1.. _built-dist:
2
3****************************
4Creating Built Distributions
5****************************
6
7A "built distribution" is what you're probably used to thinking of either as a
8"binary package" or an "installer" (depending on your background).  It's not
9necessarily binary, though, because it might contain only Python source code
10and/or byte-code; and we don't call it a package, because that word is already
11spoken for in Python.  (And "installer" is a term specific to the world of
12mainstream desktop systems.)
13
14A built distribution is how you make life as easy as possible for installers of
15your module distribution: for users of RPM-based Linux systems, it's a binary
16RPM; for Windows users, it's an executable installer; for Debian-based Linux
17users, it's a Debian package; and so forth.  Obviously, no one person will be
18able to create built distributions for every platform under the sun, so the
19Distutils are designed to enable module developers to concentrate on their
20specialty---writing code and creating source distributions---while an
21intermediary species called *packagers* springs up to turn source distributions
22into built distributions for as many platforms as there are packagers.
23
24Of course, the module developer could be their own packager; or the packager could
25be a volunteer "out there" somewhere who has access to a platform which the
26original developer does not; or it could be software periodically grabbing new
27source distributions and turning them into built distributions for as many
28platforms as the software has access to.  Regardless of who they are, a packager
29uses the setup script and the :command:`bdist` command family to generate built
30distributions.
31
32As a simple example, if I run the following command in the Distutils source
33tree::
34
35   python setup.py bdist
36
37then the Distutils builds my module distribution (the Distutils itself in this
38case), does a "fake" installation (also in the :file:`build` directory), and
39creates the default type of built distribution for my platform.  The default
40format for built distributions is a "dumb" tar file on Unix, and a simple
41executable installer on Windows.  (That tar file is considered "dumb" because it
42has to be unpacked in a specific location to work.)
43
44Thus, the above command on a Unix system creates
45:file:`Distutils-1.0.{plat}.tar.gz`; unpacking this tarball from the right place
46installs the Distutils just as though you had downloaded the source distribution
47and run ``python setup.py install``.  (The "right place" is either the root of
48the filesystem or  Python's :file:`{prefix}` directory, depending on the options
49given to the :command:`bdist_dumb` command; the default is to make dumb
50distributions relative to :file:`{prefix}`.)
51
52Obviously, for pure Python distributions, this isn't any simpler than just
53running ``python setup.py install``\ ---but for non-pure distributions, which
54include extensions that would need to be compiled, it can mean the difference
55between someone being able to use your extensions or not.  And creating "smart"
56built distributions, such as an RPM package or an executable installer for
57Windows, is far more convenient for users even if your distribution doesn't
58include any extensions.
59
60The :command:`bdist` command has a :option:`!--formats` option, similar to the
61:command:`sdist` command, which you can use to select the types of built
62distribution to generate: for example, ::
63
64   python setup.py bdist --format=zip
65
66would, when run on a Unix system, create :file:`Distutils-1.0.{plat}.zip`\
67---again, this archive would be unpacked from the root directory to install the
68Distutils.
69
70The available formats for built distributions are:
71
72+-------------+------------------------------+---------+
73| Format      | Description                  | Notes   |
74+=============+==============================+=========+
75| ``gztar``   | gzipped tar file             | (1),(3) |
76|             | (:file:`.tar.gz`)            |         |
77+-------------+------------------------------+---------+
78| ``ztar``    | compressed tar file          | \(3)    |
79|             | (:file:`.tar.Z`)             |         |
80+-------------+------------------------------+---------+
81| ``tar``     | tar file (:file:`.tar`)      | \(3)    |
82+-------------+------------------------------+---------+
83| ``zip``     | zip file (:file:`.zip`)      | (2),(4) |
84+-------------+------------------------------+---------+
85| ``rpm``     | RPM                          | \(5)    |
86+-------------+------------------------------+---------+
87| ``pkgtool`` | Solaris :program:`pkgtool`   |         |
88+-------------+------------------------------+---------+
89| ``sdux``    | HP-UX :program:`swinstall`   |         |
90+-------------+------------------------------+---------+
91| ``wininst`` | self-extracting ZIP file for | \(4)    |
92|             | Windows                      |         |
93+-------------+------------------------------+---------+
94| ``msi``     | Microsoft Installer.         |         |
95+-------------+------------------------------+---------+
96
97
98Notes:
99
100(1)
101   default on Unix
102
103(2)
104   default on Windows
105
106(3)
107   requires external utilities: :program:`tar` and possibly one of :program:`gzip`,
108   :program:`bzip2`, or :program:`compress`
109
110(4)
111   requires either external :program:`zip` utility or :mod:`zipfile` module (part
112   of the standard Python library since Python 1.6)
113
114(5)
115   requires external :program:`rpm` utility, version 3.0.4 or better (use ``rpm
116   --version`` to find out which version you have)
117
118You don't have to use the :command:`bdist` command with the :option:`!--formats`
119option; you can also use the command that directly implements the format you're
120interested in.  Some of these :command:`bdist` "sub-commands" actually generate
121several similar formats; for instance, the :command:`bdist_dumb` command
122generates all the "dumb" archive formats (``tar``, ``ztar``, ``gztar``, and
123``zip``), and :command:`bdist_rpm` generates both binary and source RPMs.  The
124:command:`bdist` sub-commands, and the formats generated by each, are:
125
126+--------------------------+-----------------------+
127| Command                  | Formats               |
128+==========================+=======================+
129| :command:`bdist_dumb`    | tar, ztar, gztar, zip |
130+--------------------------+-----------------------+
131| :command:`bdist_rpm`     | rpm, srpm             |
132+--------------------------+-----------------------+
133| :command:`bdist_wininst` | wininst               |
134+--------------------------+-----------------------+
135| :command:`bdist_msi`     | msi                   |
136+--------------------------+-----------------------+
137
138The following sections give details on the individual :command:`bdist_\*`
139commands.
