Finding python.exe programmatically in python

Question

Possible Duplicate:
Getting python.exe path at run time

I have a python app that launches other apps with explicit calls to C:\python25\python.exe, but this doesn't work if the user has 2.6 installed or if they have it installed to another location. There is a %PYTHON% variable for the exe, but this is only available to the user who installed Python (other users don't have this envvar set).

Is there another way to look up this location?

Any reason you don't change your code to invoke `python.exe` instead of `C:\python25\python.exe`? — hughdbrown, Jan 15 '10 at 19:31
duplicate: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/1846888/getting-python-exe-path-at-run-time — SilentGhost, Jan 15 '10 at 19:35

score 9 · Accepted Answer · answered Jan 15 '10 at 19:31

9

import sys
print sys.executable

answered Jan 15 '10 at 19:31

nosklo

217,122
57
293
297

1

Is there anything sys can't do? Thanks! – directedition Jan 15 '10 at 19:38

score 4 · Answer 2 · answered Jan 15 '10 at 19:31

4

>>> import sys
>>> sys.executable
'C:\\Program Files\\Python31\\pythonw.exe'

answered Jan 15 '10 at 19:31

SilentGhost

307,395
66
306
293

2

I beat you by 17 secs :P – nosklo Jan 15 '10 at 19:32
it took me time to open IDLE ;) – SilentGhost Jan 15 '10 at 19:34
1

17 seconds cause five people to upvote nosklo's answer and not upvote this one. (shakes head) +1 to both – Graeme Perrow Jan 15 '10 at 19:49
I don't think it's correct Graeme, all votes were cast after recursive's answer. – SilentGhost Jan 15 '10 at 20:11
My point was that your answer and nosklo's answer were posted 17 seconds apart, and say almost *exactly* the same (correct) thing, yet his answer has 5 more (at the time - 4 more now) upvotes than this one. – Graeme Perrow Jan 18 '10 at 03:50

score 1 · Answer 3 · answered Jan 15 '10 at 19:32

1

Consider using execfile. This executes the script you want using the same python instance that's already running.

answered Jan 15 '10 at 19:32

recursive

83,943
34
151
241

Not downvoting. But I consider this bad advice, what's the advantage of using execfile in this case (above a regular 'import')? – ChristopheD Jan 15 '10 at 19:39
It connotes executing the file rather than importing a library. What is the disadvantage? – recursive Jan 15 '10 at 20:04
My software launches many instances of python, being to use execfile would help restore sanity to my list of running processes. – directedition Jan 15 '10 at 20:06
Can command line arguements be passed? – directedition Jan 15 '10 at 20:08

Finding python.exe programmatically in python

3 Answers3