cpython/Doc/lib/libplatform.tex

\section{\module{platform} --- 
   Access to underlying platform's identifying data.}

\declaremodule{standard}{platform}
\modulesynopsis{Retrieves as much platform identifying data as possible.}
\moduleauthor{Marc-Andre Lemburg}{mal@egenix.com}
\sectionauthor{Bjorn Pettersen}{bpettersen@corp.fairisaac.com}

\versionadded{2.3}

\begin{notice}
  Specific platforms listed alphabetically, with Linux included in the
  \UNIX{} section.
\end{notice}

\subsection{Cross Platform}

\begin{funcdesc}{architecture}{executable=sys.executable, bits='', linkage=''}
  Queries the given executable (defaults to the Python interpreter
  binary) for various architecture informations.

  Returns a tuple \code{(bits, linkage)} which contain information about
  the bit architecture and the linkage format used for the
  executable. Both values are returned as strings.

  Values that cannot be determined are returned as given by the
  parameter presets. If bits is given as \code{''}, the
  \cfunction{sizeof(pointer)}
  (or \cfunction{sizeof(long)} on Python version < 1.5.2) is used as
  indicator for the supported pointer size.

  The function relies on the system's \file{file} command to do the
  actual work. This is available on most if not all \UNIX{} 
  platforms and some non-\UNIX{} platforms and then only if the
  executable points to the Python interpreter.  Reasonable defaults
  are used when the above needs are not met.
\end{funcdesc}

\begin{funcdesc}{machine}{}
  Returns the machine type, e.g. \code{'i386'}.
  An empty string is returned if the value cannot be determined.
\end{funcdesc}

\begin{funcdesc}{node}{}
  Returns the computer's network name (may not be fully qualified!).
  An empty string is returned if the value cannot be determined.
\end{funcdesc}

\begin{funcdesc}{platform}{aliased=0, terse=0}
  Returns a single string identifying the underlying platform
  with as much useful information as possible.

  The output is intended to be \emph{human readable} rather than
  machine parseable. It may look different on different platforms and
  this is intended.

  If \var{aliased} is true, the function will use aliases for various
  platforms that report system names which differ from their common
  names, for example SunOS will be reported as Solaris.  The
  \function{system_alias()} function is used to implement this.

  Setting \var{terse} to true causes the function to return only the
  absolute minimum information needed to identify the platform.
\end{funcdesc}

\begin{funcdesc}{processor}{}
  Returns the (real) processor name, e.g. \code{'amdk6'}.

  An empty string is returned if the value cannot be determined. Note
  that many platforms do not provide this information or simply return
  the same value as for \function{machine()}.  NetBSD does this.
\end{funcdesc}

\begin{funcdesc}{python_build}{}
  Returns a tuple \code{(\var{buildno}, \var{builddate})} stating the
  Python build number and date as strings.
\end{funcdesc}

\begin{funcdesc}{python_compiler}{}
  Returns a string identifying the compiler used for compiling Python.
\end{funcdesc}

\begin{funcdesc}{python_version}{}
  Returns the Python version as string \code{'major.minor.patchlevel'}

  Note that unlike the Python \code{sys.version}, the returned value
  will always include the patchlevel (it defaults to 0).
\end{funcdesc}

\begin{funcdesc}{python_version_tuple}{}
  Returns the Python version as tuple \code{(\var{major}, \var{minor},
  \var{patchlevel})} of strings.

  Note that unlike the Python \code{sys.version}, the returned value
  will always include the patchlevel (it defaults to \code{'0'}).
\end{funcdesc}

\begin{funcdesc}{release}{}
  Returns the system's release, e.g. \code{'2.2.0'} or \code{'NT'}
  An empty string is returned if the value cannot be determined.
\end{funcdesc}

\begin{funcdesc}{system}{}
  Returns the system/OS name, e.g. \code{'Linux'}, \code{'Windows'},
  or \code{'Java'}.
  An empty string is returned if the value cannot be determined.
\end{funcdesc}

\begin{funcdesc}{system_alias}{system, release, version}
  Returns \code{(\var{system}, \var{release}, \var{version})} aliased
  to common marketing names used for some systems.  It also does some
  reordering of the information in some cases where it would otherwise
  cause confusion.
\end{funcdesc}

\begin{funcdesc}{version}{}
  Returns the system's release version, e.g. \code{'\#3 on degas'}.
  An empty string is returned if the value cannot be determined.
\end{funcdesc}

\begin{funcdesc}{uname}{}
  Fairly portable uname interface. Returns a tuple of strings
  \code{(\var{system}, \var{node}, \var{release}, \var{version},
  \var{machine}, \var{processor})} identifying the underlying
  platform.

