[Python-Dev] Integrating the PEP 397 launcher

[Vinay Sajip]

Brian Curtin <brian <at> python.org> writes:

> Vinay - is the code you have on bitbucket ready to roll into CPython,
> thus into the installer?

I believe the main C launcher code is ready to roll into CPython. However, the
standalone installer I provide uses WiX rather than msilib, and includes
additional executables for functionality like "associate .py with one of the
installed Pythons" when the launcher is uninstalled, and for printing messages
in certain contexts when installing. I believe there needs to be a little more
thought given to how to bring the launcher into the main installer to see if we
can either dispense with, or make suitable changes to, these ancillary
functions. 

I would appreciate some feedback from Martin about this - as far as I know he
has not made any comments about launcher integration into the main installer.

The current launcher functionality (py[w].exe) is as outlined in the PEP +
feedback from users (e.g. your recent suggestion to use LOCALAPPDATA rather
than APPDATA).

The test harness may also need some thinking about - as the launcher executable
is separate from Python, I'm not sure if it's appropriate just to create a
"test_launcher.py" in Lib/test. To do a full test of the launcher you need
multiple 2.x and 3.x versions installed, and I'm not sure if this could be done
on existing Windows buildbots, for example. Of course it could be done with
mocked executables and synthetically-added registry entries, but that isn't
currently in place.

Regards,

Vinay Sajip