[Distutils] Windows installer.

[Thomas Heller]

> Hello,
> 
> I have been looking at the windows installer coming with distutils. It
> seems
> fine for installing python extensions but not for what I would call
> "python applications" e.g. a games. For the end user the fact that an  
> application is written in python is basically irrelevant (except that
> python 
> needs to be installed to run it). 
The issue is that distutils (currently) only cares about installing
python _extensions_, not python _applications_.

> 
> An application will typically be installed in "C:\Program Files".
> Furthermore the user will   expect a desktop shortcut, a start menu
> entry and an uninstall program. The current windows installer does not
> seem to be capable of installing, let alone generating such things. 
> 

The windows installer could easily be modified to create shortcuts,
say, for the scripts arguments to setup(), and provide
uninstall facilities. The hooks are there.

Typically, for a professional looking 'application', you would
first run the 'main script' through something like Gordon's windows
installer, and pack the output into a windows installation program
like wise or inno. BTW, I have a similar package like Gordon's installer
which is integrated into distutils.

Regards,

Thomas