I currently work on a Python project, which I'd like to upload to the Microsoft Store in the future.
As far as I am aware, in order to upload applications to the Microsoft Store, it is necessary that the application will be packed into the MSIX format.
Now the question is - is it possible to pack a Python project into the MSIX format?
I already tried two possible approaches
The first approach
I assumed that it will be much easier to pack an .exe file into an MSIX package. Since .py files require an interpreter in order to run, I managed to freeze the Python project into a standalone .exe runnable file - and it works pretty good.
I found a useful tool made by Microsoft, which is supposed to pack .exe files under the MSIX format. The tool is MSIX Packaging Tool which is available at the Microsoft Store. I did manage to create an .msix file but I can't run in since Windows says that I have to sign the .exe first.
The second approach
I found out that it is possible to pack a project into an MSIX package, by using built-in tools inside Visual Studio 2019. So I managed to move my whole python project into Visual Studio, and follow the next steps in order to pack my project.
The problem is that already in the early stages, when adding the reference to my python project, the next error occurs:
I'd love to know if you have any other possible approaches for packing a Python project into an MSIX package.
Related
I've made this question because I had to go through the whole process of creating my own application using Apple's somewhat lacking documentation, and without the use of py2app. I wanted to create the whole application structure so I know exactly what was inside, as well as create an installer for it. The latter of these is still a mystery, so any additional answers with information on making a custom installer would be appreciated. As far as the actual "bundle" structure goes, however, I think I've managed to get the basics down. See the answer below.
Edit: A tutorial has been linked at the end of this answer on using PyInstaller; I don't know how much it helps as I haven't used it yet, but I have yet to figure out how to make a standalone Python application without the use of a tool like this and it may just be what you're looking for if you wish to distribute your application without relying on users knowing how to navigate their Python installations.
A generic application is really just a directory with a .app extension. So, in order to build your application, just make the folder without the extension first. You can rename it later when you're finished putting it all together. Inside this main folder will be a Contents folder, which will hold everything your application needs. Finally, inside Contents, you will place a few things:
Info.plist
MacOS
Resources
Frameworks
Here you can find some information on how to write your Info.plist file. Basically, this is where you detail information about your application.
Inside the MacOS you want to place your main executable. I'm not sure that it matters how you write it; at first, I just had a shell script that called python3 ./../Resources/MyApp.py. I didn't think this was very neat though, so eventually I called the GUI from a Python script which became my executable (I used Tkinter to build my application's GUI, and I wrote several modules which I will get to later). So now, my executable was a Python script with a shebang pointing to the Python framework in my application's Frameworks folder, and this script just created an instance of my custom Tk() subclass and ran the mainloop. Both methods worked, though, so unless someone points out a reason to choose one method over the other, feel free to pick. The one thing that I believe is necessary, is that you name your executable the SAME as your application (before adding the .app). That, I believe, is the only way that MacOS knows to use that file as your application's executable. Here is a source that describes the bundle structure in more detail; it's not a necessary read unless you really want to get into it.
In order to make your executable run smoothly, you want to make sure you know where your Python installation is. If you're like me, the first thing you tried doing on your new Mac was open up Terminal and type in python3. If this is the case, this prompted you to install the Xcode Command Line tools, which include an installation of Python 3.8.2 (most recent on Xcode 12). Then, this Python installation would be located at /usr/bin/python3, although it's actually using the Python framework located at
/Applications/Xcode.app/Developer/Library/Frameworks/Python3.framework/Versions/3.8/bin/python3
I believe, but am NOT CERTAIN, that you could simply make a copy of this framework and add it to your Frameworks folder in order to make the app portable. Make a copy of the Python3.framework folder, and add it to your app's Frameworks folder. A quick side note to be wary of; Xcode comes packaged with a lot of useful tools. In my current progress, the tool I am most hurting for is the Fortran compiler (that I believe comes as a part of GCC), which comes with Xcode. I need this to build SciPy with pip install scipy. I'm sure this is not the only package that would require tools that Xcode provides, but SciPy is a pretty popular package and I am currently facing this limitation. I think by copying the Python framework you still lose some of the symlinks that point to Xcode tools, so any additional input on this would be great.
In any case, locate the Python framework that you use to develop your programs, and copy it into the Frameworks folder.
