1Packaging Python as a Microsoft Installer Package (MSI) 2======================================================= 3 4Using this library, Python can be packaged as a MS-Windows 5MSI file. To generate an installer package, you need 6a build tree. By default, the build tree root directory 7is assumed to be in "../..". This location can be changed 8by adding a file config.py; see the beginning of msi.py 9for additional customization options. 10 11The packaging process assumes that binaries have been 12generated according to the instructions in PCBuild/README.txt, 13and that you have either Visual Studio or the Platform SDK 14installed. In addition, you need the Python COM extensions, 15either from PythonWin, or from ActivePython. 16 17To invoke the script, open a cmd.exe window which has 18cabarc.exe in its PATH (e.g. "Visual Studio .NET 2003 19Command Prompt"). Then invoke 20 21<path-to-python.exe> msi.py 22 23If everything succeeds, pythonX.Y.Z.msi is generated 24in the current directory. 25 26