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Converting a Python project to DLL or decreasing the size and imports

I have a python project for OCR MRZ detection with 2 modules 1 is for ID which uses EasyOcr,pythorch and other one is for Passport documents which uses Pytesseract and tensorflow.
I need to prepare this project for deployment I have tried some methods but none of them was practible for deployment process.
I have tried pyinstaller with couple of configurations with --onefile
option the setup is great but it takes too long to unpack the exe
when executed.
I have then tried --onedir option the delay was gone but now
installation package was too complicated and size was too
large(1.8GB).
I have tried to "compile" python code by using Cython but even with a
helloworld.py sample app I couldn't manage to make this one work I
got couple of errors during gcc compiling the last error I got due to
msvcp package which i have installed but still got the error.
And as last I have used Nuitka to get a dll-like file to import this
in C# and use it like a package, I have successfully created a test
.pyd file from a helloworld.py but i couldn't import it in C# as i
planned.
What I need is to prepare this project as a simpler and low-sized application which is hard to reverse-engineered for source codes ready for deployment. For passport OCR I can switch development to C# but for ID I couldn't find any alternative OCR library to get the MRZ information so at least I need to use ID OCR module from my Python project.
Any help would be appreciated,
Thanks

Using embedded python, loading a *.pyd outside of DLLs directory fails

I have a C++ application (X-Plane) for which there is a plugin which permits the use of python scripts (XPPython3 plugin). The plugin is written in C, using python CAPI, and works great, allowing me to write python scripts which get executed within the C++ application.
On Windows 10, I want to extend my python features by importing imgui. I have a python cython-built pyd file (_imgui.cp39-win_amd64.pyd).
If I place the pyd file in C\Program Files\Python39\DLLs, it works as expected: C++ application calls CAPI to python, which loads script which imports and executes imgui code.
If I place the pyd file anywhere else, embedded python either reports "module not found" -- if the pyd isn't on sys.path(), or if it is on sys.path():
ImportError: DLL load failed while importing _imgui: The parameter is incorrect.'
Changes using: os.add_dll_directory(r'D:\somewhere\else')
Does not effect whether the module is found or not, nor does it change the 'parameter incorrect' error. (see https://bugs.python.org/issue36085 for details on this change. -- my guess is add_dll_directory changes lookup for DLLs, but not for pyd?) sys.path appears to be used for locating pyd.
Yes, the pyd is compiled with python3.9: I've compiled it both with mingw and with visual studio toolchains, in case that might be a difference.
For fun, I moved python-standard _zoneinfo.pyd from Python39\DLLs and it fails in the same way in embedded python: "The parameter is incorrect". So, that would appear to rule out my specific pyd file.
The key question is/are:
Other than placing a pyd file under PythonXX\DLLs, is there a way to load a PYD in an embedded python implementation? (I want to avoid having to tell users to move my pyd file into the Python39\DLLs directory... because they'll forget.)
Note that using IDLE or python.exe, I can load pyds without error -- anywhere on sys.path -- so they don't have to be under Python39\DLLs. It's only when trying to load from embedded python that the "Parameter is incorrect" appears. And of course, this works flawlessly on Mac.
(Bonus question: what parameter? It appears to be python passing through a windows error.)

There seems to be a simple answer, though I suspect it's better characterized as a python bug.
There is nothing magical about Python39\DLLs directory.
The problem is using absolute vs relative paths in sys.path.
Python can find modules using absolute or relative paths. So if zippy.py is in folder foobar,
sys.path.append('foobar')
import zippy
# Success
Python and find, BUT NOT LOAD pyd files using relative paths. For example, move _zoneinfo.pyd from PythonXX\LDDs to foobar
sys.path.append('foobar')
import _zoneinfo
# ImportError: DLL load failed while importing _zoneinfo: The parameter is incorrect.'
Instead, use absolute path, and it will find and load PYD:
sys.path.append(r'c:\MyTest\foobar')
import _zoneinfo
# Success

So, there is actually a way to do this—that is, ship your application with the desired libraries. The solution is to use an embedded distribution and ship this with your application. You can find the correct distribution on the official Python download page corresponding to your desired version (here's the link to the lastest 3.9 release which seems to be what you're using: https://www.python.org/downloads/release/python-392/). Look for the Windows Embeddable Package.
You can then simply drop in your .pyd file alongside the standard library files (note that if your third-party library is dependent on any other libraries, you will have to include them, as well). Shipping your application with an embeddable distribution should not only solve your current issue, but will also mean that your application will work regardless of which version of Python a user has installed (or without having Python installed at all).