Finally, the Resources folder. Here, place any modules that you wrote for your Python app. You also want to put your application's icon file here. Just make sure you indicate the name of the icon file, with extension, in the Info.plist file. Also, make sure that your executable knows how to access any modules you place in here. You can achieve this with
import os
os.chdir('./../Resources')
import MyModules
Finally, make sure that any dependencies your application requires are located in the Python framework site-packages. These will be located in Frameworks/Python3.framework/Versions/3.X.Y/lib/python3.x.y/site-packages/. If you call this specific installation of Python from the command line, you can use path/to/application/python3 -m pip install package and it should place the packages in the correct folder.
P.S. As far as building the installer for this application, there are a few more steps needed before your application is readily downloaded. For instance, I believe you need to use the codesign tool in order to approve your application for MacOS Gatekeeper. This requires having a developer license and manipulating certificates, which I'm not familiar with. You can still distribute the app, but anyone who downloads it will have to bypass the security features manually and it will seem a bit sketchy. If you're ready to build the installer (.pkg) file, take a look at the docs for productbuild; I used it and it works, but I don't yet know how to create custom steps and descriptions in the installer.
Additional resources:
A somewhat more detailed guide to the anatomy of a macOS app
A guide I found, but didn't use, on using codesign to get your app past Gatekeeper
A RealPython tutorial I found on using PyInstaller to build Python-based applications for all platforms
I know there is some way to call Python from C++, like Python/C API or Boost.Python. My question is, how can I distribute the application? For example, does user still need to install Python and Python packages on their machine?
My user case is: I want to use some Python code from my C++ code. The main application is written in C++. Then I am going to deploy my app. The goal is to make the app self contained, and user don't need to install Python and Python packages at all.
The possible steps may be :
1, calling Python from C++ via Python/C API or boost.Python from source code.
2, bring Python/C libraries together with application.
I hope after these 2 steps, my app will be a self-contained and standalone software. User can just copy the app folder to any other machines which has no Python installed.
Note that due to license issue, I can not use PyInstaller. I also meet some problems when trying to use "Nuitka" to make the Python part self contained. So I am now trying directly calling Python from C++. I know it will run on my developer machine. But needs to confirm that this solution can also make app self-contained and won't ask user to install Python.
Update: Now I feel I need to do something to make my app self-contained if I use Python/C to call python from C++ :
1, I need to bring all needed runtime with my app. (C++ runtime of course, and the python_version.dll)
2, I need to deploy a Python interpreter inside my app. Simply copy the Python folder from Python installation and remove some not needed files (like header files, lib files)
3, use Py_SetPythonHome function to points to the copied Python interpreter inside the app.
I'd say you're on the right track. Basically, you should obtain a Python (shared or static) library, compile your program with it, and of course bundle the Python dependencies you have with your program. The best documentation I've read is available here: https://docs.python.org/3.8/extending/embedding.html#embedding-python-in-another-application. Roughly, the process is:
Get a Python library from python.org and compile with ./configure --enable-shared (I believe omitting --enable-shared does only produce the python binary).
Compile your program. Have it reference the headers under Include and link the library. Note that you can obtain the compiler and linker flags you need as described here.
Call Python code from within your application using e.g. PyRun_SimpleString() or other functions from the C API. Note that you may also depend on the Python standard library (under Lib in the distribution) if there's any functionality you use from it.
If you linked against Python statically, at this point you're done, aside from bundling any Python code you depend on, which I'm not sure is relevant in your case.
I am suffering from the same problem, I had a project which is made up of C++ and python(embedded) and there is a problem of deployment/distribution.
After research, I got a solution which is not perfect (means it will be helpful to run your app in other system)
change visual studio in release mode and compile(you got a folder in your working directory)
install pyinstaller (pip install pyinstaller)
then navigate to pyinstaller folder and command:-pyinstaller.exe "your script_file_path.py"
-it will create a dist folder
copy that folder in working folder where exe exists.
remember.
dist folder and c/python code compiled by same version of python.
now good to go.
it will work.
I've read the Python documentation chapter explaining how to embed the Python interpreter in a C/C++ application. Also, I've read that you can install Python modules either in a system-wide fashion, or locally to a given user.
But let's suppose my C/C++ application will use some Python modules such as SymPy, Matplotlib, and other related modules. And let's suppose end users of my application won't have any kind of Python installation in their machines.
This means that my application needs to ship with "pseudo-installed" modules, inside its data directories (just like the application has a folder for icons and other resources, it will need to have a directory for Python modules).
