Index: /issm/trunk-jpl/src/m/classes/model/model.py
===================================================================
--- /issm/trunk-jpl/src/m/classes/model/model.py	(revision 12761)
+++ /issm/trunk-jpl/src/m/classes/model/model.py	(revision 12762)
@@ -33,5 +33,5 @@
 from private import private
 #}}}
-class model:
+class model(object):
 	#properties
 	def __init__(self):
Index: /issm/trunk-jpl/src/m/model/petscversion.py
===================================================================
--- /issm/trunk-jpl/src/m/model/petscversion.py	(revision 12762)
+++ /issm/trunk-jpl/src/m/model/petscversion.py	(revision 12762)
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+"""
+PETSCVERSION - recover petsc version number, inside config.h file
+ 
+    Usage:
+        PETSC_VERSION=petscversion();
+"""
+
+import os
+from issmdir import *
+from MatlabFuncs import *
+
+def petscversion():
+
+	#default
+	PETSC_VERSION=3
+
+	configfile=os.path.joint(issmdir(),'/config.h')
+	if not os.path.exists(configfile):
+		raise RuntimeError("File '%s' not found. ISSM has not been configured yet!" % configfile)
+
+	%go through the file, and recover the line we want
+	try:
+		fid=open(configfile,'r')
+	except IOError as e:
+		raise IOerror("could not open file: '%s'" % configfile)
+
+	for tline in fid:
+		if strncmp(tline,'#define _PETSC_MAJOR_',21):
+			PETSC_VERSION=int(tline[22])
+			break
+
+	fid.close()
+
Index: /issm/trunk-jpl/src/m/utils/OS/ismumps.py
===================================================================
--- /issm/trunk-jpl/src/m/utils/OS/ismumps.py	(revision 12761)
+++ /issm/trunk-jpl/src/m/utils/OS/ismumps.py	(revision 12762)
@@ -21,6 +21,5 @@
 		fid=open(configfile,'r')
 	except IOError as e:
-		print "could not open file: '%s'" % configfile
-		raise IOError(e)
+		raise IOError("could not open file: '%s'" % configfile)
 
 	for tline in fid:
Index: /issm/trunk-jpl/src/m/utils/OS/ispetsc.py
===================================================================
--- /issm/trunk-jpl/src/m/utils/OS/ispetsc.py	(revision 12761)
+++ /issm/trunk-jpl/src/m/utils/OS/ispetsc.py	(revision 12762)
@@ -21,6 +21,5 @@
 		fid=open(configfile,'r')
 	except IOError as e:
-		print "could not open file: '%s'" % configfile
-		raise IOError(e)
+		raise IOError("could not open file: '%s'" % configfile)
 
 	for tline in fid: