Detect USB connections from Python

[pedro_javierf]

Helo everybody,

I am working on a project that requires detecting if a new Usb storage has been pluged in. In a first moment I installed PyUSB (And one of its requiered low level usb libs like usblib) but then I noticed that this lib is quite complex just for the simple task I want to do.

In fact, I would like to detect the usb connecteds, and the new ones that could be connected and then browse to the root of the usb for example and list all its files.

Thanks for your help.
My best regards,

EDIT: I've just wondered a better way to do it. My script starts on boot so It could list the connected usbs on boot, and then, each 10 seconds for example check again connected usbs, if its modified from the original listing, I'll know that something new has been inserted, more or less. Any ideas of how to list connected usb devices?

pedro_javierf

[Aydan]

There's a udev library for python.

[PeterO]

There's a udev library for python.

I've used this to detect CDs being inserted into drives.
PeterO

[pedro_javierf]

Thanks for your reply,

I've installed pyudev but I cant list the usbs. I've looked every example but...

Other thing I noticed is that, I'm using raspbian, every usb is mounted in /media/<usblabel> ---> could I check that folder to see if any new usb has been connected?

Thanks!

[Aydan]

With libudev you don't list usb's you get notified on connect, disconnect events.

This is what you asked for:

Helo everybody,

I am working on a project that requires detecting if a new Usb storage has been pluged in.

[gordon77]

. Any ideas of how to list connected usb devices?

pedro_javierf

Rather crude but you could call the ls command to put the names in a file.

On my setup usbs appear in /media/pi

Code: Select all

import subprocess
import os
rpistr = "ls /media/pi > usbs.txt"
p=subprocess.Popen(rpistr,shell=True, preexec_fn=os.setsid)

then read usbs.txt

[Aydan]

That is the "wood hammer method". to list directory contents in python use os.listdir(path)

[gordon77]

That is the "wood hammer method". to list directory contents in python use os.listdir(path)

Doesn't os.listdir(path) list files in a named directory? How is the OP going to know the path name if inserting a usb stick?

They can use it to list files once they have the USB name.

[Aydan]

That is the "wood hammer method". to list directory contents in python use os.listdir(path)

Doesn't os.listdir(path) list files in a named directory? How is the OP going to know the path name if inserting a usb stick?

They can use it to list files once they have the USB name.

It lists files and folders in a given path, just like "ls" does.