1.. _built-dist: 2 3**************************** 4Creating Built Distributions 5**************************** 6 7.. include:: ./_setuptools_disclaimer.rst 8 9A "built distribution" is what you're probably used to thinking of either as a 10"binary package" or an "installer" (depending on your background). It's not 11necessarily binary, though, because it might contain only Python source code 12and/or byte-code; and we don't call it a package, because that word is already 13spoken for in Python. (And "installer" is a term specific to the world of 14mainstream desktop systems.) 15 16A built distribution is how you make life as easy as possible for installers of 17your module distribution: for users of RPM-based Linux systems, it's a binary 18RPM; for Windows users, it's an executable installer; for Debian-based Linux 19users, it's a Debian package; and so forth. Obviously, no one person will be 20able to create built distributions for every platform under the sun, so the 21Distutils are designed to enable module developers to concentrate on their 22specialty---writing code and creating source distributions---while an 23intermediary species called *packagers* springs up to turn source distributions 24into built distributions for as many platforms as there are packagers. 25 26Of course, the module developer could be their own packager; or the packager could 27be a volunteer "out there" somewhere who has access to a platform which the 28original developer does not; or it could be software periodically grabbing new 29source distributions and turning them into built distributions for as many 30platforms as the software has access to. Regardless of who they are, a packager 31uses the setup script and the :command:`bdist` command family to generate built 32distributions. 33 34As a simple example, if I run the following command in the Distutils source 35tree:: 36 37 python setup.py bdist 38 39then the Distutils builds my module distribution (the Distutils itself in this 40case), does a "fake" installation (also in the :file:`build` directory), and 41creates the default type of built distribution for my platform. The default 42format for built distributions is a "dumb" tar file on Unix, and a simple 43executable installer on Windows. (That tar file is considered "dumb" because it 44has to be unpacked in a specific location to work.) 45 46Thus, the above command on a Unix system creates 47:file:`Distutils-1.0.{plat}.tar.gz`; unpacking this tarball from the right place 48installs the Distutils just as though you had downloaded the source distribution 49and run ``python setup.py install``. (The "right place" is either the root of 50the filesystem or Python's :file:`{prefix}` directory, depending on the options 51given to the :command:`bdist_dumb` command; the default is to make dumb 52distributions relative to :file:`{prefix}`.) 53 54Obviously, for pure Python distributions, this isn't any simpler than just 55running ``python setup.py install``\ ---but for non-pure distributions, which 56include extensions that would need to be compiled, it can mean the difference 57between someone being able to use your extensions or not. And creating "smart" 58built distributions, such as an RPM package or an executable installer for 59Windows, is far more convenient for users even if your distribution doesn't 60include any extensions. 61 62The :command:`bdist` command has a :option:`!--formats` option, similar to the 63:command:`sdist` command, which you can use to select the types of built 64distribution to generate: for example, :: 65 66 python setup.py bdist --format=zip 67 68would, when run on a Unix system, create 69:file:`Distutils-1.0.{plat}.zip`\ ---again, this archive would be unpacked 70from the root directory to install the Distutils. 71 72The available formats for built distributions are: 73 74+-------------+------------------------------+---------+ 75| Format | Description | Notes | 76+=============+==============================+=========+ 77| ``gztar`` | gzipped tar file | \(1) | 78| | (:file:`.tar.gz`) | | 79+-------------+------------------------------+---------+ 80| ``bztar`` | bzipped tar file | | 81| | (:file:`.tar.bz2`) | | 82+-------------+------------------------------+---------+ 83| ``xztar`` | xzipped tar file | | 84| | (:file:`.tar.xz`) | | 85+-------------+------------------------------+---------+ 86| ``ztar`` | compressed tar file | \(3) | 87| | (:file:`.tar.Z`) | | 