--- name: "shtool-platform" section: "1" platform: "linux" package: "shtool" version: "2.0.8-10" release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)" platforms: ["linux"] url: "https://new.carta.tech/shtool-platform" --- # shtool-platform(1) GNU shtool Unix platform identification ## NAME shtool-platform - GNU shtool Unix platform identification ## SYNOPSIS **shtool platform** \[**-F**\|**--format** *format*\] \[**-S**\|**--sep** *string*\] \[**-C**\|**--conc** *string*\] \[**-L**\|**--lower**\] \[**-U**\|**--upper**\] \[**-v**\|**--verbose**\] \[**-c**\|**--concise**\] \[**-n**\|**--newline**\] \[**-d**\|**--debug**\] \[**-t**\|**--type** *type*\] \[**-n**\|**--newline**\] \[**-d**\|**--debug**\] ## DESCRIPTION **shtool platform** is a flexible Unix platform identification program. It distinguishes a platform according to its *hardware architecture* and *operating system*. For both there is a *class*, *product* and *technology* identification. For each of those six identifications, there is a *verbose*, *regular* and *concise* version. This leads to eighteen (2x3x3) available identification strings for each platform, from which usually 2 are chosen in a particular situation. This is done by assembling the platform identification string using a *format* string containing one or more identification constructs of the forms "`"%[xx]"`" (verbose), "`"%{xx}"`" (regular) and "`"%"`" (concise). ## OPTIONS The following command line options are available. - **-F**, **--format** *format* This option controls the output formatting of this program. It is a plain-text string with the "`"%"`*xx*" constructs which expand to the various platform information strings. "`"%{"`*xx*`"}"`" is the canonical regular version of the information. "`"%["`*xx*`"]"`" is the verbose version of the information. "`"%<"`*xx*`">"`" is the concise version of the information. In total, the following constructs are available for expansion: ``` %[ac] verbose hardware architecture class %{ac} regular hardware architecture class % concise hardware architecture class %[ap] verbose hardware architecture product %{ap} regular hardware architecture product % concise hardware architecture product %[at] verbose hardware architecture technology %{at} regular hardware architecture technology % concise hardware architecture technology %[sc] verbose operating system class %{sc} regular operating system class % concise operating system class %[sp] verbose operating system product %{sp} regular operating system product % concise operating system product %[st] verbose operating system technology %{st} regular operating system technology % concise operating system technology ``` The default *format* string is "`"%{sp} (%{ap})"`", providing the regular operating system and hardware architecture product information. - **-S**, **--sep** *string* This option sets the word *separation* string for the platform information strings. By default it is "`" "`" (whitespace). It is especially used for separating the operating system name and the operating system version. - **-C**, **--conc** *string* This option sets the word *concatenation* string for the platform information strings. By default it is "`"/"`". It is especially used to concatenate multiple parts in operating system name and version parts. - **-L**, **--lower** This options enforces conversion of the output to all *lower* case. - **-U**, **--upper** This options enforces conversion of the output to all *upper* case. - **-v**, **--verbose** This option enforces verbose versions of all expansion constructs in *format* string of option **-F**. It is equal to specifying all expansion constructs as "`"%["`*xx*`"]"`". - **-c**, **--concise** This option enforces concise versions of all expansion constructs in *format* string of option **-F**. It is equal to specifying all expansion constructs as "`"%<"`*xx*`">"`". - **-n**, **--no-newline** This option omits the usual trailing newline character in the output. - **-t**, **--type** *type* This option is a meta option which internally sets options **-F**, **-S**, **-C**, **-L**, **-U**, **-v** or **-c** according to *TYPE*. It can be used to easily specify various commonly known outputs. The following *TYPE*s are available: - **binary** Binary Package Id (OpenPKG RPM). This is equal to "`"-F '%' -L -S '' -C '+'\>" and results in outputs like "`"ix86-freebsd4.9"`" and "`"ix86-debian3.0"`". - **build** Build-Time Checking (OpenPKG RPM). This is equal to "`"-F '%' -L -S '' -C '+'\>" and results in outputs like "`"i686-freebsd4.9"`" and "`"i586-linux2.4"`". - **gnu** GNU *config.guess* Style Id. This is similar to **build** and is equal to "`"-F '"%' -L -S '' -C '+'\>" and results in outputs like "`"i686-unknown-freebsd4.9"`" and "`"i586-unknown-linux2.4"`". - **web** HTTP Server Header Id. This is equal to "`"-F '"%' -S '/' -C '+'\>" and results in outputs like "`"FreeBSD/4.9-iX86"`" and "`"Debian/3.0-iX86"`". - **summary** Human Readable Verbose Summary Information. This is equal to "`"-F` `'Class: %[sc] (%[ac])\nProduct: %[sp] (%[ap])\nTechnology: %[st]` `(%[at])' -S ' ' -C '/'"`" and results in outputs like: ``` Class: 4.4BSD (iX86) Product: FreeBSD 4.9-RC (iX86) Technology: FreeBSD 4.9-RC (i686) ``` and ``` Class: LSB (iX86) Product: Debian GNU/Linux 3.0 (iX86) Technology: GNU/Linux 2.2/2.4 (i686) ``` - **all-in-one** All-In-One Full-Table Information. This just outputs really all 2x2x3 identification strings as a table. - **-d**, **--debug** This option enables some internal debugging messages. - **-V**, **--version** This option outputs the version information of **shtool platform** only. - **-h**, **--help** This option outputs the usage information of **shtool platform** only. ## EXAMPLE The following real-life use cases are known: - **OpenPKG** build-time decisions ``` $ platform -c -L -S "" -C "+" -F "%at-%st" $ platform -c -L -S "" -C "+" -F "%ac-%sc" ``` - **OpenPKG** binary RPM packages ``` $ platform -c -L -S "" -C "+" -F "%ap-%sp" ``` - *README* files ``` $ platform -v -F "%sp (%ap)" $ platform -v -F "%sc (%ac)" ``` - Debugging ``` $ platform --type=all-in-one ``` ## SUPPORT **shtool platform** currently knows the following particular Unix platforms in detail: FreeBSD, NetBSD, OpenBSD, Linux, Sun Solaris, SCO UnixWare, QNX Neutrino, SGI IRIX, HP HP-UX, HP Tru64, IBM AIX and Apple Mac OS X Darwin. All other Unix platforms are recognized through generic [**uname**(1)](/uname/1.md) information and so usually can be identified sufficiently, although the identification might be not as precise as possible. ## HISTORY **shtool platform** was implemented in September 2003 by *Ralf S.* *Engelschall* for use in the **OSSP** and **OpenPKG** projects. It was prompted by the need in **OpenPKG** to have both product (for RPM filenames) and technology (for build-time decisions) identifiers for the Unix platforms, OpenPKG packages are maintained for. It was inspired by the **GNU** *config.guess* and the old **GNU shtool** *guessos* command. The major difference to **GNU** *config.guess* is that **shtool platform** does not use a *vendor* identification (cannot be determined most of the time and is not used at all in all projects I've ever seen) and is a lot more flexible (class, product and technology identifications combined with verbose, regular and concise outputs). The drawback of **shtool platform** is that it (still) knows less particular platforms, although the generic platform identification is sufficient enough most of the time. ## SEE ALSO [**uname**(3)](/uname/3.md), GNU *config.guess*.