140
141
142.. _creating-dumb:
143
144Creating dumb built distributions
145=================================
146
147.. XXX Need to document absolute vs. prefix-relative packages here, but first
148       I have to implement it!
149
150
151.. _creating-rpms:
152
153Creating RPM packages
154=====================
155
156The RPM format is used by many popular Linux distributions, including Red Hat,
157SuSE, and Mandrake.  If one of these (or any of the other RPM-based Linux
158distributions) is your usual environment, creating RPM packages for other users
159of that same distribution is trivial. Depending on the complexity of your module
160distribution and differences between Linux distributions, you may also be able
161to create RPMs that work on different RPM-based distributions.
162
163The usual way to create an RPM of your module distribution is to run the
164:command:`bdist_rpm` command::
165
166   python setup.py bdist_rpm
167
168or the :command:`bdist` command with the :option:`!--format` option::
169
170   python setup.py bdist --formats=rpm
171
172The former allows you to specify RPM-specific options; the latter allows  you to
173easily specify multiple formats in one run.  If you need to do both, you can
174explicitly specify multiple :command:`bdist_\*` commands and their options::
175
176   python setup.py bdist_rpm --packager="John Doe <jdoe@example.org>" \
177                   bdist_wininst --target-version="2.0"
178
179Creating RPM packages is driven by a :file:`.spec` file, much as using the
180Distutils is driven by the setup script.  To make your life easier, the
181:command:`bdist_rpm` command normally creates a :file:`.spec` file based on the
182information you supply in the setup script, on the command line, and in any
183Distutils configuration files.  Various options and sections in the
184:file:`.spec` file are derived from options in the setup script as follows:
185
186+------------------------------------------+----------------------------------------------+
187| RPM :file:`.spec` file option or section | Distutils setup script option                |
188+==========================================+==============================================+
189| Name                                     | ``name``                                     |
190+------------------------------------------+----------------------------------------------+
191| Summary (in preamble)                    | ``description``                              |
192+------------------------------------------+----------------------------------------------+
193| Version                                  | ``version``                                  |
194+------------------------------------------+----------------------------------------------+
195| Vendor                                   | ``author`` and ``author_email``,             |
196|                                          | or  --- & ``maintainer`` and                 |
197|                                          | ``maintainer_email``                         |
198+------------------------------------------+----------------------------------------------+
199| Copyright                                | ``license``                                  |
200+------------------------------------------+----------------------------------------------+
201| Url                                      | ``url``                                      |
202+------------------------------------------+----------------------------------------------+
203| %description (section)                   | ``long_description``                         |
204+------------------------------------------+----------------------------------------------+
205
206Additionally, there are many options in :file:`.spec` files that don't have
207corresponding options in the setup script.  Most of these are handled through
208options to the :command:`bdist_rpm` command as follows:
209
210+-------------------------------+-----------------------------+-------------------------+
211| RPM :file:`.spec` file option | :command:`bdist_rpm` option | default value           |
212| or section                    |                             |                         |
213+===============================+=============================+=========================+
214| Release                       | ``release``                 | "1"                     |
215+-------------------------------+-----------------------------+-------------------------+
216| Group                         | ``group``                   | "Development/Libraries" |
217+-------------------------------+-----------------------------+-------------------------+
218| Vendor                        | ``vendor``                  | (see above)             |
219+-------------------------------+-----------------------------+-------------------------+
220| Packager                      | ``packager``                | (none)                  |
221+-------------------------------+-----------------------------+-------------------------+
222| Provides                      | ``provides``                | (none)                  |
223+-------------------------------+-----------------------------+-------------------------+
224| Requires                      | ``requires``                | (none)                  |
225+-------------------------------+-----------------------------+-------------------------+
226| Conflicts                     | ``conflicts``               | (none)                  |
227+-------------------------------+-----------------------------+-------------------------+
228| Obsoletes                     | ``obsoletes``               | (none)                  |
229+-------------------------------+-----------------------------+-------------------------+
230| Distribution                  | ``distribution_name``       | (none)                  |
231+-------------------------------+-----------------------------+-------------------------+
232| BuildRequires                 | ``build_requires``          | (none)                  |
233+-------------------------------+-----------------------------+-------------------------+
234| Icon                          | ``icon``                    | (none)                  |
235+-------------------------------+-----------------------------+-------------------------+
236
237Obviously, supplying even a few of these options on the command-line would be
238tedious and error-prone, so it's usually best to put them in the setup
239configuration file, :file:`setup.cfg`\ ---see section :ref:`setup-config`.  If
240you distribute or package many Python module distributions, you might want to
241put options that apply to all of them in your personal Distutils configuration
242file (:file:`~/.pydistutils.cfg`).  If you want to temporarily disable
243this file, you can pass the --no-user-cfg option to setup.py.
