Encoding issue while running Sysinternals Autorunsc via Python subprocess

[JChris]

I have a Python 3.6.0 script where I run autorunsc v13.71 (https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysi...63902.aspx) on the system (x86 or x86_64 version, according to the system bitness using platform.machine()). If I run autorunsc directly from the terminal (CMD or Powershell) I get the output as expected, no issues (snip from the output):



But, if I try to run it using my code I get this messy output:



I'm using Window's default Notepad to open the output text file. People should be able to read it using Notepad, they won't be able to download a code reader like Notepad++, ST3, etc.

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My code (removed some parts to keep it short and direct):

    
   #!/usr/bin/env python
   # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
   
   import platform
   import socket
   import subprocess
   from time import gmtime, strftime
   from pathlib import Path
   
   HOSTNAME = socket.gethostname()
   SYS_ARCH = platform.machine()  # AMD64 or x86
   ROOT_PATH = Path(__file__).parent
   
   
   def get_current_datetime():
    return strftime("%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S UTC%z", gmtime())
   
   
   def run_command(output_file, command_name, command_args, system_cmd=False):
    output_file.write(f'---------- START [{command_name} {SYS_ARCH}] {get_current_datetime()} ----------\n')
    output_file.flush()
   
    file_path = command_name if system_cmd else str(ROOT_PATH / 'tools' / SYS_ARCH / (command_name + '.exe'))
    subprocess.call([file_path] + command_args, stdout=output_file, shell=True, universal_newlines=True)
   
    output_file.write(f'---------- ENDED [{command_name} {SYS_ARCH}] {get_current_datetime()} ----------\n\n')
    output_file.flush()
    print(f'[*][{command_name} {SYS_ARCH}] done')
    
    
    def main():
     output_file = ROOT_PATH.parent / (HOSTNAME + '.txt')
     with open(output_file, 'w', encoding='utf-8') as fout:
     run_command(output_file=fout, command_name='autorunsc', command_args=['-h', '-nobanner', '-accepteula'])
     
    
    if __name__ == '__main__':
     main()

   
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File structure:

- folder\
 - app.py (the code shown here)
 - tools\
    - AMD64\
        - autorunsc.exe
    - x86\
        - autorunsc.exe

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I believe it's something to do with the output of autorunsc, I read somewhere it returns the output encoded as UTF-16. The thing is that I run many other Sysinternals EXEs and append the output to the same file (using my run_command function), and all of them work flawlessly, but this one. How can I get this right?

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Found the solution:

 # IF-ELSE to handle the 'autorunsc' output, which is UTF16
    if command_name == 'autorunsc':
    	result = subprocess.Popen([file_path] + command_args, stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE)
    	text = result.stdout.read().decode('UTF16')
    	for line in text:
    		output_file.write(line)
    else:
    	subprocess.call([file_path] + command_args, stdout=output_file, stderr=output_file)