88+-------------+------------------------------+---------+ 89| ``tar`` | tar file (:file:`.tar`) | | 90+-------------+------------------------------+---------+ 91| ``zip`` | zip file (:file:`.zip`) | (2),(4) | 92+-------------+------------------------------+---------+ 93| ``rpm`` | RPM | \(5) | 94+-------------+------------------------------+---------+ 95| ``pkgtool`` | Solaris :program:`pkgtool` | | 96+-------------+------------------------------+---------+ 97| ``sdux`` | HP-UX :program:`swinstall` | | 98+-------------+------------------------------+---------+ 99| ``wininst`` | self-extracting ZIP file for | \(4) | 100| | Windows | | 101+-------------+------------------------------+---------+ 102| ``msi`` | Microsoft Installer. | | 103+-------------+------------------------------+---------+ 104 105.. versionchanged:: 3.5 106 Added support for the ``xztar`` format. 107 108 109Notes: 110 111(1) 112 default on Unix 113 114(2) 115 default on Windows 116 117(3) 118 requires external :program:`compress` utility. 119 120(4) 121 requires either external :program:`zip` utility or :mod:`zipfile` module (part 122 of the standard Python library since Python 1.6) 123 124(5) 125 requires external :program:`rpm` utility, version 3.0.4 or better (use ``rpm 126 --version`` to find out which version you have) 127 128You don't have to use the :command:`bdist` command with the :option:`!--formats` 129option; you can also use the command that directly implements the format you're 130interested in. Some of these :command:`bdist` "sub-commands" actually generate 131several similar formats; for instance, the :command:`bdist_dumb` command 132generates all the "dumb" archive formats (``tar``, ``gztar``, ``bztar``, 133``xztar``, ``ztar``, and ``zip``), and :command:`bdist_rpm` generates both 134binary and source RPMs. The :command:`bdist` sub-commands, and the formats 135generated by each, are: 136 137+--------------------------+-------------------------------------+ 138| Command | Formats | 139+==========================+=====================================+ 140| :command:`bdist_dumb` | tar, gztar, bztar, xztar, ztar, zip | 141+--------------------------+-------------------------------------+ 142| :command:`bdist_rpm` | rpm, srpm | 143+--------------------------+-------------------------------------+ 144| :command:`bdist_wininst` | wininst | 145+--------------------------+-------------------------------------+ 146| :command:`bdist_msi` | msi | 147+--------------------------+-------------------------------------+ 148 149.. note:: 150 bdist_wininst is deprecated since Python 3.8. 151 152The following sections give details on the individual :command:`bdist_\*` 153commands. 154 155 156.. .. _creating-dumb: 157 158.. Creating dumb built distributions 159.. ================================= 160 161.. XXX Need to document absolute vs. prefix-relative packages here, but first 162 I have to implement it! 163 164 165.. _creating-rpms: 166 167Creating RPM packages 168===================== 169 170The RPM format is used by many popular Linux distributions, including Red Hat, 171SuSE, and Mandrake. If one of these (or any of the other RPM-based Linux 172distributions) is your usual environment, creating RPM packages for other users 173of that same distribution is trivial. Depending on the complexity of your module 174distribution and differences between Linux distributions, you may also be able 175to create RPMs that work on different RPM-based distributions. 176 177The usual way to create an RPM of your module distribution is to run the 178:command:`bdist_rpm` command:: 179 180 python setup.py bdist_rpm 181 182or the :command:`bdist` command with the :option:`!--format` option:: 183 184 python setup.py bdist --formats=rpm 185 186The former allows you to specify RPM-specific options; the latter allows you to 187easily specify multiple formats in one run. If you need to do both, you can 188explicitly specify multiple :command:`bdist_\*` commands and their options:: 189 190 python setup.py bdist_rpm --packager="John Doe <jdoe@example.org>" \ 191 bdist_wininst --target-version="2.0" 192 193Creating RPM packages is driven by a :file:`.spec` file, much as using the 194Distutils is driven by the setup script. To make your life easier, the 195:command:`bdist_rpm` command normally creates a :file:`.spec` file based on the 196information you supply in the setup script, on the command line, and in any 197Distutils configuration