# Pathlist separator, Windows and Unix **URL:** \ **Category:** Ruby\ **Created:** [July 17, 2007, 4:04pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/pathlist-separator-windows-and-unix/109648 "2007-07-17T16:04:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ronaldfischer](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/67e7ee/32.png) [@ronaldfischer](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/ronaldfischer)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2007, 4:04pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/pathlist-separator-windows-and-unix/109648/1 "2007-07-17T16:04:25Z")
My application deals with pathlists similar to what we know from PATH, LD\_LIBRARY\_PATH and so on, and is intended to run under Windows, Cygwin, and Linux/Unix type of systems. Example: On Windows: set MY\_SEARCH\_PATH=C:\LIB1;D:\LIB2 On Linux: export MY\_SEARCH\_PATH=/usr/lib/LIB1:$HOME/LIB2 Of course this means that if in order to decompose a pathlist, I need to know whether to split on ‘;’ (for Windows) or on ‘:’ (for the rest of the world). How can I most easily decide at runtime, what “style” of system I am running? I found the constant RUBY\_PLATFORM, but it is a bit too specific, returning things like “i386-mswin32” for my Windows. How do other people deal with this problem? Do you consider it safe to assume - “Cygwin” when RUBY\_PLATFORM==‘cygwin’, else - “Windows” style path when RUBY\_PLATFORM =~ /win/i - “Unix” style path otherwise? I am aware that there is likely no solution which is 100% waterproof, but I am happy when I find one which is reasonably stable. Ronald ---
**Author:** ![ronaldfischer](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/67e7ee/32.png) [@ronaldfischer](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/ronaldfischer)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2007, 4:54pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/pathlist-separator-windows-and-unix/109648/2 "2007-07-17T16:54:47Z")
Ronald F. wrote: > I found the constant RUBY\_PLATFORM, but it is a bit too specific, > returning things like “i386-mswin32” for my Windows. > > Ronald Under Windows XP (both Home and Pro) ``` ENV['OS'] ``` returns “Windows\_NT” > **[Making Use of Ruby's ENV Object](http://rubyonwindows.blogspot.com/2007/06/making-use-of-rubys-env-object.html)** > > Ruby provides the ENV object for easy access to a variety of environment variables. ENV is not actually a hash, but you access individual va... David > **[Ruby on Windows](http://rubyonwindows.blogspot.com)** > > On using the Ruby programming language on the Microsoft Windows platform ---
**Author:** ![ronaldfischer](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/67e7ee/32.png) [@ronaldfischer](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/ronaldfischer)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2007, 5:10pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/pathlist-separator-windows-and-unix/109648/3 "2007-07-17T17:10:32Z")
David M. wrote: > Ronald F. wrote: > > > I found the constant RUBY\_PLATFORM, but it is a bit too specific, > > returning things like “i386-mswin32” for my Windows. > > > > Ronald > > Under Windows XP (both Home and Pro) > > ``` > ENV['OS'] > > ``` > > returns “Windows\_NT” > > [Ruby on Windows: Making Use of Ruby's ENV Object](http://rubyonwindows.blogspot.com/2007/06/making-use-of-rubys-env-object.html) > > David > > [http://rubyonwindows.blogspot.com](http://rubyonwindows.blogspot.com) Another thought: ENV[‘PATH’] returns the path statement. You could perhaps query it for a semicolon: ``` ENV['PATH'].include?(';') ``` David > **[Ruby on Windows](http://rubyonwindows.blogspot.com)** > > On using the Ruby programming language on the Microsoft Windows platform ---
**Author:** ![ronaldfischer](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/67e7ee/32.png) [@ronaldfischer](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/ronaldfischer)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 9:46am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/pathlist-separator-windows-and-unix/109648/4 "2007-07-18T09:46:55Z")
> ENV[‘PATH’] returns the path statement. You could perhaps > query it for a > semicolon: > > ``` > ENV['PATH'].include?(';') > > ``` I think this is not such a good idea, because the application could run in a restricted environment, where the PATH is either not set, or contains only one directory. Ronald ---
**Author:** ![ronaldfischer](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/67e7ee/32.png) [@ronaldfischer](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/ronaldfischer)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2007, 5:39pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/pathlist-separator-windows-and-unix/109648/5 "2007-07-17T17:39:39Z")
On Jul 17, 2007, at 9:03 AM, Ronald F. wrote: > Of course this means that if in order to decompose a pathlist, I > need to > know whether to split on ‘;’ (for Windows) or on ‘:’ (for the rest of > the world). How can I most easily decide at runtime, what “style” > of system > I am running? Why not let Ruby decide for you, and use the platform-dependent File::PATH\_SEPARATOR constant? ---
**Author:** ![ronaldfischer](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/67e7ee/32.png) [@ronaldfischer](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/ronaldfischer)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 2:02pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/pathlist-separator-windows-and-unix/109648/6 "2007-07-18T14:02:20Z")
Ronald F. wrote: > > ENV[‘PATH’] returns the path statement. You could perhaps > > query it for a > > semicolon: > > > > ``` > > ENV['PATH'].include?(';') > > > > ``` > > I think this is not such a good idea, because the application > could run in a restricted environment, where the PATH is either > not set, or contains only one directory. > > Ronald Good point. Regardless, Lyle’s suggestion of File::PATH\_SEPARATOR would seem to be the better method. David ---
**Author:** ![ronaldfischer](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/67e7ee/32.png) [@ronaldfischer](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/ronaldfischer)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2008, 7:53pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/pathlist-separator-windows-and-unix/109648/7 "2008-05-23T19:53:48Z")
David M. wrote: > Ronald F. wrote: > > > > ENV[‘PATH’] returns the path statement. You could perhaps > > > query it for a > > > semicolon: > > > > > > ``` > > > ENV['PATH'].include?(';') > > > > > > ``` > > > > I think this is not such a good idea, because the application > > could run in a restricted environment, where the PATH is either > > not set, or contains only one directory. > > > > Ronald > > Good point. > > Regardless, Lyle’s suggestion of File::PATH\_SEPARATOR would seem to be > the better method. > > David Except that File::SEPARATOR is not platform-dependent, as you would expect. Try it on Windows. Then try `md #{File.join("c:","foo")}`.