244
245There are three steps to building a binary RPM package, all of which are
246handled automatically by the Distutils:
247
248#. create a :file:`.spec` file, which describes the package (analogous  to the
249   Distutils setup script; in fact, much of the information in the  setup script
250   winds up in the :file:`.spec` file)
251
252#. create the source RPM
253
254#. create the "binary" RPM (which may or may not contain binary code, depending
255   on whether your module distribution contains Python extensions)
256
257Normally, RPM bundles the last two steps together; when you use the Distutils,
258all three steps are typically bundled together.
259
260If you wish, you can separate these three steps.  You can use the
261:option:`!--spec-only` option to make :command:`bdist_rpm` just create the
262:file:`.spec` file and exit; in this case, the :file:`.spec` file will be
263written to the "distribution directory"---normally :file:`dist/`, but
264customizable with the :option:`!--dist-dir` option.  (Normally, the :file:`.spec`
265file winds up deep in the "build tree," in a temporary directory created by
266:command:`bdist_rpm`.)
267
268.. % \XXX{this isn't implemented yet---is it needed?!}
269.. % You can also specify a custom \file{.spec} file with the
270.. % \longprogramopt{spec-file} option; used in conjunction with
271.. % \longprogramopt{spec-only}, this gives you an opportunity to customize
272.. % the \file{.spec} file manually:
273.. %
274.. % \ begin{verbatim}
275.. % > python setup.py bdist_rpm --spec-only
276.. % # ...edit dist/FooBar-1.0.spec
277.. % > python setup.py bdist_rpm --spec-file=dist/FooBar-1.0.spec
278.. % \ end{verbatim}
279.. %
280.. % (Although a better way to do this is probably to override the standard
281.. % \command{bdist\_rpm} command with one that writes whatever else you want
282.. % to the \file{.spec} file.)
283
284
285.. _creating-wininst:
286
287Creating Windows Installers
288===========================
289
290Executable installers are the natural format for binary distributions on
291Windows.  They display a nice graphical user interface, display some information
292about the module distribution to be installed taken from the metadata in the
293setup script, let the user select a few options, and start or cancel the
294installation.
295
296Since the metadata is taken from the setup script, creating Windows installers
297is usually as easy as running::
298
299   python setup.py bdist_wininst
300
301or the :command:`bdist` command with the :option:`!--formats` option::
302
303   python setup.py bdist --formats=wininst
304
305If you have a pure module distribution (only containing pure Python modules and
306packages), the resulting installer will be version independent and have a name
307like :file:`foo-1.0.win32.exe`.  These installers can even be created on Unix
308platforms or Mac OS X.
309
310If you have a non-pure distribution, the extensions can only be created on a
311Windows platform, and will be Python version dependent. The installer filename
312will reflect this and now has the form :file:`foo-1.0.win32-py2.0.exe`.  You
313have to create a separate installer for every Python version you want to
314support.
315
316The installer will try to compile pure modules into :term:`bytecode` after installation
317on the target system in normal and optimizing mode.  If you don't want this to
318happen for some reason, you can run the :command:`bdist_wininst` command with
319the :option:`!--no-target-compile` and/or the :option:`!--no-target-optimize`
320option.
321
322By default the installer will display the cool "Python Powered" logo when it is
323run, but you can also supply your own 152x261 bitmap which must be a Windows
324:file:`.bmp` file with the :option:`!--bitmap` option.
325
326The installer will also display a large title on the desktop background window
327when it is run, which is constructed from the name of your distribution and the
328version number.  This can be changed to another text by using the
329:option:`!--title` option.
