self-extracting installators in Python?

[Nazgul]

Hi!

I want to implement a small tool in Python for distributing "patches" and I
need Your advice. This application should be able to package all files
chosen by a user into a self-extracting.exe so that when you click on it, it
will extract the files and run setup.exe which among the other will copy
these files into respective folders (the absolute paths could be written in
some config file). Of course the files should be extracted first to a
temporary directory and wiped out after use (the setup will copy them into
respective folders).
I know Python offers a zipfile module to play with ZIP file formats but I am
not sure if it enables creating self-extracting archives too. And what about
"configuring" the archive to run immediately a setup file after extracting
the files? So my question is: is that possible in Python?

I will be grateful for any hints!

Thank You in advance,

Niki

 

[Fuzzyman]

Hi!

I want to implement a small tool in Python for distributing "patches" and I
need Your advice. This application should be able to package all files
chosen by a user into a self-extracting.exe so that when you click on it, it
will extract the files and run setup.exe which among the other will copy
these files into respective folders (the absolute paths could be written in
some config file). Of course the files should be extracted first to a
temporary directory and wiped out after use (the setup will copy them into
respective folders).
I know Python offers a zipfile module to play with ZIP file formats but I am
not sure if it enables creating self-extracting archives too. And what about
"configuring" the archive to run immediately a setup file after extracting
the files? So my question is: is that possible in Python?

I will be grateful for any hints!

Thank You in advance,

Niki

Well... you could write a script to do it and make it executable using
py2exe... or you could build an innosetup distribution - which can be
used to make self-installing packages and is free too use and
distribute (to the best of my knowledge..).

Fuzzyman

 

[Harald Massa]

used to make self-installing packages and is free too use and
distribute (to the best of my knowledge..).

and with py2exe 0.5.0 a sample is provided to immediately drive innosetup
from python. It is superb

one setup.py, one "F5" in Scite, and a distributable setup.exe is build &
compressed (even with bz2 compression)

REALLY great.

 

[Sylwia]

Hello Harald!

It is really great thanks!
Anyway, I don't like the fact that it creates a separate "program" in
the
Add/Remove dialog on Windows I don't want any of my patches to be
placed there ... Can I avoid it?

Best Wishes,

Sylwia

 

[Harald Massa]

Sylwa,

It is really great thanks!
Anyway, I don't like the fact that it creates a separate "program" in
the
Add/Remove dialog on Windows I don't want any of my patches to be
placed there ... Can I avoid it?

please do your research on

http://www.jrsoftware.org/isinfo.php


That is the inno setup home page, and inno setup is doing this additions
to "add/remove" dialog.

-------------------------

next: the world leading pc software manufacturer puts his patches into
"add/remove Programs dialog" on windows. And in corporate installations
it is not a bad idea ... imagine the dialog
"did you install Patch xxxx?"
"how can I know?"
"look at Settings, control panel, software..."

--------------------------

next: the lines in add/remove program are nothing more than registry
keys.
And google python modify registry will lead you to some samples of
removing that key AFTER installation

HTH

Harald

 

[Nazgul]

Thanks!

Best Regards

Sylwia