Distributing Python/Pygame code with CX_Freeze

Packaging
1

Hi,
I’m trying to use CX_Freeze for distributing a Python app developed with Pygame.
Using python setup.py bdist_dmg for Mac, the resulting app isn’t compatible with MacOS 10.15 which is current MacOS.
And for Windows, I’ve tried python setup.py bdist_msi but bdist_msi command isn’t recognize by CX_Freeze even if I use the latest CX_Freeze version! …

Does CX_Freeze really work ??
Is it the correct package for distributing a Python app on Mac or PC ?

Thanks for your help !
JFN

2

I recommend pynsist or briefcase for distributing an app. You might want to check those out.

1 Like
3

Hello Steve,

Thanks for your help !

I’d like to distribute my soft on PC and Mac, and Pynsist only makes Windows installers. It also uses a strange method for embedding data files which doesn’t make me feel confident :wink:

Briefcase from beeware seems interesting. In some ways, it seems close to Kivy (https://kivy.org/) which I’m going to test now.

Finally, I have also tried Pyinstaller which seems to be THE reference for distributing Python but it doesn’t support Python 3.8, neither code signature implemented in MacOS 10.15, unfortunately…

Note that Nuitka seems also to do the job even if it hasn’t been really designed for distributing apps.

Fell free to comment my findings,

Best,

4

My comment on your findings is that I did, in fact, recommend the best available tools that are currently maintained, and that my recommendation is more up to date than old forum posts and old blog posts on the internet.

You’re welcome.

5

Do you mean that Pyinstaller is no more maintained ?

And what do you think about Kivy (vs Beeware) ?

Thanks,
JF

6

I have heard about more problems than fixes recently, but I don’t know anything about how their project works. You’d have to review their recent activity.

And sorry, can’t help with Kivy vs Beeware. I do libraries and runtime stuff, not GUI.

7

Thanks a lot for your help,
Have a good day,
JF