How to write a bash script that enters text into programs

Question

I'm writing a bash script that fires up python and then enters some simple commands before exiting. I've got it firing up python ok, but how do I make the script simulate keyboard input in the python shell, as though a person were doing it?

Answer 1

Use a "here" document. It looks like this

command << HERE
text that someone types in
more text
HERE

You don'th have to use "HERE", you can use something that has a little more meaning relative to the context of your code.

Answer 2

If you really need to simulate typing into the Python interpreter, rather than piping a command to python, you can probably do this with expect

expect should be available in your distribution's repository. For details,

man expect