Python program distribution revisited

[Mark C]

All,

I looked at starting to use Python instead of Perl for custom data
conversion programs a couple years ago, but discarded the idea because
of the difficulty in distributing standalone Python apps to production
machines.

Have there been any significant improvements to Python in this regard in
the interim? Is this an area ActiveState has addressed, for example, as
they did with their Perl PDK? I'd really like to use Python in the
future, but the ability to easily produce an exe that's (relatively)
small in size, and requires no additional files, is an absolute
necessity.

Thanks!

Mark C.

[Chris Liechti]

Mark C <mcha...@notthispart.direcway.com> wrote in
news:MPG.175c24a55...@news.direcpc.com:

there is McMillans Installer an py2exe. both are realy easy to use.

both normaly create an exe containing all the scripts, but the additional
DLLs are separate in the same directory. thats verry well suited for most
cases.
if you absolutely need one file, either Installer can produce a self
extracting, executing and cleaning up archive or you take freeze (or
similar) and link all the libs staticaly. the later can go from beeing very
easy (python only + simple extensions) to beeing very hard when many
external libs are used (like GUIs etc)

chris

--
Chris <clie...@gmx.net>

[Steve Holden]

"Chris Liechti" <clie...@gmx.net> wrote ...
> Mark C <mcha...@notthispart.direcway.com> wrote :

Also note that Python is probably around where Perl was ten years ago in
terms of distribution, but growing fast in popularity. Fairly soon now (as
opposed top RSN :-) you should be able to rely on new computers having
Python support built in. Then you just have the same versioning problems you
get with Perl, and no need to distribute in installer form. Although there's
no reason why installer distribution shouldn't continue to work just like it
does now.

Does the Windows environment include Perl by default? How do you distribute
your applications to Windows users?

regards
Steve
--
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Steve Holden http://www.holdenweb.com/
Python Web Programming http://pydish.holdenweb.com/pwp/
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[Mark C]

Python availability on "standard" Windows installations would sure be
nice, but I don't expect that in the next 5 years unless Python takes
off a whole lot faster than Perl has. Not that it isn't possible,
though...

Perl is still not available "by default". I distribute Perl
applications by using ActiveState's PerlApp. It allows you to create an
exe that's about 450k with everything it needs in one file.
Alternatively, if you're installing several apps, you can include a
single 650k dll and each exe will be 120k or so in size, depending, of
course on how complicated the app is.

All in all, ActiveState's approach is very convenient, works well, and
is easy for both the developer and the end-user to use.

Mark

In article <XjpJ8.48983$%u2.2...@atlpnn01.usenetserver.com>,
sho...@holdenweb.com says...

> "Chris Liechti" <clie...@gmx.net> wrote ...