diff -r 000000000000 -r c9bf2537109a ait/os/bin/opensecurityd/environment.py
--- /dev/null	Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000
+++ b/ait/os/bin/opensecurityd/environment.py	Tue Nov 12 11:31:34 2013 +0100
@@ -0,0 +1,97 @@
+#!/bin/env python
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+
+# ------------------------------------------------------------
+# environment.py
+# 
+# pick some current environment infos
+#
+# Autor: Oliver Maurhart, <oliver.maurhart@ait.ac.at>
+#
+# Copyright (C) 2013 AIT Austrian Institute of Technology
+# AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH
+# Donau-City-Strasse 1 | 1220 Vienna | Austria
+# http://www.ait.ac.at
+#
+# This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+# modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License
+# as published by the Free Software Foundation version 2.
+# 
+# This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+# GNU General Public License for more details.
+# 
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+# along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
+# Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, 
+# Boston, MA  02110-1301, USA.
+# ------------------------------------------------------------
+
+
+# ------------------------------------------------------------
+# imports
+
+import os
+import os.path
+import sys
+
+
+# ------------------------------------------------------------
+# code
+
+
+class Environment(object):
+    
+    """Hold some nifty environment stuff in a dedicated class."""
+    
+    def __init__(self, application = None):
+        
+        # if we ain't got a path to start from, all is valid/lost
+        if len(sys.path[0]) == 0:
+            self.prefix_path = ''
+            self.data_path = ''
+            self.image_path = ''
+            return
+        
+        # the prefix path
+        #
+        # - on Linux: this is ../../ to the current executable
+        #   e.g. "/usr/bin/myprogram" --> "/usr"
+        #
+        # - on Windows: this is the installation folder
+        #   e.g. "C:/Program Files/MyProgram/bin/myprogam" --> "C:/Program Files/MyProgram"
+        #
+        if sys.platform == 'linux2':
+            self.prefix_path = os.path.split(sys.path[0])[0]
+        elif sys.platform == 'win32':
+            self.prefix_path = os.path.split(sys.path[0])[0]
+            
+        # the data path where all data files are stored
+        if sys.platform == 'linux2':
+            if not application is None:
+                self.data_path = os.path.join(self.prefix_path, os.path.join('share', application))
+            else:
+                self.data_path = os.path.join(self.prefix_path, 'share')
+        elif sys.platform == 'win32':
+            self.data_path = self.prefix_path
+
+        # the image path 
+        if sys.platform == 'linux2':
+            self.image_path = os.path.join(self.data_path, 'gfx')
+        elif sys.platform == 'win32':
+            self.image_path = os.path.join(self.data_path, 'gfx')
+
+
+# test the module
+def test():
+    """Module test call."""
+    
+    e = Environment("opensecurity")
+    print("prefix_path: {0}".format(e.prefix_path))
+    print("  data_path: {0}".format(e.data_path))
+    print(" image_path: {0}".format(e.image_path))
+
+# standalone calls are module tests
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    test()