Running a Python Script in the Background after Accepting INput

Question

Is it possible for me to run a Python Script so that it firsts runs and prompts for the different inputs it needs, then goes out into the background and runs but frees up my terminal?

Answer 1

Yes, launch your script, and when you're done, use Ctrl+Z to pause it. Once paused, running bg will send it to the background where it will continue running. For example:

$ myscript.py
Enter a number: 2
^Z
[1]+  Stopped  myscript.py
$ bg
[1]+ myscript.py &               

The ^Z is when I pressed Ctrl+Z. Now, if you want to bring the script back to the foreground, run fg.

If you want to do this for multiple scripts, you can use jobs to list backgrounded jobs:

$ jobs
[1]-  Running                 myscript1.py
[2]+  Running                 myscript2.py

The numbers in the brackets are the job ids. To bring a specific one back to the foreground, use its ID:

jobs 2

The command above will bring the second one. Use 1 for the first, 3 for the third and so on.