1 Packaging Python as a Microsoft Installer Package (MSI)

     2 =======================================================

     3 

     4 Using this library, Python can be packaged as a MS-Windows

     5 MSI file. To generate an installer package, you need

     6 a build tree. By default, the build tree root directory

     7 is assumed to be in "../..". This location can be changed

     8 by adding a file config.py; see the beginning of msi.py

     9 for additional customization options.

    10 

    11 The packaging process assumes that binaries have been 

    12 generated according to the instructions in PCBuild/README.txt,

    13 and that you have either Visual Studio or the Platform SDK

    14 installed. In addition, you need the Python COM extensions,

    15 either from PythonWin, or from ActivePython.

    16 

    17 To invoke the script, open a cmd.exe window which has 

    18 cabarc.exe in its PATH (e.g. "Visual Studio .NET 2003

    19 Command Prompt"). Then invoke

    20 

    21 <path-to-python.exe> msi.py

    22 

    23 If everything succeeds, pythonX.Y.Z.msi is generated

    24 in the current directory.

    25