxxxx\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\System Tools"
section, that I would be able to put it in the application list, and the system would detect is as an app.
The python file will be a game kind of thing, and if others install it, it would be better if there was just another python file that creates the shortcut in the destination.
But.
I do not know how to do this with python.
I tried this:
import win32com.client
import getpass
from time import sleep
user = getpass.getuser()
import pythoncom
import os
# pythoncom.CoInitialize() # remove the '#' at the beginning of the line if
running in a thread.
desktop = r'C:/Users/' + user + '/AppData/Roaming/Microsoft/Windows/Start
Menu/Programs/System Tools' # path to where you want to put the .lnk
path = os.path.join(desktop, 'Skulk.lnk')
target = r'C:/Users/' + user + '/main.py'
shell = win32com.client.Dispatch("WScript.Shell")
shortcut = shell.CreateShortCut(path)
shortcut.Targetpath = target
shortcut.WindowStyle = 7 # 7 - Minimized, 3 - Maximized, 1 - Normal
shortcut.save()
print("Success!")
sleep(3)
If it is, could you please tell me how to do it?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Get the size of a folder in Linux server

While the following code works well in windows, in Linux server (of pythonanywhere) the function only returns 0, without errors. What am I missing?
import os
def folder_size(path):
total = 0
for entry in os.scandir(path):
if entry.is_file():
total += entry.stat().st_size
elif entry.is_dir():
total += folder_size(entry.path)
return total
print(folder_size("/media"))
Ref: Code from https://stackoverflow.com/a/37367965/6546440

The solution was given by #gilen-tomas in the comments:
import os
def folder_size(path):
total = 0
for entry in os.scandir(path):
if entry.is_file():
total += entry.stat().st_size
elif entry.is_dir():
total += folder_size(entry.path)
return total
print(folder_size("/home/your-user/your-proyect/media/"))
A complete path is needed!

Depending on the filesystem, the underlying struct dirent may not know if any given entry is a file or directory (or something else). Perhaps, on the filesystem used by pythonanywhere, you need to stat first (stat_result.st_type ought to be valid).
Edit: A look in discussion on os.scandir suggests the DT_UNKNOWN case is handled by doing another stat. I'd still try confirming those checks work as expected.

you can try this..
For linux :
import os
path = '/home/user/Downloads'
folder = sum([sum(map(lambda fname: os.path.getsize(os.path.join(directory, fname)), files)) for directory, folders, files in os.walk(path)])
MB=1024*1024.0
print "%.2f MB"%(folder/MB)
For windows :
import win32com.client as com
folderPath = r"/home/user/Downloads"
fso = com.Dispatch("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
folder = fso.GetFolder(folderPath)
MB=1024*1024.0
print "%.2f MB"%(folder.Size/MB)

It's worked for me in linux (Ubuntu server 16.04, python 3.5), but there could be some permission errors if the process doesn't have permission for reading a file.

Not a solution for this, but other way to get the size is using the cmd from python:
import subprocess
import re
cmd = ["du", "-sh", "-b", "media"]
proc = subprocess.Popen(cmd, stdout=subprocess.PIPE)
tmp = str(proc.stdout.read())
tmp = re.findall('\d+', tmp)[0]
print(tmp)
If you are executing this from your proyect (instead of manually in the terminal) a complete path is needed in "media" ("/home/your-user/your-proyect/media/")

How to create symlinks in windows using Python?

