Python cross platform os.system

Question

currently my Python program opens a text file like this:

os.system('gedit decryptedText.txt&')

Now, I presume this will not work on Windows, since gedit is a Linux application? How can I make this run on both Windows and Linux. Or will it work on both?

if sys.platform == 'win32': os.system('START notepad blabla'), elif platform == 'linux2'... — unddoch
– unddoch, Commented Sep 25, 2012 at 14:07

Tadgh · Accepted Answer · 2012-09-25 14:07:57Z

4

Check for OS first, and assign depending on result?

if os.name == 'nt':
    os.system('notepad ecryptedText.txt&')
elif os.name == 'posix':
    os.system('gedit decryptedText.txt&')

answered Sep 25, 2012 at 14:07

Tadgh

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4 Comments

user1675111 Over a year ago

do I use if os.name =='nt' or 'win32'?

Tadgh Over a year ago

test it out on your system. I just ran it on both my windows and my ubuntu box. os.name came up as 'nt' and 'posix' respectively :)

user1675111 Over a year ago

okay. and just to clarify, for the windows one is it os.system('notepad ecryptedText.txt&') OR os.system('START notepad blabla')

Tadgh Over a year ago

notepad is automatically in the path for windows installations. You do not need to do START notepad unless for some crazy reason you lost a crucial bit of path.

Abgan · Accepted Answer · 2012-09-25 14:23:16Z

4

On MS Windows you could use os.startfile(filename) for file types that have associated editors.

Hence your full solution would be something like:

def start_file(filename):
    if os.name == 'nt':
        os.startfile(filename)
    else:
        os.system('gedit %s&' % filename)

answered Sep 25, 2012 at 14:23

Abgan

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Comments

Tudor Vintilescu · Accepted Answer · 2012-09-25 14:08:25Z

0

It will work on both, obviously, since gedit is the standard editor for the universe.

Kidding. It will not work, since you are essentially launching a specific application, only available on certain platforms (Linux). You could configure your default editor start command in a configuration file and use it to compose your command string.

answered Sep 25, 2012 at 14:08

Tudor Vintilescu

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1 Comment

user395760 Over a year ago

To nitpick, gedit may very well work on Windows if it only depends on GTK+ or something. Of course, that doesn't mean anyone actually uses it there.

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