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How Can I Determine the Operating System with Python?

Mark Gash mgash at trisystems.co.uk
Thu Mar 21 07:27:04 EST 2002 
	* Mark Hadfield <m.hadfield at niwa.co.nz> [2002-03-21 14:02 +1200]:
	> "Jill Obsidian" <obsidian_genius at yahoo.com> wrote in message
	> news:cc779aae.0203201733.3717f882 at posting.google.com...
	> 
	> > How can I put a check in my script which will allow me to
determine
	> > whether I'm running on Win << File: message.txt >> ows or Linux
at execution time?
	> 
	> >>> import sys
	> >>> sys.platform
	> 'win32'
	> >>> import os
	> >>> os.name
	> 'nt'
	 
	That's a crude way of determining the platform, because sys.platform
	depends on the compiler used to compile Python. Yes, even on
Windows.
	But I'm  reasonably sure that the Pythonlabs folks won't change
their
	Windows compiler anytime soon.

	I'd very much like to have a real way for determining the platform.
	Anybody wants to write a PEP? :-)

	Gerhard

The only way of defining the os name that I have found is then to examine
the os.environ .By examining the COMSPEC you will be able to determine a win
9X machine opposed to an NT or 2000 machine (comspec for 9X will show
command.com whereas win32 machines will show cmd.exe).

BUT I would like to 'second' Gerhard's suggestion of having a real way for
determining the platform.

Kind Regards,

Mark Gash
Consultant
TriSystems Ltd.
020 7264 0440
mgash at trisystems.co.uk





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