PyInstaller but keeping .py files upgradeable

Question

I've managed to package my PyQt4 app as a "standalone" application on windows, it works.

However this application can upgrade itself, which is done by replacing the actual code written by me (.py files) with new versions, downloaded via the internet.

How can I tell PyInstaller do its job (putting together the DLLs, generating the launcher with the shiny icon, etc), BUT let the .py files untouched?

I need those files directly on disk, in order for the auto-update to work.

Answer 1

You can change the spec file to specifically not include files by name (when building lists), then make sure these files are included - I'd have to check whether there's an option to include but not compile.

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I've not tried this myself (I use pyInstaller at work but don't have it set up on my home PC) but this is the sort of thing I think should be ok:

a = Analysis(['main.py'])
excluded = ['myfile0.py', 'myfile1.py', 'myfile2.py']
a.scripts = [script from script in a.scripts if script not in excluded]
pyz = PYZ(a.pure)
exe = EXE(a.scripts, pyz, name="main.exe", exclude_binaries=1)
dist = COLLECT(exe, a.binaries, excluded, name="dist")