PyInstaller .exe does nothing

Question

I am trying to compile a complex script into an exe with PyInstaller, this is the install command I am currently using although I have tried many variations of these flags: pyinstaller -w -F --debug=all --noupx --name godnesssakes .\uhoh.py

When I run the exe from the command line I get no output whatsoever, even with debug mode enabled:

Even after simplifying my python script to a simple print command I am still getting no output:

def main():
    print('test')

main()

I have tried everything including reinstalling python, reinstalling pip, verifying path, verifying no conflicting versions, using --path flag in pyinstaller...

Versions:

• Python 3.9.9
• Pyinstaller 5.4.1

Answers that have NOT helped:

• Pyinstaller, .exe file does nothing
• Pyinstaller EXE file does nothing
• Pyinstaller generating EXE that does nothing
• PyInstaller .exe file does nothing

Answer 1

Follow each of these steps... or use your operating system's equvalent.

1. mkdir newdir and cd newdir
2. py -m venv venv and venv\Scripts\activate
3. py -m pip install --upgrade pip pyinstaller
4. copy your script into the newdir/main.py

To make it even more obvious:....

def main():
    while True:
        print('test', end='\r')

main()

5. pyinstaller -F --debug=all --noupx --name goodnesssakes main.py
6. dist\goodnesssakes.exe

---

The actual problem is that you are using the -w flag which tells pyinstaller that it is a windowed application and therefore doesn't output anything to the console. It is literally and alias for --noconsole