Another requirement is that the absolute path of my application installation isn't fixed: the user can "drag" the application bundle to another directory and it will run fine there (it already works this way but that's prior to embedding Python in it, and I wish it continues being this way after embedding Python).
I guess my question could be expressed more concisely as "how can I use Python without installing Python, neither system-wide, nor user-wide?"
There are various ways you could attempt to do this, but none of them are general solutions. From the (docs):
5.5. Embedding Python in C++
It is also possible to embed Python in a C++ program; precisely how this is done will depend on the details of the C++ system used; in general you will need to write the main program in C++, and use the C++ compiler to compile and link your program. There is no need to recompile Python itself using C++.
This is the shortest section in the document, and is roughly equivalent to: 'left as an exercise for the reader`. I do not believe you will find any straight forward solutions.
Use pyinstaller to gather the pieces:
This means that my application needs to ship with "pseudo-installed" modules, inside its data directories (just like the application has a folder for icons and other resources, it will need to have a directory for Python modules).
If I needed to tackle this problem, I would use pyinstaller as a base. (Disclosure: I am an occasional contributer). One of the major functions of pyinstaller is to gather up all of the needed resources for a python program. In onedir mode, all of the things needed to let the program run are gathered into one directory.
You could include this tool into your make system, and have it place all of the needed pieces into your python data directory in your build tree.
I have no development experience in Qt/KDE and Python, but I know Windows CE development using Visual Studio for mobile platforms. My requirement is to build the open object client https://launchpad.net/openobject-client-kde for Windows CE 5.2 devices.
I have downloaded the sources from http://sourceforge.net/p/ktiny/code/HEAD/tree/ but don't know what to do with it. I understood those source contains Python and Qt files.
Could someone please let me know how I can build/compile the downloaded sources? I am using Windows 8, and what are the SDK/IDE/Libs that are to be configured
Thanks in Advance
#nish
The source you downloaded does contain "Qt files" only in a sense. What it really has is various build scripts, C++ source files, .ui xml and .qml files for user interface generation. The C++ and .ui sources need to be run through code generators (moc and uic, respectively), to generate more C++ code.
"All" you do to get this code to work is to compile it using whatever build system it uses and link it with the Qt library.
The first step is to get a working Qt build for your target platform. You need to get to a point where you have the examples included with Qt running on your Windows CE 5.2 device. Until you get to that point, there's no reason whatosever to even look at the openproject files themselves. If you can't get bare Qt to work on your target, you're toast.
The second step is to figure out the dependencies of the openobject client project - does it really need KDE, and to what extent?
Thirdly, you have to acquire and build those dependencies, and make sure that they work on your target platform. For KDE, there's plenty of example applications that you can use to try things out.
Lastly, you'll get to build the openobject code itself.
Note that it's very likely that none of the projects you'll be building include any Visual Studio project files, so you'll be running all of the build using various commandline build tools.
It'll be, in fact, likely easiest to do the builds using Qt Creator rather than Visual Studio, since Visual Studio doesn't really support out-of-the-box any build systems other than its own. Note that Visual Studio has two main components: the IDE, and the compilers with requisite runtime libraries. You don't need to use the former to use the latter.
As-is, though, your question is way too broad and you'll need to come back and ask separate questions as you run into individual problems.
I am working with python plugins for QGIS . I am done with my one of my .py file using python 2.5 and pyqt4. It is just help file for QGIS, which I changed. I wanted to in-cooperate the same in QGIS. I installed QGIS 1.7.1.
I know it to be done through python plugins. But how to go about it?
where to copy my file, so that it will get open from QGIS?
QGIS already has that page(help file), I need to change it.
help me out.
If you're creating a QGIS plugin in Python, you may want to place it in your .qgis/python/plugins folder. Actually, you should create a subfolder below that. But that's not all, your code has to provide certain functions in order to get hooked up properly into QGIS. http://qgis.org/pyqgis-cookbook/plugins.html#plugins provides detailed information about that. Once your Python plugin is complete and located in the correct location, you'll have to enable it in the QGIS Plugin Manager (choose Plugins/Manage Plugins... from the manu). I'm not sure if your question is about creating QGIS Python Plugins or about replacing QGIS menu items via Python - could you clarify this? Are there any error messages for the things that are not working? Could you post your code (or relevant parts of it) for review (this might speed up the process of finding a solution)?