# Best directory to put external applications to be called by Python scripts?

**URL:** <https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/best-directory-to-put-external-applications-to-be-called-by-python-scripts/26459>\
**Category:** Rhino Developer\
**Created:** [November 5, 2015, 2:51pm UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/best-directory-to-put-external-applications-to-be-called-by-python-scripts/26459 "2015-11-05T14:51:11Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![bmartin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/bmartin/32/514301_2.png) [@bmartin](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/bmartin)\
**Post date:** [November 5, 2015, 2:51pm UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/best-directory-to-put-external-applications-to-be-called-by-python-scripts/26459/1 "2015-11-05T14:51:11Z")

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Hello,

I have some command line applications written in C++ that I would need to call from my Rhino Python scripts. I have entire control over where to deploy them on the system. I know how to call these external executables using the Python `subprocess` module like:

```
successCode = subprocess.call( "C:\MyAppsDir\ExternalApp.exe" ) # Not very portable!

```

My goal is to be able to access these other applications from multiple Python scripts with as much portability as possible between our different Rhino installations on multiple machines. Some specific questions:

1. Is there some _canonical Rhino directories_ that could be used to store this kind of external applications?
2. Are these directories, if they exist, accessible by Python scripting under some special names? For exemple: `rhinoscriptsyntax.GetThirdPartyAppsDir()`
3. If not, any other sensible alternative would be welcome!

Thanks

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![wattzie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/wattzie/32/743497_2.png) [@wattzie](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/wattzie)\
**Post date:** [November 5, 2015, 3:02pm UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/best-directory-to-put-external-applications-to-be-called-by-python-scripts/26459/2 "2015-11-05T15:02:18Z")

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There might be something useful here:

[http://discourse.mcneel.com/t/path-to-user-directory-without-username/22481](http://discourse.mcneel.com/t/path-to-user-directory-without-username/22481)