[python-win32] Distributing a Python app using MSI

[Emlyn Jones]

On 3/28/06, Mark Mc Mahon <mark.m.mcmahon at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi Emlyn,
>
> On 3/28/06, Emlyn Jones <emlynj at gmail.com> wrote:
> > Hello,
> > This maybe better suited to the Distutils-SIG, but for now I'll try it here.
> > I'm just wondering if anybody on this list has ever used the msilib functions
> > used to build the Python installer to build an MSI installer for their own
> > Python application. Sort of like distutils but to install scripts into a user
> > specified folder as well as modules into .../site-packages.
> > It looks like I could hack the msi.py script used to build the Python
> > installation but I wondered if anybody could point me towards a hello world
> > type example, I'm not really up to speed on the finer details of MSI.
> > Google'n around it looks like I will have to install the extension modules
> > using distutils and then my application using some other method. I'd like to
> > install the whole lot (including dependencies if necessary; Stuff like
> > fpconst) using MSI.
> > If I'm being silly/missing something shouts will be gratefully heard.
>
> So let me see if I understand...
> You have a bunch of files (.py, .pyd) etc.
>
> Do they need to go into different directories (e.g.
> windows/python\lib\site-packages) or you can put them all under one
> directory?
>  - If you are putting everything under one directory then I guess it
> shouldn't be THAT difficult (though MSI is reasonably complicated!)
>
> If you are putting files under various directories - then it becomes
> more complicated - but still possible.
>
> My suggestion would be to use distutils first to collect everything
> into one usable/clean structure - then build the MSI out of that.
>
> I have worked quite a bit with MSI - but never created my own from
> Scratch - some people use WIX (which I think was open sourced from
> Microsoft themselves).
>
> > Cheers,
> > Emlyn.
> > P.S. py2exe et. al. are not an option because it's a web application.
>
> I hope that was of some use,
> Mark
>
Hello, thanks for the reply.
Yes, that's useful.
I have a bunch of py and pyd files as you say; some get installed as
Python modules (in site-packages) some get installed elsewhere (in a
user specified folder).
I wasn't aware of WIX, a quick look through the tutorial suggests it
is what I'm looking for. I was just thinking that if Python had the
were with-all (let's face it, when doesn't Python have the were
with-all), it might be a less steep learning curve.
I guess my next decision is whether to re package the existing
extension modules (fpconst and the PyWebSvc stuff) and install them as
components or to find a way of getting msi to call `python setup.py
install`. Either way, I think your suggestion of grouping them all in
a single distutils package first is the way to go.
At least I know I'm heading in roughly the right direction.
One more question though, if that's ok. I can test for Python by
checking for the registry entries but what's the best way to check
that the win32 stuff. Is it just a case of looking for the folders
under site-packages? I guess a little Python script that attempts to
import stuff and returns an error code may be another way.

Cheers,
Emlyn.