unknown python script running -- how to find its source?

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Level 1

15 points

unknown python script running -- how to find its source?

For the past 3-4 weeks I have had a big slowdown with my G4 iBook. When I open the activity monitor, I see a process "python" running and taking up 40-50% of my CPU. I force quit "python" and my computer speeds back up again.

Every 1-2 times I reboot my computer, I have to repeat this process. How do I find out what is loading this program and what it is doing? I presume my question of how to stop it from running will be dependent upon what is loading it and why, so I'll hold off on that one.

Thanks,
Stephen

iBook G4 Mac OS X (10.4.8)

eMac G4 1Ghz, Mac OS X (10.3.4)

Posted on Oct 19, 2006 9:58 AM

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Answer 1

Oct 19, 2006 10:07 AM in response to Stephen D

Hi Stephen and Welcome to Apple Discussions!!

How do I find out what is loading this program and what it is doing?

The first thing to do would be to find out its parent, which you can tell by choosing "All processes, hierarchically" in Activity Monitor. Let us know the parent, then we can look further if need be.

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Answer 2

Stephen D Author

Level 1

15 points

Oct 19, 2006 2:01 PM in response to Michael Conniff

The first thing to do would be to
find out its parent, which you can tell by choosing
"All processes, hierarchically" in Activity Monitor.
Let us know the parent, then we can look further if
need be.

Thanks for your quick response.

It says that python is running under Mail.app.

I should mentioned that use Mail Act-On. I can still use my Act-On hotkeys after I force quit python, however.

Thanks,
Stephen

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Answer 3

Oct 19, 2006 3:12 PM in response to Stephen D

Stephen

It says that python is running under Mail.app.

Oh. Just to be doubly sure, try quitting Mail and then launching it again. Is python running again? or do you need to logout, or shutdown, before it restarts?

II should mentioned that use Mail Act-On.

Well, that's something I know nothing about. You might be better off posting in the Mail & Address Book forum if it is related to this. People there may have already encountered this.

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Answer 4

Stephen D Author

Level 1

15 points

Oct 19, 2006 3:27 PM in response to Michael Conniff

Just to be doubly sure, try quitting Mail and then
launching it again. Is python running again? or do
you need to logout, or shutdown, before it restarts?

When I quit Mail and run it again, the python process sucking up a great % of my CPU is gone. However, if I watch the activity monitor while I launch Mail, a python process appears which uses ~50% of CPU and then drops down to 0% after a few seconds.

What does this mean? Is it a Mail problem or a more general problem?

Thanks again for your help with this.
Stephen

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Answer 5

Oct 19, 2006 4:11 PM in response to Stephen D

Stephen

if I watch the activity monitor while I launch Mail, a python process appears …

OK, now you have this information I suggest you post all the information here in the Mail and Address Book forum. I use Mail.app, but just as it comes as it were, so don't know too much about any add-ons or clever tricks.

Is it a Mail problem or a more general problem?

It would appear to be associated with Mail, unless you get it appearing when Mail is not running. Try the other forum, as I said, maybe others have encountered it.

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Answer 6

Oct 19, 2006 4:35 PM in response to Stephen D

Isn't Mail Act-on just a compiled Python program? I thought it was, or uses dynamic python scripts to enable key actions. Python is an interpreted programming language, akin to PERL or Ruby. Anytime a python program or script runs, it needs to run the python interpreter engine.

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Answer 7

smorr

Level 1

115 points

Oct 20, 2006 5:10 PM in response to Michael Black

Hi -- I am the author of Mail Act-On

It is a Cocoa (Objective-C) bundle through and through ... Although it is possible to write mailBundles in python, I don't know the ins and outs of it.

Scott

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Answer 8

Stephen D Author

Level 1

15 points

Oct 26, 2006 10:19 AM in response to smorr

Oddly enough, I have removed Mail Act-On and I am no longer having the python program hogging my CPU. I'll post this on the Mail forum and see if anyone has any ideas on what was going on. I really enjoyed Mail Act-On and would like to continue using it.

Thanks,
Stephen

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