Unable to change the working directory inside a docker container using python script

Question

I am able to get inside a docker container using below command

os.system('docker exec -ti $(docker ps -q -a --filter "name=XXXXX") /bin/bash')

and then i need to change to the following directory in the container.

/u01/oracle/weblogic/*****

when i use os.chdir("/u01/oracle/weblogic/*****"), i am getting No such Directory error.

I could see that os.getcwd() is still printing the previous directory where the python script is running instead of docker directory.

Could someone let me know what i am missing ?

When you run both commands after each other, you will change the working directory on your host machine where the script is on and not inside the container — Klaus D.
– Klaus D., Commented Dec 11, 2015 at 9:59
So, how to get inside the container folder structure which is something like this /u01/oracle/weblogic — HemChe
– HemChe, Commented Dec 11, 2015 at 10:08
Use use the subprocess module instead of os.system() and pipe the command you want to use in. But in general: You should not do automated tasks from outside the docker container, that breaks the concept of docker. — Klaus D.
– Klaus D., Commented Dec 11, 2015 at 10:39

Rob van Laarhoven · Accepted Answer · 2015-12-11 15:19:21Z

3

Why don't you use the container name as exec parameter, instead of using a query to get the id?

You can use the -c parameter of bash to execute multiple commands. Like:

os.system('docker exec -ti XXXXX /bin/bash -c "cd /tmp;ls -alrt"')

edited Dec 11, 2015 at 15:19

answered Dec 11, 2015 at 12:08

Rob van Laarhoven

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2 Comments

HemChe Over a year ago

This is amazing ! The -c flag did the magic for me. Thanks Robert :) In my case, the docker container name and id are not consistent. Only consistent part is IMAGE. But i am unable to filter based on IMAGE. IMAGE will be something like this systemname.com:xxxx/xxx/xxxx:latest

HemChe Over a year ago

Got to see this thread which solved my other problem too :) stackoverflow.com/questions/29406871/…

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