[Python-Dev] PEP 397 (Python launcher for Windows) reference implementation

[Vinay Sajip]

Nick Coghlan <ncoghlan <at> gmail.com> writes:

> I've installed other WIndows apps that create multiple add/remove
> programs entries from a single installer. I believe people are
> suggesting a similar thing here (i.e. have the launcher installed
> automatically when installing python, but create a separate add/remove
> entry so uninstallation leaves it behind unless removal is explicitly
> requested)

Were those other Windows apps packaged as .msi, or .exe? AFAICT, although you
can embed an MSI inside another one, the practice of concurrent/nested
installations is strongly discouraged by Microsoft - see http://goo.gl/FJx1S
(Rule 20).

Also, IIUC, each entry in Add/Remove programs would correspond to a specific MSI
(since you can e.g. repair that specific entry, it would imply its own installer
database).

So you could package Python and the launcher as separate MSIs (this would make
sense so that you could restore associations to the launcher just by repairing
its installation), but since nested MSIs are a no-no, that means installing via
a bootstrapping .exe. This is a bigger change to our Windows packaging than some
people might be comfortable with ...

Regards,

Vinay Sajip