C++ - Python Embedding with numpy - error on deployment

I'm trying to embed python with numpy in a C++ application. I'm using Windows 10 and Visual Studio 2015.
Currently I have Anaconda and WinPython installed (because I'm using Python scripts that work only with one or the other). I don't have any environment variable related to python.
For my C++ application, I'm using the WinPython python, that have numpy and a handful of other packages installed. I managed to embed python and numpy in my application when using Visual studio, both for Debug and Release. Everything is working, python is initialized and I can use numpy array and functions. WinPython is correctly used. As a simple test in my code I have:
_putenv_s("PYTHONPATH", ".");
Py_InitializeEx(0);
PyRun_SimpleString("import sys");
PyRun_SimpleString("print(sys.path)");
PyRun_SimpleString("print(sys.prefix)");
PyRun_SimpleString("print(sys.executable)");
PyRun_SimpleString("import importlib.machinery");
PyRun_SimpleString("print(importlib.machinery.all_suffixes())");
init_numpy2();
That prints:
['C:\\DevC++\\Tesseler-Cmake\\build', 'C:\\Git\\WPy64-3741\\python-3.7.4.amd64\\python37.zip', 'C:\\Git\\WPy64-3741\\python-3.7.4.amd64\\DLLs', 'C:\\Git\\WPy64-3741\\python-3.7.4.amd64\\lib', 'C:\\DevC++\\Tesseler-Cmake\\build\\Release', 'C:\\Git\\WPy64-3741\\python-3.7.4.amd64', 'C:\\Git\\WPy64-3741\\python-3.7.4.amd64\\lib\\site-packages', 'C:\\Git\\WPy64-3741\\python-3.7.4.amd64\\lib\\site-packages\\win32', 'C:\\Git\\WPy64-3741\\python-3.7.4.amd64\\lib\\site-packages\\win32\\lib', 'C:\\Git\\WPy64-3741\\python-3.7.4.amd64\\lib\\site-packages\\Pythonwin']
C:\Git\WPy64-3741\python-3.7.4.amd64
C:\DevC++\Tesseler-Cmake\build\Release\Tesseler.exe
['.py', '.pyw', '.pyc', '.cp37-win_amd64.pyd', '.pyd']
I then set-up an installer using Wix in Release, and checked that the Winpython python37.dll is shipped with my application. But when I run my program, I'm getting this error when calling import_numpy2():
['C:\\Tesseler', 'C:\\Tesseler\\python37.zip', 'C:\\Users\\Florian\\anaconda3\\Lib', 'C:\\Users\\Florian\\anaconda3\\DLLs', 'C:\\Users\\Florian\\anaconda3', 'C:\\Users\\Florian\\anaconda3\\lib\\site-packages', 'C:\\Users\\Florian\\anaconda3\\lib\\site-packages\\win32', 'C:\\Users\\Florian\\anaconda3\\lib\\site-packages\\win32\\lib', 'C:\\Users\\Florian\\anaconda3\\lib\\site-packages\\Pythonwin']
C:\Users\Florian\anaconda3
C:\Tesseler\Tesseler.exe
['.py', '.pyw', '.pyc', '.cp37-win_amd64.pyd', '.pyd']
ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'numpy'
I don't understand why anaconda is added to the sys.path and sys.prefix since I never have any reference to it in my visual studio project, nor any environment variable referencing it.
I see why using a dll from anaconda could lead to some problem but I checked with Process Explorer that my application is using the python37.dll shipped with it, which is the case.
Any idea what could cause this error?
Update:
Following ideas described in this thread, I managed to make it work by creating a python subfolder and copying the whole numpy, scipy, pandas and statsmodels folders in it (these 4 modules are needed by my script). These folders were copied from C:\Git\WPy64-3741\python-3.7.4.amd64\Lib\site-packages. I also added this python subfolder to PYTHONPATH: _putenv_s("PYTHONPATH", ".;./python");
Anyway, if someone has a better solution I'm eager to hear it as I find it annoying to have to bundle these modules (more than 600 Mo) when my application is roughly 20 Mo...

Pyinstaller can not find scipy.special._ufuncs on another computer

I am trying to get setup with a easily distributable python program which happens to use scipy. I have two windows 10 64 bit virtual machines. On one I have installed the dependencies for my program, and it runs correctly. Additionally I have installed pyinstaller and performed a freeze. The program runs correctly as the building user on the first VM, as well as a new user on the first VM. The issue is that I get a error loading dll on the second VM, which I just spun up as a test.
I attempted to find all imports from scipy and include them as hidden imports. I also included the scipy "extra dll".
pyinstaller --windowed --icon="%SCRIPT_FOLDER%\res\icon.ico" --hidden-import=numpy --hidden-import=scipy._lib._util --hidden-import=scipy.special._ufuncs --hidden-import=scipy --hidden-import=scipy.stats --hidden-import=scipy.interpolate --hidden-import=scipy.special --hidden-import=scipy.cluster.hierarchy --paths C:\Users\User\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python37\Lib\site-packages\scipy\extra-dll --workpath "%WORK_FOLDER%" --distpath "%OUTPUT_FOLDER%" "%SCRIPT_FOLDER%\..\something.py" -n something
Also, I can see the referenced dll files in the correct spot in the frozen output folder under scipy/special there are _ufuncs.cp37-win_amd64.pyd and also _ufuncs_cxx.cp37-win_amd64.pyd
The error is generated specifically on the line "from scipy import special".
Also of note, though I guess it does not help much, is that I have followed a similar procedure for OSX and Linux platforms with no such issue, and no need for any manual hidden import specification...
Would appreciate any help that you can give to help figure out what is going wrong.