  Note that unlike the \function{os.uname()} function this also returns
  possible processor information as additional tuple entry.

  Entries which cannot be determined are set to \code{''}.
\end{funcdesc}


\subsection{Java Platform}

\begin{funcdesc}{java_ver}{release='', vendor='', vminfo=('','',''),
                           osinfo=('','','')}
  Version interface for JPython.

  Returns a tuple \code{(\var{release}, \var{vendor}, \var{vminfo},
  \var{osinfo})} with \var{vminfo} being a tuple \code{(\var{vm_name},
  \var{vm_release}, \var{vm_vendor})} and \var{osinfo} being a tuple
  \code{(\var{os_name}, \var{os_version}, \var{os_arch})}.
  Values which cannot be determined are set to the defaults
  given as parameters (which all default to \code{''}).
\end{funcdesc}


\subsection{Windows Platform}

\begin{funcdesc}{win32_ver}{release='', version='', csd='', ptype=''}
  Get additional version information from the Windows Registry
  and return a tuple \code{(\var{version}, \var{csd}, \var{ptype})}
  referring to version number, CSD level and OS type (multi/single
  processor).

  As a hint: \var{ptype} is \code{'Uniprocessor Free'} on single
  processor NT machines and \code{'Multiprocessor Free'} on multi
  processor machines. The \emph{'Free'} refers to the OS version being
  free of debugging code. It could also state \emph{'Checked'} which
  means the OS version uses debugging code, i.e. code that
  checks arguments, ranges, etc.

  \begin{notice}[note]
    This function only works if Mark Hammond's \module{win32all}
    package is installed and (obviously) only runs on Win32
    compatible platforms.
  \end{notice}
\end{funcdesc}

\subsubsection{Win95/98 specific}

\begin{funcdesc}{popen}{cmd, mode='r', bufsize=None}
  Portable \function{popen()} interface.  Find a working popen
  implementation preferring \function{win32pipe.popen()}.  On Windows
  NT, \function{win32pipe.popen()} should work; on Windows 9x it hangs
  due to bugs in the MS C library.
  % This KnowledgeBase article appears to be missing...
  %See also \ulink{MS KnowledgeBase article Q150956}{}.
\end{funcdesc}


\subsection{Mac OS Platform}

\begin{funcdesc}{mac_ver}{release='', versioninfo=('','',''), machine=''}
  Get Mac OS version information and return it as tuple
  \code{(\var{release}, \var{versioninfo}, \var{machine})} with
  \var{versioninfo} being a tuple \code{(\var{version},
  \var{dev_stage}, \var{non_release_version})}.

  Entries which cannot be determined are set to \code{''}.  All tuple
  entries are strings.

  Documentation for the underlying \cfunction{gestalt()} API is
  available online at \url{http://www.rgaros.nl/gestalt/}.
\end{funcdesc}


\subsection{\UNIX{} Platforms}

\begin{funcdesc}{dist}{distname='', version='', id='',
                       supported_dists=('SuSE','debian','redhat','mandrake')}
  Tries to determine the name of the OS distribution name
  Returns a tuple \code{(\var{distname}, \var{version}, \var{id})}
  which defaults to the args given as parameters.
\end{funcdesc}


\begin{funcdesc}{libc_ver}{executable=sys.executable, lib='',
                           version='', chunksize=2048}
  Tries to determine the libc version against which the file
  executable (defaults to the Python interpreter) is linked.  Returns
  a tuple of strings \code{(\var{lib}, \var{version})} which default
  to the given parameters in case the lookup fails.

  Note that this function has intimate knowledge of how different
  libc versions add symbols to the executable is probably only
  useable for executables compiled using \program{gcc}.

  The file is read and scanned in chunks of \var{chunksize} bytes.
\end{funcdesc}