Revert "bpo-31961: subprocess now accepts path-like args (GH-4329)"

Doc/library/subprocess.rst

@@ -339,12 +339,12 @@ functions.
    the class uses the Windows ``CreateProcess()`` function.  The arguments to
    :class:`Popen` are as follows.
 
-   *args* should be a sequence of program arguments or else a single string or
-   :term:`path-like object`. By default, the program to execute is the first
-   item in *args* if *args* is a sequence. If *args* is a string, the
-   interpretation is platform-dependent and described below.  See the *shell*
-   and *executable* arguments for additional differences from the default
-   behavior.  Unless otherwise stated, it is recommended to pass *args* as a sequence.
+   *args* should be a sequence of program arguments or else a single string.
+   By default, the program to execute is the first item in *args* if *args* is
+   a sequence.  If *args* is a string, the interpretation is
+   platform-dependent and described below.  See the *shell* and *executable*
+   arguments for additional differences from the default behavior.  Unless
+   otherwise stated, it is recommended to pass *args* as a sequence.
 
    On POSIX, if *args* is a string, the string is interpreted as the name or
    path of the program to execute.  However, this can only be done if not
@@ -558,10 +558,6 @@ functions.
       Popen destructor now emits a :exc:`ResourceWarning` warning if the child
       process is still running.
 
-   .. versionchanged:: 3.7
-      *args*, or the first element of *args* if *args* is a sequence, can now
-      be a :term:`path-like object`.
-
 
 Exceptions
 ^^^^^^^^^^

Lib/subprocess.py

@@ -1097,12 +1097,7 @@ def _execute_child(self, args, executable, preexec_fn, close_fds,
             assert not pass_fds, "pass_fds not supported on Windows."
 
             if not isinstance(args, str):
-                try:
-                    args = os.fsdecode(args)  # os.PathLike -> str
-                except TypeError:  # not an os.PathLike, must be a sequence.
-                    args = list(args)
-                    args[0] = os.fsdecode(args[0])  # os.PathLike -> str
-                    args = list2cmdline(args)
+                args = list2cmdline(args)
 
             # Process startup details
             if startupinfo is None:
@@ -1374,10 +1369,7 @@ def _execute_child(self, args, executable, preexec_fn, close_fds,
             if isinstance(args, (str, bytes)):
                 args = [args]
             else:
-                try:
-                    args = list(args)
-                except TypeError:  # os.PathLike instead of a sequence?
-                    args = [os.fsencode(args)]  # os.PathLike -> [str]
+                args = list(args)
 
             if shell:
                 # On Android the default shell is at '/system/bin/sh'.

Lib/test/test_subprocess.py

@@ -1475,37 +1475,6 @@ def test_run_kwargs(self):
                              env=newenv)
         self.assertEqual(cp.returncode, 33)
 
-    def test_run_with_pathlike_path(self):
-        # bpo-31961: test run(pathlike_object)
-        class Path:
-            def __fspath__(self):
-                # the name of a command that can be run without
-                # any argumenets that exit fast
-                return 'dir' if mswindows else 'ls'
-
-        path = Path()
-        if mswindows:
-            res = subprocess.run(path, stdout=subprocess.DEVNULL, shell=True)
-        else:
-            res = subprocess.run(path, stdout=subprocess.DEVNULL)
-
-        self.assertEqual(res.returncode, 0)
-
-    def test_run_with_pathlike_path_and_arguments(self):
-        # bpo-31961: test run([pathlike_object, 'additional arguments'])
-        class Path:
-            def __fspath__(self):
-                # the name of a command that can be run without
-                # any argumenets that exits fast
-                return sys.executable
-
-        path = Path()
-
-        args = [path, '-c', 'import sys; sys.exit(57)']
-        res = subprocess.run(args)
-
-        self.assertEqual(res.returncode, 57)
-
     def test_capture_output(self):
         cp = self.run_python(("import sys;"
                               "sys.stdout.write('BDFL'); "

Misc/NEWS.d/3.7.0b1.rst

@@ -630,6 +630,7 @@ Add contextlib.AsyncExitStack. Patch by Alexander Mohr and Ilya Kulakov.
 .. nonce: x5Sv0R
 .. section: Library
 
+*Removed in Python 3.7.0b2.*
 The *args* argument of subprocess.Popen can now be a :term:`path-like
 object`. If *args* is given as a sequence, it's first element can now be a
 :term:`path-like object` as well.