Python | os.WEXITSTATUS() method

OS module in Python provides functions for interacting with the operating system. OS comes under Python’s standard utility modules. This module provides a portable way of using operating system dependent functionality.

os.WEXITSTATUS() method in Python is used to get the integer parameter used by a process in exit(2) system call if os.WIFEXITED(status) is True. If os.WIFEXITED(status) is False then the method returns a meaningless value.

Syntax: os.WEXITSTATUS(status)

Parameter:
status: This parameter takes process status code (an integer value) as returned by os.system(), os.wait() or os.waitpid() method.

Return type: This method returns an integer value used by a process in exit(2) system call.

Code: Use of os.WEXITSTATUS() method

# Python program to explain os.WEXITSTATUS() method

# importing os module
import os

# Create a child process
# using os.fork() method
pid = os.fork()


# pid greater than 0
# indicates the parent process
if pid :

    # Create one more child
    pid2 = os.fork()

    if pid2 :

        print("\nIn parent process")
        # Wait for the completion
        # of first child process and
        # get its pid and
        # exit status indication using
        # os.waitpid() method
        info1 = os.waitpid(pid, 0)


        # Wait for the completion
        # of second child process and
        # get its pid and
        # exit status indication using
        # os.waitpid() method
        info2 = os.waitpid(pid2, 0)


        # os.waitpid() method returns a tuple
        # first attribute represents child's pid
        # while second one represents
        # exit status indication

        # Get the integer parameter
        # used first child process
        # in exit(2) system call

        # firstly check if
        # os.WIFEXITED() is True or not
        if os.WIFEXITED(info1[1]) :
            code = os.WEXITSTATUS(info1[1])
            print("First child's exit code:", code)
        else :
            print("First child does not exited using exit(2) system call.")

        # Get the integer parameter
        # used second child process
        # in exit(2) system call

        # firstly check if
        # os.WIFEXITED() is True or not
        if os.WIFEXITED(info2[1]) :
            code = os.WEXITSTATUS(info2[1])
            print("\nSecond child's exit code:", code)
        else :
            print("\nSecond child does not exited using exit(2) system call.")



    else :
        print("\nIn second child process")
        print("Process ID:", os.getpid())
        print("Hey ! there")
        print("Second child aborted")

        # os.abort() method will
        # generate a SIGABRT signal
        # to the current process.
        os.abort()

else :
    print("In first child process")
    print("Process ID:", os.getpid())
    print("Hello ! Geeks")
    print("First child exiting..")

    # Exit with status code 5
    # using os._exit() method
    os._exit(5)

Output:

In first child process
Process ID: 11614
Hello! Geeks
First child exiting..

In second child process
Process ID: 11615
Hey! there
Second child aborted

In parent process
First child's exit code: 5
Second child does not exited using exit(2) system call.

References: https://docs.python.org/3/library/os.html#os.WEXITSTATUS