How to make Python get the username in windows and then implement it in a script

Question

I know that using getpass.getuser() command, I can get the username, but how can I implement it in the following script automatically? So i want python to find the username and then implement it in the following script itself.

Script: os.path.join('..','Documents and Settings','USERNAME','Desktop'))

(Python Version 2.7 being used)

Are you just asking how to put the result of `getpass.getuser()` in place of the string `'USERNAME'` in your command? If so, it's as simple as it sounds: just write `getpass.getuser()` where you've written `'USERNAME'`, and you're done. — abarnert, Nov 30 '12 at 22:52
May be a duplicate of [this question](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/842059/is-there-a-portable-way-to-get-the-current-username-in-python) — cfi, Mar 01 '14 at 18:22

score 85 · Accepted Answer · edited Oct 12 '16 at 17:10

85

os.getlogin() return the user that is executing the, so it can be:

path = os.path.join('..','Documents and Settings',os.getlogin(),'Desktop')

or, using getpass.getuser()

path = os.path.join('..','Documents and Settings',getpass.getuser(),'Desktop')

If I understand what you asked.

edited Oct 12 '16 at 17:10

Sebastian Hietsch

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answered Nov 30 '12 at 22:41

Gianluca

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The problem with this solution is, that you are language dependend. For example: The german windows name of "Documents and Settings" is "Dokumente und Einstellungen". The next point is, that you make another assumption about the Desktop directory. What, if you need access to the SendTo directory? On Windows XP and Windopws 7 they have totaly diffrent relativ pathes inside the userprofile. To overcome language und version dependencies, you should use call like those from win32com. Let windows give back the directoryname of the requested entity of the user (Desktop, SendTo, etc.) – f4m8 Sep 24 '13 at 13:31
3

I don't think this solution works in Windows, the python documentation says it is for Unix only. – Trishant Pahwa Apr 07 '19 at 07:49
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@TrishantPahwa I don't see that in the documentation. I've tried both on Windows and they work fine. – Kemp Aug 09 '19 at 11:48
You can check it in the Python IDLE whether it gives you the output, when you use the function to return the username of the user. – Trishant Pahwa Aug 10 '19 at 07:07
yeah @TrishantPahwa, what are you talking about? it works well on Windows, even on windows 11 – Ice Bear Sep 01 '23 at 05:51

score 48 · Answer 2 · answered Mar 19 '15 at 20:08

48

os.getlogin() did not exist for me. I had success with os.getenv('username') however.

answered Mar 19 '15 at 20:08

CodeJockey

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This is the only way to get it to work in IronPython that I have found. – bastula Mar 16 '17 at 18:56

score 9 · Answer 3 · answered Sep 08 '20 at 08:54

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for get current username: add import os in code and then use by :

print(os.getlogin())

OR

print(os.getenv('username'))

and if you get complete path from c drive use this :

print(os.environ['USERPROFILE']) #C:\Users\username

answered Sep 08 '20 at 08:54

mamal

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score 7 · Answer 4 · answered Nov 30 '12 at 22:45

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>>> os.path.join(os.path.expandvars("%userprofile%"),"Documents and Settings")
'C:\\Users\\USERNAME\\Documents and Settings'

should suffice ... I think thats what you actually meant anyway..

answered Nov 30 '12 at 22:45

Joran Beasley

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well this script worked too but it changes my directory which I don't want, thanks for posting though – KingMak Nov 30 '12 at 22:55
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what do you mean it changed your directory? – Joran Beasley Nov 30 '12 at 23:08

score 5 · Answer 5 · answered Nov 30 '12 at 22:42

5

Install win32com, then:

from win32com.shell import shell, shellcon
print shell.SHGetFolderPath(0, shellcon.CSIDL_DESKTOP, None, 0)

answered Nov 30 '12 at 22:42

Burhan Khalid

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Peter Wood · Answer 6 · 2022-07-27T21:53:33.257

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If you want the desktop directory, Windows 7 has an environment variable: DESKTOP:

>>> import os
>>> print(os.environ['desktop'])
C:\Users\KingMak\Desktop

edited Jul 27 '22 at 21:53

answered Nov 23 '17 at 09:01

Peter Wood

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score 3 · Answer 7 · answered Jul 20 '20 at 12:48

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you can try the following as well:


import os
print (os.environ['USERPROFILE'])

The advantage of this is that you directly get an output like:

C:\\Users\\user_name

answered Jul 20 '20 at 12:48

outcast_dreamer

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score 2 · Answer 8 · answered Jun 24 '16 at 11:34

2

to get the current user directory you can also use this:

from os.path import expanduser
home = expanduser("~\buildconf")

answered Jun 24 '16 at 11:34

cinatic

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Saurabh · Answer 9 · 2020-09-24T17:40:41.400

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import os followed by os.getlogin() works on macOS and Windows with python 3.7

After this you can do something like:

path = ''.join(('C:/Users/', os.getlogin(), '/Desktop/'))

edited Sep 24 '20 at 17:40

answered Sep 24 '20 at 17:34

Saurabh

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score 1 · Answer 10 · edited Oct 20 '17 at 12:14

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This works for Python 3.* as well:

os.path.join(os.environ['HOME'] + "/Documents and Settings")

edited Oct 20 '17 at 12:14

Daniel Trugman

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answered Oct 20 '17 at 11:23

Natalia

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This does work, though what if there are multiple users, and what we are trying to find is the current user. – Trishant Pahwa Apr 07 '19 at 07:51
@TrishantPahwa the environment variables are set for the current user. – Peter Wood Mar 05 '20 at 09:06

How to make Python get the username in windows and then implement it in a script

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