whichcraft

library0.6.1pypypi✓ verified 86d ago

whichcraft is a Python package that provides cross-platform and cross-Python `shutil.which` functionality. It serves as a shim for the `shutil.which` function, designed to work consistently across Python 2.7 and various Python 3 versions, including environments like Windows where system commands might behave differently. Its primary goal is to offer a reliable way to locate executables on the system PATH, similar to the Unix `which` command.

devops

pip install whichcraft

github ↗package ↗

INSTALL

IMPORT

SIG · WHICHCRAFT

whichcraft

devopspythonv0.6.1

Install

1.5s avg

Import

9ms

Disk

16MB

Pass rate

10/ 10

Env Coverage10 / 10

glibc

3.9–3.13

musl

3.9–3.13

Install & Compatibility

Where this runs

tested against v0.6.1 · pip install

no network on importno background threads

Install × environment matrix

Each cell = how many times install + import succeeded across repeated harness runs. Partial = flaky.
glibc = Debian/Ubuntu slim · musl = Alpine Linux

musl

py 3.10–3.920 runs

installs and imports cleanly · install 0.0s · import 0.009s · 17.8MB

glibc

py 3.10–3.920 runs

installs and imports cleanly · install 1.5s · import 0.008s · 18MB

16MB installed

● package 16MB

Code

Verified usage

Verified import paths — ran on the pinned version, not inferred.

which

✓ from whichcraft import which

This quickstart demonstrates how to import the `which` function and use it to find the path to various executables. It shows successful discovery, a non-existent command returning `None`, and highlights the cross-platform behavior for common commands like 'date'.

from whichcraft import which # Find the path to a common executable python_path = which('python') print(f"Python executable found at: {python_path}") # Try to find a command that might not exist non_existent_command = which('nonexistent_command_123') print(f"Non-existent command found at: {non_existent_command}") # Example of a command that might behave differently across OS (e.g., 'date') date_command = which('date') print(f"'date' command found at: {date_command}")

Debug

Known issues

gotchaThe behavior of `whichcraft.which('date')` (or similar internal system commands) differs between Windows and Unix-like systems. On Unix-like systems (Linux, macOS), `date` is typically a standalone executable returning its path. On Windows, `date` is often an internal shell command (cmd.exe built-in) and thus `whichcraft.which` will return `None`, as it only searches for external executables on the PATH.

fix

When using `whichcraft.which` for common system commands, be aware of OS-specific differences. For commands that are shell built-ins on some platforms, `which` will return `None`. Consider using platform-agnostic Python equivalents (e.g., `datetime` module for dates) or OS-specific checks if relying on such commands.

affects: All versions

deprecatedFor Python 3.3 and newer, the functionality provided by `whichcraft` is natively available in the standard library as `shutil.which`. While `whichcraft` still works, it may not be necessary for projects targeting only modern Python 3 versions, as its primary value was cross-version (Python 2.7 and Python 3.x) compatibility and Windows support for older Python 3 versions.

fix

For new projects or existing projects targeting Python 3.3+, consider using `from shutil import which` directly. Only use `whichcraft` if you need Python 2.7 compatibility or require its specific cross-platform shim for certain edge cases.

affects: <= 0.6.1 (all versions)

Errors

Common errors & fixes

which('my_command') returns None on Windows when I expect a path, but works on Linux.

The command you are searching for (`my_command`) might be an internal shell command (e.g., `date`, `dir`) on Windows, not a standalone executable file that exists on the system's PATH. `whichcraft.which` primarily finds external executable files.

fix

Verify if `my_command` is an actual executable file (`.exe`, `.bat`, `.cmd`) on Windows and if its directory is included in the system's PATH environment variable. If it's a shell built-in, `whichcraft` cannot locate it. For such commands, consider using `subprocess` with `shell=True` (with caution) or Python's native functionalities.

ImportError: cannot import name 'which' from 'whichcraft' (or similar import errors)

This typically means the `whichcraft` package is either not installed, or there's a typo in the import statement, or there's a naming conflict with another module or file named `whichcraft.py` in your project's directory or Python path.

fix

First, ensure the library is installed: `pip install whichcraft`. Second, double-check the import statement: `from whichcraft import which`. Third, if you have a file named `whichcraft.py` in your current working directory or a directory on your `PYTHONPATH`, Python might be trying to import from your local file instead of the installed package. Rename your local file or ensure it's not shadowing the package.

Upgrade

Version history

0.6.1latest on PyPI · released Sep 6, 2019

Audit

Dependencies

No dependency data recorded yet.

Agent activity

12 hits · last 30 days

node

OpenAI (training)

Resources

githubhttps://github.com/pydanny/whichcraft ↗

packagehttps://pypi.org/project/whichcraft/ ↗