suggesting a launcher wrapper script for portable python

[Mark Lawrence]

On 12/08/2012 01:49, Gelonida N wrote:
> I just started looking at portable Python and was rather surprised, that
> I didn't find any recommended method in the documentation of how to
> launch scripts with portable python.
> Creating py2exe scripts on ones own USB drive seems to be kind of overkill.
>
> So here my own thoughts / suggestsions.
> I'm interestted in feedback of how others use portable pythons
> and how they run their scripts from a USB stick.
>
>
> Let's assume I install portable python on my USB drive and then I'd like
> to store self written python scripts on this drive.
>
> It would of course be greate if I could just click on the script and
> they'd be started.
>
>
> However under windows this would not be the case.
> The python script would either not be started at all or if the PC had
> his own python installed, then the script would be started with the PC's
> version of python.
>
> Thus a tiny wrapper script would be needed.
>
>
> Suggestion:
> --------------
> The current directory structore for portable python (2.7) is (assuming
> that %PP% is the base directory)
>
> %PP%/Python-Portable.exe       # launches the python interactive shell
> %PP%/PyScripter-Portable.exe   # launches some IDE
> %PP%/App
>
> Let's assume I add two more directories:
> %PP%/myscripts    # location of all callable scripts
> %PP%/launchers    # location with icons one can click on
>                    # to start the scripts in myscripts
>
>
>
>
> if I wrote a script named %PP%/myscripts/test1.py,
> and I created an aproprriate  named %PP%/launchers/test1.bat
>
> then I could just click on test1.bat and the Python script test1.py
> would be started. If the wrapper script is written properly, then it can
> look at its own base name and call the related python script.
>
> If I dragged and dropped some filenames on the bat file, then they would
> be passed to sys.argv of the script.
>
> Running the script from command line would also work and the present
> working directory would be preserved (which might be useful in some cases)
>
> If the script name would not be .py, but .pyw then it woudl be started
> with pythonw.
> T
>
> Below suggested script:
>
>
>
> @echo off
> REM
> =========================================================================
> REM script to start a python file with portable python
> REM
> =========================================================================
>
> REM basepath of this .bat file
> set basepath=%~dp0
>
> REM create the name of the python file related to this bat file
> REM Unfortunately I do not know how to normalyze %pyfile%,
> REM so we got stuck with the '..'
> set pyfile=%basepath%..\myscripts\%~n0.py
>
> If EXIST "%pyfile%" (
>      REM a normal console python file with .py suffix
>      "%basepath%\..\App\python.exe" "%pyfile%"  %*
> ) ELSE (
> If EXIST "%pyfile%w" (
>      REM a non  console python file with .pyw suffix
>      start "" "%basepath%\..\App\pythonw.exe" "%pyfile%w"  %*
> ) ELSE (
>      REM found neither a .py nor a .pyw file
>      echo found no python file %pyfile%
> )
> )
> REM
> =========================================================================
> REM end of script
> REM
> =========================================================================
>
>
> One minor drawback of my suggested script would be, that a console
> window pops up for a few seconds when starting a .pyw file.
>
> This could be avoided by using either a small compiled C-file (which
> sounds like overkill though)
> or by writing a windows scripting host .wsf file.
> However I don't know this well enough to replicate my batch file.
> AN article on SO mentions how to write such a script.
> However it does not parse command line arguments nor does it
> automatically determine the scripts file name.
> So any help for creating a .wsf file starting a .pyw file with command
> line arguments would be appreciated.
>
>
>
> An alternativce approach could be to provide a scipt named
> mk_wrapper.bat
> If one drags and drops a python script on it, then an apropriate wrapper
> file would be created in the launcher directory.
>
> If well done, then this could be implemented such, that the script may
> be located in an arbitrary location on the same USB drive.
>
>
>
> I think it would be great if the official portable python release
> contained some upport for launching scripts.
> Perhaps it exists alrady and I just didn't find it?
>
> If not,then I wouldn't mind if my script or a similiar sand a related
> README.txt cript were added to the official release
>

This might be a complete waste of time but can you use the new windows 
launcher described here http://www.python.org/dev/peps/pep-0397/ ???


-- 
Cheers.

Mark Lawrence.