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Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!ames!ames.arc.nasa.gov!lamaster
From: lamaster@ames.arc.nasa.gov (Hugh LaMaster)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.sgi,comp.unix.ultrix,comp.sys.mips
Subject: Re: Distinguishing "true" MIPS box from DECstation at compile time
Message-ID: <38700@ames.arc.nasa.gov>
Date: 22 Dec 89 01:00:23 GMT
References: <89Dec15.145750est.2273@neat.cs.toronto.edu> <1300@uakari.primate.wisc.edu> <2103@odin.SGI.COM>
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In article <2103@odin.SGI.COM> msc@sgi.com writes:
>In article <89Dec15.145750est.2273@neat.cs.toronto.edu>,
>Even though the system vendors don't define "feature ifdefs" you can write
>your code as if you had them.  You simply have to create a header that does
>all the ugly stuff (like that in the rest of the referenced article) and
>sets the appropriate "featuredefs".

I agree with most of what is written here, but, I sure could use a standard
way to determine from the shell what architecture of machine I am on.

I wish, for example, that the "arch" command could be made universal, and
would return a string which has 2 simple components.  For example:

sun3
sun4

decvax
decmips

sgimips

(or whatever you want, as long as it is unique).

BTW, I currently use if [] tests on files to guess,  when something
else is not available, but this doesn't work
reliably because of differences in filesystem mounts, which optional 
software is loaded, etc.


  Hugh LaMaster, m/s 233-9,  UUCP ames!lamaster
  NASA Ames Research Center  ARPA lamaster@ames.arc.nasa.gov
  Moffett Field, CA 94035     
  Phone:  (415)694-6117