files. Various options and sections in the 198:file:`.spec` file are derived from options in the setup script as follows: 199 200+------------------------------------------+----------------------------------------------+ 201| RPM :file:`.spec` file option or section | Distutils setup script option | 202+==========================================+==============================================+ 203| Name | ``name`` | 204+------------------------------------------+----------------------------------------------+ 205| Summary (in preamble) | ``description`` | 206+------------------------------------------+----------------------------------------------+ 207| Version | ``version`` | 208+------------------------------------------+----------------------------------------------+ 209| Vendor | ``author`` and ``author_email``, | 210| | or --- & ``maintainer`` and | 211| | ``maintainer_email`` | 212+------------------------------------------+----------------------------------------------+ 213| Copyright | ``license`` | 214+------------------------------------------+----------------------------------------------+ 215| Url | ``url`` | 216+------------------------------------------+----------------------------------------------+ 217| %description (section) | ``long_description`` | 218+------------------------------------------+----------------------------------------------+ 219 220Additionally, there are many options in :file:`.spec` files that don't have 221corresponding options in the setup script. Most of these are handled through 222options to the :command:`bdist_rpm` command as follows: 223 224+-------------------------------+-----------------------------+-------------------------+ 225| RPM :file:`.spec` file option | :command:`bdist_rpm` option | default value | 226| or section | | | 227+===============================+=============================+=========================+ 228| Release | ``release`` | "1" | 229+-------------------------------+-----------------------------+-------------------------+ 230| Group | ``group`` | "Development/Libraries" | 231+-------------------------------+-----------------------------+-------------------------+ 232| Vendor | ``vendor`` | (see above) | 233+-------------------------------+-----------------------------+-------------------------+ 234| Packager | ``packager`` | (none) | 235+-------------------------------+-----------------------------+-------------------------+ 236| Provides | ``provides`` | (none) | 237+-------------------------------+-----------------------------+-------------------------+ 238| Requires | ``requires`` | (none) | 239+-------------------------------+-----------------------------+-------------------------+ 240| Conflicts | ``conflicts`` | (none) | 241+-------------------------------+-----------------------------+-------------------------+ 242| Obsoletes | ``obsoletes`` | (none) | 243+-------------------------------+-----------------------------+-------------------------+ 244| Distribution | ``distribution_name`` | (none) | 245+-------------------------------+-----------------------------+-------------------------+ 246| BuildRequires | ``build_requires`` | (none) | 247+-------------------------------+-----------------------------+-------------------------+ 248| Icon | ``icon`` | (none) | 249+-------------------------------+-----------------------------+-------------------------+ 250 251Obviously, supplying even a few of these options on the command-line would be 252tedious and error-prone, so it's usually best to put them in the setup 253configuration file, :file:`setup.cfg`\ ---see section :ref:`setup-config`. If 254you distribute or package many Python module distributions, you might want to 255put options that apply to all of them in your personal Distutils configuration 256file (:file:`~/.pydistutils.cfg`). If you want to temporarily disable 257this file, you can pass the :option:`!--no-user-cfg` option to :file:`setup.py`. 258 259There are three steps to building a binary RPM package, all of which are 260handled automatically by the Distutils: 261 262#. create a :file:`.spec` file, which describes the package (analogous to the 263 Distutils setup script; in fact, much of the information in the setup script 264 winds up in the :file:`.spec` file) 265 266#. create the source RPM 267 268#. create the "binary" RPM (which may or may not contain binary code, depending 269 on whether your module distribution contains Python extensions) 270 271Normally, RPM bundles the last two steps together; when you use the Distutils, 272all three steps are typically bundled together. 