I am trying to create symlinks using Python on Windows 8. I found This Post and this is part of my script.
import os
link_dst = unicode(os.path.join(style_path, album_path))
link_src = unicode(album_path)
kdll = ctypes.windll.LoadLibrary("kernel32.dll")
kdll.CreateSymbolicLinkW(link_dst, link_src, 1)
Firstly, It can create symlinks only when it is executed through administrator cmd. Why is that happening?
Secondly, When I am trying to open those symlinks from windows explorer I get This Error:
...Directory is not accessible. The Name Of The File Cannot Be Resolved By The System.
Is there a better way of creating symlinks using Python? If not, How can I solve this?
EDIT
This is the for loop in album_linker:
def album_Linker(album_path, album_Genre, album_Style):
genre_basedir = "E:\Music\#02.Genre"
artist_basedir = "E:\Music\#03.Artist"
release_data_basedir = "E:\Music\#04.ReleaseDate"
for genre in os.listdir(genre_basedir):
genre_path = os.path.join(genre_basedir, "_" + album_Genre)
if not os.path.isdir(genre_path):
os.mkdir(genre_path)
album_Style_list = album_Style.split(', ')
print album_Style_list
for style in album_Style_list:
style_path = os.path.join(genre_path, "_" + style)
if not os.path.isdir(style_path):
os.mkdir(style_path)
album_path_list = album_path.split("_")
print album_path_list
#link_dst = unicode(os.path.join(style_path, album_path_list[2] + "_" + album_path_list[1] + "_" + album_path_list[0]))
link_dst = unicode(os.path.join(style_path, album_path))
link_src = unicode(album_path)
kdll = ctypes.windll.LoadLibrary("kernel32.dll")
kdll.CreateSymbolicLinkW(link_dst, link_src, 1)
It takes album_Genre and album_Style And then It creates directories under E:\Music\#02.Genre . It also takes album_path from the main body of the script. This album_path is the path of directory which i want to create the symlink under E:\Music\#02.Genre\Genre\Style . So album_path is a variable taken from another for loop in the main body of the script
for label in os.listdir(basedir):
label_path = os.path.join(basedir, label)
for album in os.listdir(label_path):
album_path = os.path.join(label_path, album)
if not os.path.isdir(album_path):
# Not A Directory
continue
else:
# Is A Directory
os.mkdir(os.path.join(album_path + ".copy"))
# Let Us Count
j = 1
z = 0
# Change Directory
os.chdir(album_path)

Firstly, It can create symlinks only when it is executed through administrator cmd.
Users need "Create symbolic links" rights to create a symlink. By default, normal users don't have it but administrator does. One way to change that is with the security policy editor. Open a command prompt as administrator, run secpol.msc and then go to Security Settings\Local Policies\User Rights Assignment\Create symbolic links to make the change.
Secondly, When I am trying to open those symlinks from windows explorer I get This Error:
You aren't escaping the backslashes in the file name. Just by adding an "r" to the front for a raw string, the file name changes. You are setting a non-existant file name and so explorer can't find it.
>>> link_dst1 = "E:\Music\#02.Genre_Electronic_Bass Music\1-800Dinosaur-1-800-001_[JamesBlake-Voyeur(Dub)AndHolyGhost]_2013-05-00"
>>> link_dst2 = r"E:\Music\#02.Genre_Electronic_Bass Music\1-800Dinosaur-1-800-001_[JamesBlake-Voyeur(Dub)AndHolyGhost]_2013-05-00"
>>> link_dst1 == link_dst2
False
>>> print link_dst1
E:\Music\#02.Genre_Electronic_Bass Music☺-800Dinosaur-1-800-001_[JamesBlake-Voyeur(Dub)AndHolyGhost]_2013-05-00

os.symlink works out of the box since python 3.8 on windows, as long as Developer Mode is turned on.

If you're just trying to create a link to a directory, you could also create a "Junction", no admin privileges required:
import os
import _winapi
src_dir = "C:/Users/joe/Desktop/my_existing_folder"
dst_dir = "C:/Users/joe/Desktop/generated_link"
src_dir = os.path.normpath(os.path.realpath(src_dir))
dst_dir = os.path.normpath(os.path.realpath(dst_dir))
if not os.path.exists(dst_dir):
os.makedirs(os.path.dirname(dst_dir), exist_ok=True)
_winapi.CreateJunction(src_dir, dst_dir)

How to create a shortcut in startmenu using setuptools windows installer

I want to create a start menu or Desktop shortcut for my Python windows installer package. I am trying to follow https://docs.python.org/3.4/distutils/builtdist.html#the-postinstallation-script
Here is my script;
import sys
from os.path import dirname, join, expanduser
pyw_executable = sys.executable.replace('python.exe','pythonw.exe')
script_file = join(dirname(pyw_executable), 'Scripts', 'tklsystem-script.py')
w_dir = expanduser(join('~','lsf_files'))
print(sys.argv)
if sys.argv[1] == '-install':
print('Creating Shortcut')
create_shortcut(
target=pyw_executable,
description='A program to work with L-System Equations',
filename='L-System Tool',
arguments=script_file,
workdir=wdir
)
I also specified this script in scripts setup option, as indicated by aforementioned docs.
Here is the command I use to create my installer;
python setup.py bdist_wininst --install-script tklsystem-post-install.py
After I install my package using created windows installer, I can't find where my shorcut is created, nor I can confirm whether my script run or not?
How can I make setuptools generated windows installer to create desktop or start menu shortcuts?

