[erlang-questions] How to find the full OTP release number (including patch level)?

[Dominic Williams]

Hi Bill,

> So is there any "canonical" way that erlangers condition code
> based on functionality that is in a specific patch level of a
> release?
>
> For example, spawn_monitor is available in R11B-4 but not in
> some earlier patch levels of R11B

I try to avoid explicitly testing for release numbers. If I must
support several releases, I try to find code that works for them
all.

In the case of spawn_monitor, I grant you that I would want to
make use of it if it were available, it being safer than doing
spawn and monitor in two steps. I would therefore call the
function inside a try, and fallback to separate spawn and monitor
if I catch an undef.

Best regards,

Dominic Williams
http://dominicwilliams.net

----