Find python3.xx on windows

3 files changed, 12 insertions, 3 deletions

diff --git a/docs/markdown/Python-module.md b/docs/markdown/Python-module.md
index bc4311f58..f67262abf 100644
--- a/docs/markdown/Python-module.md
+++ b/docs/markdown/Python-module.md
@@ -37,7 +37,10 @@ If provided, it can be:
 - One of `python2` or `python3`: in either case, the module will try
   some alternative names: `py -2` or `py -3` on Windows, and `python`
   everywhere. In the latter case, it will check whether the version
-  provided by the sysconfig module matches the required major version
+  provided by the sysconfig module matches the required major version.
+
+  *Since 1.2.0*, searching for minor version (e.g. `python3.11`) also
+  works on Windows.
 
 Keyword arguments are the following:
 
diff --git a/docs/markdown/snippets/python-find-version.md b/docs/markdown/snippets/python-find-version.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0cd6672c2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/markdown/snippets/python-find-version.md
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+## Find more specific python version on Windows
+
+You can now use `python3.x`, where `x` is the minor version,
+to find a more specific version of python on Windows, when
+using the python module. On other platforms, it was already
+working as `python3.x` is the executable name.
diff --git a/mesonbuild/modules/python.py b/mesonbuild/modules/python.py
index 239c68af7..178f1bdce 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/modules/python.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/modules/python.py
@@ -300,12 +300,12 @@ class PythonModule(ExtensionModule):
     # https://www.python.org/dev/peps/pep-0397/
     @staticmethod
     def _get_win_pythonpath(name_or_path: str) -> T.Optional[str]:
-        if name_or_path not in ['python2', 'python3']:
+        if not name_or_path.startswith(('python2', 'python3')):
             return None
         if not shutil.which('py'):
             # program not installed, return without an exception
             return None
-        ver = {'python2': '-2', 'python3': '-3'}[name_or_path]
+        ver = f'-{name_or_path[6:]}'
         cmd = ['py', ver, '-c', "import sysconfig; print(sysconfig.get_config_var('BINDIR'))"]
         _, stdout, _ = mesonlib.Popen_safe(cmd)
         directory = stdout.strip()