Like others have commented here and elsewhere the support functions don't seem to work at all (at least not with setuptools). After a good day's worth of searching through various resources I found a way to create at least the Desktop shortcut. I'm sharing my solution (basically an amalgam of code I found here and here). I should add that my case is slightly different from yasar's, because it creates a shortcut to an installed package (i.e. an .exe file in Python's Scripts directory) instead of a script.
In short, I added a post_install function to my setup.py, and then used the Python extensions for Windows to create the shortcut. The location of the Desktop folder is read from the Windows registry (there are other methods for this, but they can be unreliable if the Desktop is at a non-standard location).
#!/usr/bin/env python
import os
import sys
import sysconfig
if sys.platform == 'win32':
from win32com.client import Dispatch
import winreg
def get_reg(name,path):
# Read variable from Windows Registry
# From https://stackoverflow.com/a/35286642
try:
registry_key = winreg.OpenKey(winreg.HKEY_CURRENT_USER, path, 0,
winreg.KEY_READ)
value, regtype = winreg.QueryValueEx(registry_key, name)
winreg.CloseKey(registry_key)
return value
except WindowsError:
return None
def post_install():
# Creates a Desktop shortcut to the installed software
# Package name
packageName = 'mypackage'
# Scripts directory (location of launcher script)
scriptsDir = sysconfig.get_path('scripts')
# Target of shortcut
target = os.path.join(scriptsDir, packageName + '.exe')
# Name of link file
linkName = packageName + '.lnk'
# Read location of Windows desktop folder from registry
regName = 'Desktop'
regPath = r'Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders'
desktopFolder = os.path.normpath(get_reg(regName,regPath))
# Path to location of link file
pathLink = os.path.join(desktopFolder, linkName)
shell = Dispatch('WScript.Shell')
shortcut = shell.CreateShortCut(pathLink)
shortcut.Targetpath = target
shortcut.WorkingDirectory = scriptsDir
shortcut.IconLocation = target
shortcut.save()
setup(name='mypackage',
...,
...)
if sys.argv[1] == 'install' and sys.platform == 'win32':
post_install()
Here's a link to a full setup script in which I used this:
https://github.com/KBNLresearch/iromlab/blob/master/setup.py

If you want to confirm whether the script is running or not, you can print to a file instead of the console. Looks like text you print to console in the post-install script won't show up.
Try this:
import sys
from os.path import expanduser, join
pyw_executable = join(sys.prefix, "pythonw.exe")
shortcut_filename = "L-System Toolsss.lnk"
working_dir = expanduser(join('~','lsf_files'))
script_path = join(sys.prefix, "Scripts", "tklsystem-script.py")
if sys.argv[1] == '-install':
# Log output to a file (for test)
f = open(r"C:\test.txt",'w')
print('Creating Shortcut', file=f)
# Get paths to the desktop and start menu
desktop_path = get_special_folder_path("CSIDL_COMMON_DESKTOPDIRECTORY")
startmenu_path = get_special_folder_path("CSIDL_COMMON_STARTMENU")
# Create shortcuts.
for path in [desktop_path, startmenu_path]:
create_shortcut(pyw_executable,
"A program to work with L-System Equations",
join(path, shortcut_filename),
script_path,
working_dir)

