[IronPython] Python Command Line Compiler issues and questions

[Michael Foord]

Patrick O'Brien wrote:
> If you compile a python module using PYC and run the resulting executable,
> the module name is no longer '__main__' and so you cannot make use of the
> popular idiom:
> 
> if __name__ == '__main__':
> 
> If you don't use that idiom it makes it impossible to unit test any
> functions in your main module because running the unit tests imports the
> module and runs the main code.  The alternative is to have the main module
> be as small as possible and put the bulk of the functionality into other
> modules that get imported by the main module.  Which would be fine if there
> was a way to include those modules in the resulting exe created by PYC, but
> that doesn't seem to happen for me.  Which means the .py files would 
> have to
> ship as well as the .exe and the two .dll files (IronMath.dll and
> IronPython.dll).  And substituting a .pyo file does not work, so what would
> ship in my app is the source code and for this particular app that would 
> not
> be a good thing.
> 
> The PYC program lets you specify multiple .py files, but I don't understand
> what that means.  One file can be marked as main, which is what gets
> executed.  What I don't understand is how the other .py files get used.  
> The
> one example of this in the documentation was not terribly helpful for me.
> 
> Anyone have any suggestions?  Did I miss something in my understanding of
> PYC?  How are others packaging their IronPython apps for distribution to
> customers?
> 

We asked about IronPython supporting compiling Python modules so that 
they can be imported from, and were told that it probably wouldn't make 
it into IronPython 1.X.

That means (my understanding) that PYC can only be used for compiling a 
single script with no dependencies (unless you're happy about shipping 
those dependencies as source files).

Luckily for us at Resolver, I think we're happy to ship source files. If 
you're not happy with this you'll need to resort to other means for 
obfuscation (like encryption of source where the decryption is in the 
compiled part). This will confound casual observers, but IL is easily 
(relatively) decompiled and so will not stop the determined attacker 
from breaking your encryption.

Michael
http://www.voidspace.org.uk/python/articles.shtml

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