Python Function to Test Ping

Question

I'm trying to create a function that I can call on a timed basis to check for good ping and return the result so I can update the on-screen display. I am new to python so I don't fully understand how to return a value or set a variable in a function.

Here is my code that works:

import os
hostname = "google.com"
response = os.system("ping -c 1 " + hostname)
if response == 0:
    pingstatus = "Network Active"
else:
    pingstatus = "Network Error"

Here is my attempt at creating a function:

def check_ping():
    hostname = "google.com"
    response = os.system("ping -c 1 " + hostname)
    # and then check the response...
    if response == 0:
        pingstatus = "Network Active"
    else:
        pingstatus = "Network Error"

And here is how I display pingstatus:

label = font_status.render("%s" % pingstatus, 1, (0,0,0))

So what I am looking for is how to return pingstatus from the function. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Accepted Answer

It looks like you want the return keyword

def check_ping():
    hostname = "taylor"
    response = os.system("ping -c 1 " + hostname)
    # and then check the response...
    if response == 0:
        pingstatus = "Network Active"
    else:
        pingstatus = "Network Error"
    
    return pingstatus

You need to capture/'receive' the return value of the function(pingstatus) in a variable with something like:

pingstatus = check_ping()

NOTE: ping -c is for Linux, for Windows use ping -n

Some info on python functions:

It's probably worth going through a good introductory tutorial to Python, which will cover all the fundamentals. I recommend investigating Udacity.com and codeacademy.com

EDIT: This is an old question now, but.. for people who have issues with pingstatus not being defined, or returning an unexpected value, first make triple sure your code is right. Then try defining pingstatus before the if block. This may help, but issues arising from this change are for a different question. All the best.

Answer 2

Here is a simplified function that returns a boolean and has no output pushed to stdout:

import subprocess, platform
def pingOk(sHost):
    try:
        output = subprocess.check_output("ping -{} 1 {}".format('n' if platform.system().lower()=="windows" else 'c', sHost), shell=True)

    except Exception, e:
        return False

    return True

Answer 3

Adding on to the other answers, you can check the OS and decide whether to use "-c" or "-n":

import os, platform
host = "8.8.8.8"
os.system("ping " + ("-n 1 " if  platform.system().lower()=="windows" else "-c 1 ") + host)

This will work on Windows, OS X, and Linux

You can also use sys:

import os, sys
host = "8.8.8.8"
os.system("ping " + ("-n 1 " if  sys.platform().lower()=="win32" else "-c 1 ") + host)

Answer 4

Try this

def ping(server='example.com', count=1, wait_sec=1):
    """

    :rtype: dict or None
    """
    cmd = "ping -c {} -W {} {}".format(count, wait_sec, server).split(' ')
    try:
        output = subprocess.check_output(cmd).decode().strip()
        lines = output.split("\n")
        total = lines[-2].split(',')[3].split()[1]
        loss = lines[-2].split(',')[2].split()[0]
        timing = lines[-1].split()[3].split('/')
        return {
            'type': 'rtt',
            'min': timing[0],
            'avg': timing[1],
            'max': timing[2],
            'mdev': timing[3],
            'total': total,
            'loss': loss,
        }
    except Exception as e:
        print(e)
        return None

Answer 5

import platform
import subprocess

def myping(host):
parameter = '-n' if platform.system().lower()=='windows' else '-c'

command = ['ping', parameter, '1', host]
response = subprocess.call(command)

if response == 0:
    return True
else:
    return False
    
print(myping(""))

Answer 6

This function will test ping for given number of retry attempts and will return True if reachable else False -

def ping(host, retry_packets):
    """Returns True if host (str) responds to a ping request."""

    # Option for the number of packets as a function of
    param = '-n' if platform.system().lower() == 'windows' else '-c'

    # Building the command. Ex: "ping -c 1 google.com"
    command = ['ping', param, str(retry_packets), host]
    return subprocess.call(command) == 0

# Driver Code
print("Ping Status : {}".format(ping(host="xx.xx.xx.xx", retry_packets=2)))

Output :

Pinging xx.xx.xx.xx with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from xx.xx.xx.xx: bytes=32 time=517ms TTL=60
Reply from xx.xx.xx.xx: bytes=32 time=490ms TTL=60

Ping statistics for xx.xx.xx.xx:
     Packets: Sent = 2, Received = 2, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
     Minimum = 490ms, Maximum = 517ms, Average = 503ms
Ping Status : True

Note : Change xx.xx.xx.xx with your IP

Answer 7

This is my version of check ping function. May be if well be usefull for someone:

def check_ping(host):
if platform.system().lower() == "windows":
response = os.system("ping -n 1 -w 500 " + host + " > nul")
if response == 0:
return "alive"
else:
return "not alive"
else:
response = os.system("ping -c 1 -W 0.5" + host + "> /dev/null")
if response == 1:
return "alive"
else:
return "not alive"

Python Function to Test Ping

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