[Python] Print function not working without flush=True when used with the While loop

Is there some known issue where the Python environment for Azure Runbooks does not like the while loop function in conjunction with the print function without appending flush=True?

I have not seen one print statement returned when the word while has been included in the main function.

This is designed to send an alert whenever the status of my Azure VM changes. (This will be via email, but for ease, I have just included print statements...which should work)

Remove the while functionality, and all the print statements appear.

It's such a silly situation. Even the print("Can you see this message....") nor the print("Entering loop...") does not print. These print statements are not even printing in the while loop so it should print even if there is an issue with the execution of the while loop (which there is not). I would show you via debug printing but if the thing actually printed like I told it to, then you would be able to see.

My blood pressure seriously is rising because of this. The compute_client is authenticated, and it returns the correct vm_name, so why - whenever I include the while loop - does it have a hissy fit?

I am so angry with this.

import time, random, smtplib, inspect, string
from datetime import datetime
from email.mime.text import MIMEText
from azure.common.credentials import ServicePrincipalCredentials
from azure.mgmt.compute import ComputeManagementClient

# Azure setup
subscription_id = 'xxx'
resource_group_name = 'xxx'
vm_name = 'xxx'

from azure.core.exceptions import ClientAuthenticationError

# Authentication of Azure's Service Principal
def service_principal_authentication():
"""Checks the Authentication of Azure's Service Principal """
print("Authenticating Service Principal....")
try:
credentials = ServicePrincipalCredentials(
client_id='xxx',
secret='xxx',
tenant='xxx'
)
print("Service Principal Authenticity Verified")
return ComputeManagementClient(credentials, subscription_id)
except Exception as e:
print(f"There was an error with the authenticating the Service Principal: {e}")
except ClientAuthenticationError as e:
print(f"Client Authentication Error {e}")

# Email setup
sender_email = 'xxx'
receiver_email = 'xxxx'
smtp_server = 'xxx'
smtp_port = 587
smtp_password = 'xxx'

def send_notification(subject, body):
"""Send an email notification."""
msg = MIMEText(body)
msg['Subject'] = subject
msg['From'] = sender_email
msg['To'] = receiver_email

try:
with smtplib.SMTP(smtp_server, smtp_port) as server:
server.starttls()
server.login(sender_email, smtp_password)
server.sendmail(sender_email, receiver_email, msg.as_string())
print("Email sent successfully!")
except Exception as e:
print(f"{e} in ", inspect.stack()[0].function)

def get_vm_status(compute_client):
"""Retrieve the current status of the VM."""
print("Retrieving VM status......")
try:
# Explicitly request the instance view
vm = compute_client.virtual_machines.get(resource_group_name, vm_name, expand='instanceView')

# Check if instance view is available
if vm.instance_view:
print(f"Can you see this message? {inspect.stack()[0].function}")
return vm.instance_view.statuses[1].code # Assuming the status is at index 1
else:
print("Instance view is not available.")
return None

except ClientAuthenticationError as e:
print(f"There was a client authentication error {e}")
except Exception as e:
print(f"Error retrieving VM status: {e}, in function {inspect.stack()[0].function}")

def generate_incident_reference_number():
incident_timestamp = datetime.utcnow().strftime("%Y%m%d%H%M%S")
incident_number = ''.join(random.choices(string.ascii_uppercase + string.digits, k=10))
return f"INC{incident_timestamp}{incident_number}"

def log_to_azure_monitor():
pass

def main():
print("Entering loop.....",flush=True)
while True:
compute_client = service_principal_authentication()
previous_vm_status = None
current_vm_status = get_vm_status(compute_client)

if current_vm_status != previous_vm_status:
incident_number = generate_incident_reference_number()
print(f"This has changed {current_vm_status} - {previous_vm_status} - {incident_number}", flush=True)
else:
print(f"This has remained the same {current_vm_status}", flush=True)
previous_vm_status = current_vm_status
time.sleep(10)

if __name__ == "__main__":
main()

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