ref: 5513dae7d9eee46f7e1843c8eeeaf9066d0ec632
dir: /sys/src/cmd/python/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 information.
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}