matplotlib · tacaswell · Apr 14, 2017 · Dec 5, 2016 · Dec 11, 2016 · Dec 11, 2016
diff --git a/doc/make.py b/doc/make.py
@@ -172,13 +172,9 @@ def latex():
             raise SystemExit("Building LaTeX failed.")
 
         # Produce pdf.
-        os.chdir('build/latex')
-
         # Call the makefile produced by sphinx...
-        if os.system('make'):
-            raise SystemExit("Rendering LaTeX failed.")
-
-        os.chdir('../..')
+        if subprocess.call("make", cwd="build/latex"):
+            raise SystemExit("Rendering LaTeX failed with.")
     else:
         print('latex build has not been tested on windows')
 
@@ -195,13 +191,9 @@ def texinfo():
             raise SystemExit("Building Texinfo failed.")
 
         # Produce info file.
-        os.chdir('build/texinfo')
-
         # Call the makefile produced by sphinx...
-        if os.system('make'):
-            raise SystemExit("Rendering Texinfo failed.")
-
-        os.chdir('../..')
+        if subprocess.call("make", cwd="build/texinfo"):
+            raise SystemExit("Rendering Texinfo failed with.")
     else:
         print('texinfo build has not been tested on windows')
 

diff --git a/examples/pylab_examples/mathtext_examples.py b/examples/pylab_examples/mathtext_examples.py
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 """
 from __future__ import print_function
 import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
-import os
+import subprocess
 import sys
 import re
 import gc
@@ -120,6 +120,6 @@ def doall():
     fd.write("\\end{document}\n")
     fd.close()
 
-    os.system("pdflatex mathtext_examples.ltx")
+    subprocess.call(["pdflatex", "mathtext_examples.ltx"])
 else:
     doall()
diff --git a/examples/pylab_examples/movie_demo.py b/examples/pylab_examples/movie_demo.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 from __future__ import print_function
 
-import os
+import subprocess
 import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
 import numpy as np
 
@@ -22,8 +22,8 @@
     files.append(fname)
 
 print('Making movie animation.mpg - this may take a while')
-os.system("mencoder 'mf://_tmp*.png' -mf type=png:fps=10 -ovc lavc -lavcopts vcodec=wmv2 -oac copy -o animation.mpg")
-#os.system("convert _tmp*.png animation.mng")
+subprocess.call("mencoder 'mf://_tmp*.png' -mf type=png:fps=10 -ovc lavc "
+                "-lavcopts vcodec=wmv2 -oac copy -o animation.mpg", shell=True)
 
 # cleanup
 for fname in files:

diff --git a/examples/pylab_examples/stix_fonts_demo.py b/examples/pylab_examples/stix_fonts_demo.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 from __future__ import unicode_literals
 
-import os
+import subprocess
 import sys
 import re
 import gc
@@ -53,6 +53,6 @@ def doall():
     fd.write("\\end{document}\n")
     fd.close()
 
-    os.system("pdflatex stix_fonts_examples.ltx")
+    subprocess.call(["pdflatex", "stix_fonts_examples.ltx"])
 else:
     doall()
diff --git a/examples/tests/backend_driver.py b/examples/tests/backend_driver.py
@@ -337,19 +337,16 @@ def report_all_missing(directories):
     )
 
 
-try:
-    import subprocess
-
-    def run(arglist):
-        try:
-            ret = subprocess.call(arglist)
-        except KeyboardInterrupt:
-            sys.exit()
-        else:
-            return ret
-except ImportError:
-    def run(arglist):
-        os.system(' '.join(arglist))
+from matplotlib.compat import subprocess
+
+
+def run(arglist):
+    try:
+        ret = subprocess.call(arglist)
+    except KeyboardInterrupt:
+        sys.exit()
+    else:
+        return ret
 
 
 def drive(backend, directories, python=['python'], switches=[]):
@@ -420,7 +417,7 @@ def drive(backend, directories, python=['python'], switches=[]):
         ret = run(program + [tmpfile_name] + switches)
         end_time = time.time()
         print("%s %s" % ((end_time - start_time), ret))
-        #os.system('%s %s %s' % (python, tmpfile_name, ' '.join(switches)))
+        # subprocess.call([python, tmpfile_name] + switches)
         os.remove(tmpfile_name)
         if ret:
             failures.append(fullpath)