At least with Python 3.6.5, 32bit on Windows, setuptools does work for this. But based on the accepted answer, by trial and error I found some issues that may have caused your script to fail to do what you wanted.
create_shortcut does not accept keyword arguments, only positional, so its usage in your code is invalid
You must add a .lnk extension for Windows to recognise the shortcut
I found sys.executable will be the name of the installer executable, not the python executable
As mentioned, you can't see stdout or stderr so you might want to log to a text file. I would suggest also redirecting sys.stdout and sys.stderr to the log file.
(Maybe not relevant) as mentioned in this question there appears to be a bug with the version string generated by bdist_wininst. I used the hexediting hack from an answer there to work around this. The location in the answer is not the same, you have to find the -32 yourself.
Full example script:
import sys
import os
import datetime
global datadir
datadir = os.path.join(get_special_folder_path("CSIDL_APPDATA"), "mymodule")
def main(argv):
if "-install" in argv:
desktop = get_special_folder_path("CSIDL_DESKTOPDIRECTORY")
print("Desktop path: %s" % repr(desktop))
if not os.path.exists(datadir):
os.makedirs(datadir)
dir_created(datadir)
print("Created data directory: %s" % repr(datadir))
else:
print("Data directory already existed at %s" % repr(datadir))
shortcut = os.path.join(desktop, "MyModule.lnk")
if os.path.exists(shortcut):
print("Remove existing shortcut at %s" % repr(shortcut))
os.unlink(shortcut)
print("Creating shortcut at %s...\n" % shortcut)
create_shortcut(
r'C:\Python36\python.exe',
"MyModuleScript",
shortcut,
"",
datadir)
file_created(shortcut)
print("Successfull!")
elif "-remove" in sys.argv:
print("Removing...")
pass
if __name__ == "__main__":
logfile = r'C:\mymodule_install.log' # Fallback location
if os.path.exists(datadir):
logfile = os.path.join(datadir, "install.log")
elif os.environ.get("TEMP") and os.path.exists(os.environ.get("TEMP"),""):
logfile = os.path.join(os.environ.get("TEMP"), "mymodule_install.log")
with open(logfile, 'a+') as f:
f.write("Opened\r\n")
f.write("Ran %s %s at %s" % (sys.executable, " ".join(sys.argv), datetime.datetime.now().isoformat()))
sys.stdout = f
sys.stderr = f
try:
main(sys.argv)
except Exception as e:
raise
f.close()
sys.exit(0)

UPD: on an off chance that the client machine has pywin32 installed, we try in-process creation first. Somewhat cleaner that way.
Here is another take. This assumes the package is called myapp, and that also becomes the executable that you want a shortcut to. Substitute your own package name and your own shortcut text.
Uses a Windows Scripting Host COM class - in process if possible, inside a Powershell command line as a subprocess if not. Tested on Python 3.6+.
from setuptools import setup
from setuptools.command.install import install
import platform, sys, os, site
from os import path, environ
def create_shortcut_under(root, exepath):
# Root is an env variable name -
# either ALLUSERSPROFILE for the all users' Start menu,
# or APPDATA for the current user specific one
profile = environ[root]
linkpath = path.join(profile, "Microsoft", "Windows", "Start Menu", "Programs", "My Python app.lnk")
try:
from win32com.client import Dispatch
from pywintypes import com_error
try:
sh = Dispatch('WScript.Shell')
link = sh.CreateShortcut(linkpath)
link.TargetPath = exepath
link.Save()
return True
except com_error:
return False
except ImportError:
import subprocess
s = "$s=(New-Object -COM WScript.Shell).CreateShortcut('" + linkpath + "');$s.TargetPath='" + exepath + "';$s.Save()"
return subprocess.call(['powershell', s], stdout = subprocess.DEVNULL, stderr = subprocess.DEVNULL) == 0
def create_shortcut(inst):
try:
exepath = path.join(path.dirname(sys.executable), "Scripts", "myapp.exe")
if not path.exists(exepath):
# Support for "pip install --user"
exepath = path.join(path.dirname(site.getusersitepackages()), "Scripts", "myapp.exe")
# If can't modify the global menu, fall back to the
# current user's one
if not create_shortcut_under('ALLUSERSPROFILE', exepath):
create_shortcut_under('APPDATA', exepath)
except:
pass
class my_install(install):
def run(self):
install.run(self)
if platform.system() == 'Windows':
create_shortcut(self)
#...
setup(
#...
cmdclass={'install': my_install},
entry_points={"gui_scripts": ["myapp = myapp.__main__:main"]},