howto /dev/stderr [from python]

[Jan Nieuwenhuizen]

Hi,

LilyPond uses a python script that redirects to stderr in os.system ()

This breaks if /bin/sh happens not to be bash (why would anyone want
not to have bash there?), *and* the /dev directory does not exist.

    $ ls -l /bin/sh /bin/bash
    -rwxr-xr-x+   1 root     Geen       531968 Mar 13 10:29 /bin/bash
    -rwxr-xr-x    1 root     Geen        69632 Aug 22 19:48 /bin/sh
    $ python -c "import os; os.system ('echo fubar >/dev/stderr')" cannot 
create /dev/stderr: directory nonexistent
    $ mv /bin/sh /bin/sh-fubar; cp /bin/bash /bin/sh
    mv: preserving times for `/bin/sh-fubar': No such file or directory
    mv: preserving ownership for `/bin/sh-fubar': No such file or directory
    mv: cannot unlink `/bin/sh': No such file or directory
    mv: cannot remove `/bin/sh': No such file or directory
    $ ls -l /bin/sh /bin/bash
    -rwxr-xr-x+   1 root     Geen       531968 Mar 13 10:29 /bin/bash
    -rwxr-xr-x    1 root     Geen       531968 Aug 22 19:51 /bin/sh
    $ python -c "import os; os.system ('echo fubar >/dev/stderr')"
    fubar

So, depending on what /bin/sh is, it may or may not work.  We are
telling users not to install ash, but what is the right solution for
this?

Jan.

-- 
Jan Nieuwenhuizen <address@hidden> | GNU LilyPond - The music typesetter
http://www.xs4all.nl/~jantien       | http://www.lilypond.org