How to use python in Extension Attribute scripts

I'm not sure what the issue would be, since from what I can tell it should be outputting the results in between those <result></result> tags. But, why use python for something this simple? A standard shell script using defaults can do this just as easily.

#!/bin/sh

if [[ $(/usr/bin/defaults read /Library/Preferences/com.apple.SoftwareUpdate.plist RecommendedUpdates 2>/dev/null) == "" ]]; then
    /bin/echo "<result>No Updates</result>"
else
    /bin/echo "<result>Updates</result>"
fi

I have tried using defaults but it doesn't return an empty string. It returns a few lines of empty space that I have tried to trim with this

but it still says there are "Updates Needed"

You could try this:

/usr/bin/defaults read /Library/Preferences/com.apple.SoftwareUpdate.plist RecommendedUpdates | sed 's/)//;s/(//;/^$/d'

That should return a null value if the RecommendedUpdates array is empty or some data if it's not empty. From there the rest of the script should work.

That appears to have worked. thank you

you might have to open the file to read it in python

example:

with open('/Library/Preferences/com.apple.SoftwareUpdate.plist', 'rb') as f:
     data = plistlib.load(f)
     print(data)