Lesson 18 Notes: Sharing Your Python Apps with py2exe

• What we need here …
  • Since python programs are interpreted (as opposed to being compiled) they will not run without the Python interpreter.
  • In order to share programs with folks who don't have Python installed, we have two choices:
    1. Get them to install Python
    2. Package the needed parts of Python with our program
• py2exe
  • py2exe is a program that will package the needed portions of Python along with your script and make it an executable file.
  • py2exe is a separate module that must be downloaded and installed.
  • Download py2exe from http://starship.python.net/crew/theller/py2exe/
• Using py2exe
  1. Download and install py2exe
  2. Write a setup script
  3. Run the setup script:
     setup.py py2exe
  4. If the script has a GUI, use the -w switch
     setup.py py2exe -w
• A Sample Setup Script
  
  
  from distutils.core import setup
  import py2exe
  setup(name= "My Wonderful Program", version = "0.1", author = "Me", scripts=["myfile.py"])
  • Staying Alive
    
    
    • When an executable is run, it will exit as soon as it is finished. This may mean that the user never sees your program.
    • Before converting a GUI program, be sure to put the line root.mainloop() at the end of the program.
    • If a command line program exits unexpectedly, try adding the line exit = raw_input("Press [Enter] to exit") at the very end
  • For a more complete reference, see http://starship.python.net/crew/theller/py2exe/