Compiling an IronPython WPF project to exe

What is the best way to pack up an IronPython application for deployment? After scouring the web the best thing I've come up with (and what I'm currently doing) is using clr.CompileModules() to glue together my entire project's .py files into one .dll, and then having a single run.py do this to run the dll:
import clr
clr.AddReference('compiledapp.dll')
import app
This is still suboptimal, though, because it means I have to
distribute 3 files (the .dll, the .xaml, and the run.py launcher)
install IronPython on the host machine
Plus, this feels so... hacky, after the wonderful integration IronPython already has with Visual Studio 2010. I'm completely mystified as to why there is no integrated build system for IPy apps, seeing as it all boils down to IL anyway.
Ideally, I want to be able to have a single .exe with the .xaml merged inside somehow (I read that C# apps compile XAML to BAML and merge them in the executable), and without requiring IronPython to be installed to run. Is this at least halfway possible? (I suppose it's ok if the exe needs some extra .DLLs with it or something. The important part is that it's in .exe form.)
Some edits to clarify: I have tried pyc.py, but it seems to not acknowledge the fact that my project is not just app.py. The size of the exe it produces suggests that it is just 'compiling' app.py without including any of the other files into the exe. So, how do I tell it to compile every file in my project?
To help visualize this, here is a screenshot of my project's solution explorer window.
Edit II: It seems that unfortunately the only way is to use pyc.py and pass every single file to it as a parameter. There are two questions I have for this approach:
How do I possibly process a command line that big? There's a maximum of 256 characters in a command.
How does pyc.py know to preserve the package/folder structure? As shown in my project screenshot above, how will my compiled program know to access modules that are in subfolders, such as accessing DT\Device? Is the hierarchy somehow 'preserved' in the dll?
Edit III: Since passing 70 filenames to pyc.py through the command line will be unwieldy, and in the interest of solving the problem of building IPy projects more elegantly, I've decided to augment pyc.py.
I've added code that reads in a .pyproj file through the /pyproj: parameter, parses the XML, and grabs the list of py files used in the project from there. This has been working pretty well; however, the executable produced seems to be unable to access the python subpackages (subfolders) that are part of my project. My version of pyc.py with my .pyproj reading support patch can be found here: http://pastebin.com/FgXbZY29
When this new pyc.py is run on my project, this is the output:
c:\Projects\GenScheme\GenScheme>"c:\Program Files (x86)\IronPython 2.7\ipy.exe"
pyc.py /pyproj:GenScheme.pyproj /out:App /main:app.py /target:exe
Input Files:
c:\Projects\GenScheme\GenScheme\__init__.py
c:\Projects\GenScheme\GenScheme\Agent.py
c:\Projects\GenScheme\GenScheme\AIDisplay.py
c:\Projects\GenScheme\GenScheme\app.py
c:\Projects\GenScheme\GenScheme\BaseDevice.py
c:\Projects\GenScheme\GenScheme\BaseManager.py
c:\Projects\GenScheme\GenScheme\BaseSubSystem.py
c:\Projects\GenScheme\GenScheme\ControlSchemes.py
c:\Projects\GenScheme\GenScheme\Cu64\__init__.py
c:\Projects\GenScheme\GenScheme\Cu64\agent.py
c:\Projects\GenScheme\GenScheme\Cu64\aidisplays.py
c:\Projects\GenScheme\GenScheme\Cu64\devmapper.py
c:\Projects\GenScheme\GenScheme\Cu64\timedprocess.py
c:\Projects\GenScheme\GenScheme\Cu64\ui.py
c:\Projects\GenScheme\GenScheme\decorators.py
c:\Projects\GenScheme\GenScheme\DeviceMapper.py
c:\Projects\GenScheme\GenScheme\DT\__init__.py
c:\Projects\GenScheme\GenScheme\DT\Device.py
c:\Projects\GenScheme\GenScheme\DT\Manager.py
c:\Projects\GenScheme\GenScheme\DT\SubSystem.py
c:\Projects\GenScheme\GenScheme\excepts.py
c:\Projects\GenScheme\GenScheme\FindName.py
c:\Projects\GenScheme\GenScheme\GenScheme.py
c:\Projects\GenScheme\GenScheme\PMX\__init__.py
c:\Projects\GenScheme\GenScheme\PMX\Device.py
c:\Projects\GenScheme\GenScheme\PMX\Manager.py
c:\Projects\GenScheme\GenScheme\PMX\SubSystem.py
c:\Projects\GenScheme\GenScheme\pyevent.py
c:\Projects\GenScheme\GenScheme\Scheme.py
c:\Projects\GenScheme\GenScheme\Simulated\__init__.py
c:\Projects\GenScheme\GenScheme\Simulated\Device.py
c:\Projects\GenScheme\GenScheme\Simulated\SubSystem.py
c:\Projects\GenScheme\GenScheme\speech.py
c:\Projects\GenScheme\GenScheme\stdoutWriter.py
c:\Projects\GenScheme\GenScheme\Step.py
c:\Projects\GenScheme\GenScheme\TimedProcess.py
c:\Projects\GenScheme\GenScheme\UI.py
c:\Projects\GenScheme\GenScheme\VirtualSubSystem.py
c:\Projects\GenScheme\GenScheme\Waddle.py
Output:
App
Target:
ConsoleApplication
Platform:
ILOnly
Machine:
I386
Compiling...
Saved to App
So it correctly read in the list of files in the .pyproj... Great! But running the exe gives me this:
Unhandled Exception: IronPython.Runtime.Exceptions.ImportException:
No module named Cu64.ui
So even though Cu64\ui.py is obviously included in compilation, the exe, when run, can't find it. This is what I was afraid of in point #2 in the previous edit. How do I preserve the package hierarchy of my project? Perhaps compiling each package seperately may be needed?
I'll extend the bounty for this question. Ultimately my hope is that we can get a working pyc.py that reads in pyproj files and produces working exes in one step. Then maybe it could even be submitted to IronPython's codeplex to be included in the next release... ;]

Use pyc.py to produce app.exe and don't forget to include app.dll and IronPython libraries.
As for XAML - I've created project just for .xaml files that I compile in VS and then use them from IronPython. For example:
<ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries>
<ResourceDictionary Source="/CompiledStyle;component/Style.xaml" />
</ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries>