273 274If you wish, you can separate these three steps. You can use the 275:option:`!--spec-only` option to make :command:`bdist_rpm` just create the 276:file:`.spec` file and exit; in this case, the :file:`.spec` file will be 277written to the "distribution directory"---normally :file:`dist/`, but 278customizable with the :option:`!--dist-dir` option. (Normally, the :file:`.spec` 279file winds up deep in the "build tree," in a temporary directory created by 280:command:`bdist_rpm`.) 281 282.. % \XXX{this isn't implemented yet---is it needed?!} 283.. % You can also specify a custom \file{.spec} file with the 284.. % \longprogramopt{spec-file} option; used in conjunction with 285.. % \longprogramopt{spec-only}, this gives you an opportunity to customize 286.. % the \file{.spec} file manually: 287.. % 288.. % \ begin{verbatim} 289.. % > python setup.py bdist_rpm --spec-only 290.. % # ...edit dist/FooBar-1.0.spec 291.. % > python setup.py bdist_rpm --spec-file=dist/FooBar-1.0.spec 292.. % \ end{verbatim} 293.. % 294.. % (Although a better way to do this is probably to override the standard 295.. % \command{bdist\_rpm} command with one that writes whatever else you want 296.. % to the \file{.spec} file.) 297 298 299.. _creating-wininst: 300 301Creating Windows Installers 302=========================== 303 304.. warning:: 305 bdist_wininst is deprecated since Python 3.8. 306 307Executable installers are the natural format for binary distributions on 308Windows. They display a nice graphical user interface, display some information 309about the module distribution to be installed taken from the metadata in the 310setup script, let the user select a few options, and start or cancel the 311installation. 312 313Since the metadata is taken from the setup script, creating Windows installers 314is usually as easy as running:: 315 316 python setup.py bdist_wininst 317 318or the :command:`bdist` command with the :option:`!--formats` option:: 319 320 python setup.py bdist --formats=wininst 321 322If you have a pure module distribution (only containing pure Python modules and 323packages), the resulting installer will be version independent and have a name 324like :file:`foo-1.0.win32.exe`. Note that creating ``wininst`` binary 325distributions in only supported on Windows systems. 326 327If you have a non-pure distribution, the extensions can only be created on a 328Windows platform, and will be Python version dependent. The installer filename 329will reflect this and now has the form :file:`foo-1.0.win32-py2.0.exe`. You 330have to create a separate installer for every Python version you want to 331support. 332 333The installer will try to compile pure modules into :term:`bytecode` after installation 334on the target system in normal and optimizing mode. If you don't want this to 335happen for some reason, you can run the :command:`bdist_wininst` command with 336the :option:`!--no-target-compile` and/or the :option:`!--no-target-optimize` 337option. 338 339By default the installer will display the cool "Python Powered" logo when it is 340run, but you can also supply your own 152x261 bitmap which must be a Windows 341:file:`.bmp` file with the :option:`!--bitmap` option. 342 343The installer will also display a large title on the desktop background window 344when it is run, which is constructed from the name of your distribution and the 345version number. This can be changed to another text by using the 346:option:`!--title` option. 347 348The installer file will be written to the "distribution directory" --- normally 349:file:`dist/`, but customizable with the :option:`!--dist-dir` option. 350 351.. _cross-compile-windows: 352 353Cross-compiling on Windows 354========================== 355 356Starting with Python 2.6, distutils is capable of cross-compiling between 357Windows platforms. In practice, this means that with the correct tools 358installed, you can use a 32bit version of Windows to create 64bit extensions 359and vice-versa. 360 361To build for an alternate platform, specify the :option:`!--plat-name` option 362to the build command. Valid values are currently 'win32', and 'win-amd64'. 