Listing Executable Files in a Directory - Python Programming Exercise

import os
import stat

def is_executable(file_path):
    """Check if a file is executable."""
    try:
        # Check if the file has executable permissions
        return os.access(file_path, os.X_OK)
    except Exception as e:
        print(f"Error checking permissions for {file_path}: {e}")
        return False

def list_executable_files(directory):
    """List all executable files in a given directory."""
    try:
        # Check if the directory exists
        if not os.path.isdir(directory):
            print(f"Error: The directory '{directory}' does not exist or is not accessible.")
            return
        
        # List all files in the directory
        all_items = os.listdir(directory)
        executable_files = []

        # Define common executable file extensions based on OS
        executable_extensions = {
            '.exe', '.bat', '.cmd', '.sh', '.bin', '.app'
        }

        # Scan through all files in the directory
        for item in all_items:
            item_path = os.path.join(directory, item)

            # Check if it's a file and if it's executable
            if os.path.isfile(item_path) and is_executable(item_path):
                # For Unix-based systems, check the file extension too
                if any(item.endswith(ext) for ext in executable_extensions):
                    executable_files.append(item)

        # Display the executable files found
        if executable_files:
            print(f"\nExecutable files in '{directory}':")
            for file in executable_files:
                print(file)
        else:
            print(f"\nNo executable files found in '{directory}'.")

    except PermissionError:
        print(f"Error: Permission denied to access '{directory}'.")
    except Exception as e:
        print(f"Error: {e}")

def main():
    """Main function to interact with the user."""
    # Get user input for the directory
    directory = input("Enter the directory path: ")

    # List the executable files in the directory
    list_executable_files(directory)

# Run the program
if __name__ == "__main__":
    main()

 Output

Enter the directory path: /path/to/directory

Executable files in '/path/to/directory':
script.sh
program.exe
run.bat