help with distributing python apps

[Gordon McMillan]

Andy Heath wrote:

> I just tried Gordon McMillan's stuff for compiler-less
> packaging of python apps for distribution on windows
> platforms.  I was sucessful in using these marvellous
> scripts (even with Tkinter) but have some comments
> and questions:
> 
> 1. Python 2.0
> Couldn't get it to work with 2.0.  Had to
> use 1.5.2.  Any plans to make it work with 2.0 ?

I would have liked to have that done already, but it's likely to 
be another couple weeks before I have time.
 
> 2. Documentation
> I needed more documentation than was there and
> working out how to do some things was by guesswork.
> Inn my view either it needs a detailed description
> of what can go in each of the sections in cfg files
> or, much better, one or two worked useage examples.
> See Q3 below.

What can go where (and what's optional / required) is in the 
builder.html page. There's a couple really simple 
minded examples in the distro, and a sophisticated one 
on the nstallFAQ.html page (note: the mcmillan-inc.com 
pages are more up to date than the starship pages).
 
> 3. I still don't know how to get extra (data)
> files in the resulting install file.  The documentation
> says something like "use a misc line" but this is not
> enough for me to figure out what section to put
> them in etc.

The only hard rule is that it can't go in the PYZ, since only 
pure python goes there. You probably want it in the section 
describing the outermost package so it will be in the "home" 
directory when you run. That would be the COLLECT target in 
a Standalone, or the INSTALL in a Simple, or the FULLEXE in 
a Freeze. But you can put it anywhere (except a PYZ); you'll  
just have to extract it yourself at run time if it's not at the 
outermost level.


- Gordon