get_latest_ubuntu_ami.py

#!/usr/bin/env python

import urllib2

def get_ubuntu_ami(region='ap-southeast-2', arch='64-bit', root_store='ebs', codename='trusty', version='current'):
    # Just a quick hack!
    s = urllib2.urlopen(
        'http://cloud-images.ubuntu.com/{codename}/{version}/'.format(codename=codename, version=version)
        ).read().replace(' ', '')
    find = '''<tr>
<td><p>{region}</p></td>
<td><p>{arch}</p></td>
<td><p>{root_store}</p></td>
<td><p><buttontype="button"onClick="parent.location='https://console.aws.amazon.com/ec2/home?region={region}#launchAmi=
    '''.format(region=region, arch=arch, root_store=root_store).rstrip()
    return (lambda first: s[first + len(find):s.find("'", first + len(find))])(s.find(find))


if __name__ == '__main__':
    print latest_ubuntu_ami_hack()