363For example, on a 32bit version of Windows, you could execute:: 364 365 python setup.py build --plat-name=win-amd64 366 367to build a 64bit version of your extension. The Windows Installers also 368support this option, so the command:: 369 370 python setup.py build --plat-name=win-amd64 bdist_wininst 371 372would create a 64bit installation executable on your 32bit version of Windows. 373 374To cross-compile, you must download the Python source code and cross-compile 375Python itself for the platform you are targeting - it is not possible from a 376binary installation of Python (as the .lib etc file for other platforms are 377not included.) In practice, this means the user of a 32 bit operating 378system will need to use Visual Studio 2008 to open the 379:file:`PCbuild/PCbuild.sln` solution in the Python source tree and build the 380"x64" configuration of the 'pythoncore' project before cross-compiling 381extensions is possible. 382 383Note that by default, Visual Studio 2008 does not install 64bit compilers or 384tools. You may need to reexecute the Visual Studio setup process and select 385these tools (using Control Panel->[Add/Remove] Programs is a convenient way to 386check or modify your existing install.) 387 388.. _postinstallation-script: 389 390The Postinstallation script 391--------------------------- 392 393Starting with Python 2.3, a postinstallation script can be specified with the 394:option:`!--install-script` option. The basename of the script must be 395specified, and the script filename must also be listed in the scripts argument 396to the setup function. 397 398This script will be run at installation time on the target system after all the 399files have been copied, with ``argv[1]`` set to :option:`!-install`, and again at 400uninstallation time before the files are removed with ``argv[1]`` set to 401:option:`!-remove`. 402 403The installation script runs embedded in the windows installer, every output 404(``sys.stdout``, ``sys.stderr``) is redirected into a buffer and will be 405displayed in the GUI after the script has finished. 406 407Some functions especially useful in this context are available as additional 408built-in functions in the installation script. 409 410 411.. function:: directory_created(path) 412 file_created(path) 413 414 These functions should be called when a directory or file is created by the 415 postinstall script at installation time. It will register *path* with the 416 uninstaller, so that it will be removed when the distribution is uninstalled. 417 To be safe, directories are only removed if they are empty. 418 419 420.. function:: get_special_folder_path(csidl_string) 421 422 This function can be used to retrieve special folder locations on Windows like 423 the Start Menu or the Desktop. It returns the full path to the folder. 424 *csidl_string* must be one of the following strings:: 425 426 "CSIDL_APPDATA" 427 428 "CSIDL_COMMON_STARTMENU" 429 "CSIDL_STARTMENU" 430 431 "CSIDL_COMMON_DESKTOPDIRECTORY" 432 "CSIDL_DESKTOPDIRECTORY" 433 434 "CSIDL_COMMON_STARTUP" 435 "CSIDL_STARTUP" 436 437 "CSIDL_COMMON_PROGRAMS" 438 "CSIDL_PROGRAMS" 439 440 "CSIDL_FONTS" 441 442 If the folder cannot be retrieved, :exc:`OSError` is raised. 443 444 Which folders are available depends on the exact Windows version, and probably 445 also the configuration. For details refer to Microsoft's documentation of the 446 :c:func:`SHGetSpecialFolderPath` function. 447 448 449.. function:: create_shortcut(target, description, filename[, arguments[, workdir[, iconpath[, iconindex]]]]) 450 451 This function creates a shortcut. *target* is the path to the program to be 452 started by the shortcut. *description* is the description of the shortcut. 453 *filename* is the title of the shortcut that the user will see. *arguments* 454 specifies the command line arguments, if any. *workdir* is the working directory 455 for the program. *iconpath* is the file containing the icon for the shortcut, 456 and *iconindex* is the index of the icon in the file *iconpath*. Again, for 457 details consult the Microsoft documentation for the :class:`IShellLink` 458 interface. 459 460 461Vista User Access Control (UAC) 462=============================== 463 464Starting with Python 2.6, bdist_wininst supports a :option:`!--user-access-control` 465option. The default is 'none' (meaning no UAC handling is done), and other 466valid values are 'auto' (meaning prompt for UAC elevation if Python was 467installed for all users) and 'force' (meaning always prompt for elevation). 468 469.. note:: 470 bdist_wininst is deprecated since Python 3.8. 471