It "boils down to IL", but it isn't compatible with the IL that C# code produces, so it can't be directly compiled to a standalone .exe file.
You'll need to use pyc.py to compile your code to a stub EXE with the DLL that CompileModules creates.
Then distribute those files with IronPython.dll, IronPython.Modules.dll, Microsoft.Dynamic.dll, Microsoft.Scripting.Debugging.dll, Microsoft.Scripting.dll, and of course the XAML file.
To compile other files, just add them as arguments:
ipy.exe pyc.py /main:app.py /target:winexe another.py another2.py additional.py

I posted a Python script which can take an IronPython file, figure out its dependencies and compile the lot into a standalone binary at Ironpython 2.6 .py -> .exe. Hope you find it useful. It ought to work for WPF too as it bundles WPF support.

To create a set of assemblies for your IronPython application so that you can distribute it you can either use pyc.py or SharpDevelop.
To compile using pyc.py:
ipy.exe pyc.py /main:Program.py Form.py File1.py File2.py ... /target:winexe
Given the amount of files in your project you could try using SharpDevelop instead of maintaining a long command line for pyc.py. You will need to create a new IronPython project in SharpDevelop and import your files into the project. You will probably need to import the files one at a time since SharpDevelop lacks a way to import multiple files unless they are in a subfolder.
You can then use SharpDevelop to compile your application into an executable and a dll. All the other required files, such as IronPython.dll, Microsoft.Scripting.dll, will be in the bin/debug or bin/release folder. SharpDevelop uses clr.CompileModules and a custom MSBuild task behind the scenes to generate the binaries.
Any IronPython packages defined in your project should be usable from your application after compilation.
Packaging up the XAML can be done by embedding the xaml as a resource. Then using code similar to the following:
import clr
clr.AddReference('PresentationFramework')
clr.AddReference('System')
from System.IO import FileMode, FileStream, Path
from System.Reflection import Assembly
from System.Windows import Application
from System.Windows.Markup import XamlReader
executingAssemblyFileName = Assembly.GetEntryAssembly().Location
directory = Path.GetDirectoryName(executingAssemblyFileName)
xamlFileName = Path.Combine(directory, "Window1.xaml")
stream = FileStream(xamlFileName, FileMode.Open)
window = XamlReader.Load(stream)
app = Application()
app.Run(window)
SharpDevelop 3.2 does not embed resource files correctly so you will need to use SharpDevelop 4.
If you are using IronPython 2.7 you can use the new clr.LoadComponent method that takes an object and either a XAML filename or stream and wires up that object to the XAML.
Whilst the C# compiler can compile your XAML into a BAML resource doing the same with IronPython has a few problems. If you do not link the XAML to a class via the x:Class attribute then it is possible to compile the XAML into a BAML resource and have that embedded into your assembly. However you will not get any autogenerated code so you will need to create that code yourself. Another problem is that this will not work out of the box with SharpDevelop. You will need to edit the SharpDevelop.Build.Python.targets file and change the from Python to C#. Trying to use the x:Class attribute will not work since the BAML reader cannot access any associated IronPython class. This is because the generated IL in the compiled IronPython application is very different to that in a C# or VB.NET assembly.

I installed Visual Studio 2015 with PTVS (ironpython 2.7). I created a very simple WPF project and wasn't able to compile an exe. I always got the exception "ImportError: No module named wpf".
import clr
clr.AddReferenceToFileAndPath("c:\\path\\to\\IronPython.Wpf.dll")
clr.AddReferenceToFileAndPath('c:\\path\\to\\PresentationCore.dll')
clr.AddReferenceToFileAndPath('c:\\path\\to\\PresentationFramework.dll')
clr.AddReferenceToFileAndPath('c:\\path\\to\\WindowsBase.dll')
from System.Windows import Application, Window
import wpf
class MyWindow(Window):
def __init__(self):
wpf.LoadComponent(self, 'RegExTester.xaml')
def OnSearch(self, sender, e):
self.tbOut.Text = "hello world"
if __name__ == '__main__':
Application().Run(MyWindow())
The fault I got was because the clr clause must be before the import wpf. Steps to compile it:
install pip for CPython 2.7 (not ironpython!)
install ipy2asm
python -m pip install ironpycompiler
compile the application like
ipy2asm compile -t winexe -e -s program.py