Batch 4: Modernize Python scripts (checkcpu.py and timer.py)

[errnair]

Summary

Modernized Python scripts to Python 3 with comprehensive features:

• checkcpu.py - Enhanced CPU information tool
• timer.py - Command benchmarking tool

Changes

checkcpu.py

• Python 3 with type hints for better code quality
• Cross-platform support:
  • Linux: Reads /proc/cpuinfo for detailed CPU info
  • macOS: Uses sysctl for CPU information
• Comprehensive CPU information display:
  • Logical and physical CPU count
  • CPU model name and vendor ID
  • CPU frequency in MHz
  • Cache sizes (L1I, L1D, L2, L3)
  • CPU flags and features
  • Virtual CPU detection (detects KVM, QEMU, VMware, Xen, etc.)
  • Platform and architecture
• Optional features:
  • CPU usage percentage (via psutil or /proc/stat fallback)
  • CPU temperature (via psutil sensors if available)
• Output formats:
  • Human-readable text (default)
  • JSON for integration with monitoring tools
• Verbose mode to display all CPU flags/features
• Proper argument parsing with argparse
• Graceful degradation when optional features unavailable

timer.py

• Python 3 with type hints and modern best practices
• Full-featured benchmarking tool for shell commands
• Multiple iteration support with comprehensive statistics:
  • Minimum, maximum, mean, median execution time
  • Standard deviation for consistency analysis
  • Total execution time
  • Success/failure tracking
• Warmup runs excluded from statistics (reduces variance)
• Command timeout support to prevent hanging
• Compare mode for benchmarking multiple commands side-by-side
• Multiple output formats:
  • Human-readable text with formatted times
  • JSON for programmatic analysis
  • CSV for spreadsheet import
• Human-readable time formatting:
  • Microseconds (μs) for very fast commands
  • Milliseconds (ms) for fast commands
  • Seconds (s) for normal commands
  • Minutes:seconds (m:s) for long-running commands
• Verbose progress indication during execution
• Comprehensive error handling with proper exit codes
• Command execution via subprocess with stderr capture

Migration Notes

checkcpu.py:

• Old: python checkcpu.py (Python 2, just printed CPU count)
• New: python3 checkcpu.py (detailed info)
• Breaking change: Output format changed from single number to formatted text
• For scripts parsing output, use: python3 checkcpu.py --json

timer.py:

• Old: python timer.py (Python 2, hardcoded loop counter)
• New: python3 timer.py "command" (benchmark any command)
• Breaking change: Requires command argument
• Old script had no practical use, new one is a proper benchmarking tool

Testing

Both scripts tested for:

• Python 3 syntax compilation
• Functional testing on macOS
• JSON output validation
• Error handling
• Cross-platform compatibility

Examples

checkcpu.py:

# Display CPU information python3 checkcpu.py # JSON output for monitoring integration python3 checkcpu.py --json # Show all CPU flags/features python3 checkcpu.py --verbose # JSON with all features python3 checkcpu.py --json --verbose

timer.py:

# Time a single command python3 timer.py "ls -la" # Run 10 iterations with statistics python3 timer.py -n 10 "curl https://example.com" # JSON output python3 timer.py --json "python script.py" # Compare two commands python3 timer.py --compare "grep pattern file" "rg pattern file" # Warmup runs + benchmark (reduces cache effects) python3 timer.py -n 100 --warmup 5 "echo test" # Export to CSV for analysis python3 timer.py --csv -n 50 "command" > results.csv # Verbose mode with progress python3 timer.py -v -n 10 "sleep 0.1" # Command timeout python3 timer.py --timeout 5 "long-running-command"

Dependencies

Both scripts use only Python standard library except for optional features:

Optional (graceful fallback if not installed):

• psutil: For CPU usage percentage and temperature (checkcpu.py)

Install with: pip3 install psutil