330
331The installer file will be written to the "distribution directory" --- normally
332:file:`dist/`, but customizable with the :option:`!--dist-dir` option.
333
334.. _cross-compile-windows:
335
336Cross-compiling on Windows
337==========================
338
339Starting with Python 2.6, distutils is capable of cross-compiling between
340Windows platforms.  In practice, this means that with the correct tools
341installed, you can use a 32bit version of Windows to create 64bit extensions
342and vice-versa.
343
344To build for an alternate platform, specify the :option:`!--plat-name` option
345to the build command.  Valid values are currently 'win32', 'win-amd64' and
346'win-ia64'.  For example, on a 32bit version of Windows, you could execute::
347
348   python setup.py build --plat-name=win-amd64
349
350to build a 64bit version of your extension.  The Windows Installers also
351support this option, so the command::
352
353   python setup.py build --plat-name=win-amd64 bdist_wininst
354
355would create a 64bit installation executable on your 32bit version of Windows.
356
357To cross-compile, you must download the Python source code and cross-compile
358Python itself for the platform you are targeting - it is not possible from a
359binary installation of Python (as the .lib etc file for other platforms are
360not included.)  In practice, this means the user of a 32 bit operating
361system will need to use Visual Studio 2008 to open the
362:file:`PCBuild/PCbuild.sln` solution in the Python source tree and build the
363"x64" configuration of the 'pythoncore' project before cross-compiling
364extensions is possible.
365
366Note that by default, Visual Studio 2008 does not install 64bit compilers or
367tools.  You may need to reexecute the Visual Studio setup process and select
368these tools (using Control Panel->[Add/Remove] Programs is a convenient way to
369check or modify your existing install.)
370
371.. _postinstallation-script:
372
373The Postinstallation script
374---------------------------
375
376Starting with Python 2.3, a postinstallation script can be specified with the
377:option:`!--install-script` option.  The basename of the script must be
378specified, and the script filename must also be listed in the scripts argument
379to the setup function.
380
381This script will be run at installation time on the target system after all the
382files have been copied, with ``argv[1]`` set to :option:`!-install`, and again at
383uninstallation time before the files are removed with ``argv[1]`` set to
384:option:`!-remove`.
385
386The installation script runs embedded in the windows installer, every output
387(``sys.stdout``, ``sys.stderr``) is redirected into a buffer and will be
388displayed in the GUI after the script has finished.
389
390Some functions especially useful in this context are available as additional
391built-in functions in the installation script.
392
393
394.. function:: directory_created(path)
395              file_created(path)
396
397   These functions should be called when a directory or file is created by the
398   postinstall script at installation time.  It will register *path* with the
399   uninstaller, so that it will be removed when the distribution is uninstalled.
400   To be safe, directories are only removed if they are empty.
401
402
403.. function:: get_special_folder_path(csidl_string)
404
405   This function can be used to retrieve special folder locations on Windows like
406   the Start Menu or the Desktop.  It returns the full path to the folder.
407   *csidl_string* must be one of the following strings::
408
409      "CSIDL_APPDATA"
410
411      "CSIDL_COMMON_STARTMENU"
412      "CSIDL_STARTMENU"
413
414      "CSIDL_COMMON_DESKTOPDIRECTORY"
415      "CSIDL_DESKTOPDIRECTORY"
416
417      "CSIDL_COMMON_STARTUP"
418      "CSIDL_STARTUP"
419
420      "CSIDL_COMMON_PROGRAMS"
421      "CSIDL_PROGRAMS"
422
423      "CSIDL_FONTS"
424
425   If the folder cannot be retrieved, :exc:`OSError` is raised.
426
427   Which folders are available depends on the exact Windows version, and probably
428   also the configuration.  For details refer to Microsoft's documentation of the
429   :c:func:`SHGetSpecialFolderPath` function.
430
431
432.. function:: create_shortcut(target, description, filename[, arguments[, workdir[, iconpath[, iconindex]]]])
433
434   This function creates a shortcut. *target* is the path to the program to be
435   started by the shortcut. *description* is the description of the shortcut.
436   *filename* is the title of the shortcut that the user will see. *arguments*
437   specifies the command line arguments, if any. *workdir* is the working directory
438   for the program. *iconpath* is the file containing the icon for the shortcut,
439   and *iconindex* is the index of the icon in the file *iconpath*.  Again, for
440   details consult the Microsoft documentation for the :class:`IShellLink`
441   interface.
442
443
444Vista User Access Control (UAC)
445===============================
446
447Starting with Python 2.6, bdist_wininst supports a :option:`!--user-access-control`
448option.  The default is 'none' (meaning no UAC handling is done), and other
449valid values are 'auto' (meaning prompt for UAC elevation if Python was
450installed for all users) and 'force' (meaning always prompt for elevation).
451