Issue 33154: subprocess.Popen ResourceWarning should have activation-deactivation flags (original) (raw)

The subprocess call subprocess.Popen in Python3.6 was added a number of resource warnings, including subprocess run-state and open files. This is a very good facility for debugging, but causes a lot of trouble for programs relying on subprocesses via the STDIO/STDERR interface. The STDIO/STDERR interfaces are very common when shell utilities are incorporated into high level Python programs.

The other issue is the unit testing of command line tools as black-box tests, these solely rely on the STDOUT and STDERR interface. I am currently finishing a subprocess test package with common code for Python2.7 and Python3.5+, so facing some trouble with IO filtering. Examples are attached.

A system call should process the common IO interfaces of the called subprocesses by default without any additional output. So a call flag and/or an environment variable should be introduced in addition, which allows the activation and deactivation of these messages. The default should be deactive.