Creating a Launcher #1079

RoyiAvital · 2022-06-12T15:33:50Z

RoyiAvital
Jun 12, 2022

Hello,

How could one create a launcher like the VS Code launcher (The VS Code.exe file)?
I'd like to create another launcher with a different path.

Thanks.

Answered by RoyiAvital

Jun 30, 2022

OK, So basically what I'm after is how the nsi file look like just before it is compiled.
I guess if someone has built the distribution it may share it?

I am trying to go down the rabbit hole.

Step I

Running the function create_launcher() with name = VS Code.exe, icon = pathToIcon, command = wscript.exe, args = Noshell.vbs winvscode.bat, workdir = r'$EXEDIR\scripts and launcher = launcher_basic.nsi.

The function creates the list of tuples:

 data = [
            ('WINPYDIR', '$EXEDIR\%s' % self.python_name),
            ('WINPYVER', self.winpyver),
            ('COMMAND', 'wscript.exe'),
            ('PARAMETERS', 'Noshell.vbs winvscode.bat'),
            ('WORKDIR', '$EXEDIR\scripts'),
  …

View full answer

firai · 2022-06-12T16:08:10Z

firai
Jun 12, 2022

See the build script, which uses the NSIS build script:

winpython/make.py

Lines 975 to 981 in d77fb5d

    
           # VSCode launcher 
        
           self.create_launcher( 
        
               'VS Code.exe', 
        
               'code.ico', 
        
               command='wscript.exe', 
        
               args=r'Noshell.vbs winvscode.bat', 
        
           )

winpython/make.py

Lines 591 to 632 in d77fb5d

    
           def create_launcher( 
        
               self, 
        
               name, 
        
               icon, 
        
               command=None, 
        
               args=None, 
        
               workdir=r'$EXEDIR\scripts', 
        
               launcher='launcher_basic.nsi', 
        
           ): 
        
               """Create exe launcher with NSIS""" 
        
               assert name.endswith('.exe') 
        
               portable_dir = osp.join( 
        
                   osp.dirname(osp.abspath(__file__)), 'portable' 
        
               ) 
        
               icon_fname = osp.join(portable_dir, 'icons', icon) 
        
               assert osp.isfile(icon_fname) 
        
               # Customizing NSIS script 
        
               if command is None: 
        
                   if args is not None and '.pyw' in args: 
        
                       command = '${WINPYDIR}\pythonw.exe' 
        
                   else: 
        
                       command = '${WINPYDIR}\python.exe' 
        
               if args is None: 
        
                   args = '' 
        
               if workdir is None: 
        
                   workdir = '' 
        
               fname = osp.join( 
        
                   self.winpydir, osp.splitext(name)[0] + '.nsi' 
        
               ) 
        
               data = [ 
        
                   ('WINPYDIR', '$EXEDIR\%s' % self.python_name), 
        
                   ('WINPYVER', self.winpyver), 
        
                   ('COMMAND', command), 
        
                   ('PARAMETERS', args), 
        
                   ('WORKDIR', workdir), 
        
                   ('Icon', icon_fname), 
        
                   ('OutFile', name), 
        
               ] 
        
               build_nsis(launcher, fname, data)

winpython/portable/launcher_basic.nsi

Lines 1 to 44 in 5369694

    
           /* WinPython launcher template script 
        
           Copyright © 2012 Pierre Raybaut 
        
           Licensed under the terms of the MIT License 
        
           (see winpython/__init__.py for details) 
        
           */ 
        
           ;================================================================ 
        
           ; These lines are automatically filled when winpython/make.py creates launchers: 
        
           !addincludedir "" 
        
           !define COMMAND "" 
        
           !define PARAMETERS "" 
        
           !define WORKDIR "" 
        
           Icon "" 
        
           OutFile "" 
        
           ;================================================================ 
        
           # Standard NSIS plugins 
        
           !include "WordFunc.nsh" 
        
           !include "FileFunc.nsh" 
        
           SilentInstall silent 
        
           AutoCloseWindow true 
        
           ShowInstDetails nevershow 
        
           RequestExecutionLevel user 
        
           Section "" 
        
           Call Execute 
        
           SectionEnd 
        
           Function Execute 
        
           ;Set working Directory =========================== 
        
           StrCmp ${WORKDIR} "" 0 workdir 
        
           System::Call "kernel32::GetCurrentDirectory(i ${NSIS_MAX_STRLEN}, t .r0)" 
        
           SetOutPath $0 
        
           Goto end_workdir 
        
           workdir: 
        
           SetOutPath "${WORKDIR}" 
        
           end_workdir: 
        
           ;Get Command line parameters ===================== 
        
           ${GetParameters} $R1 
        
           StrCmp "${PARAMETERS}" "" end_param 0 
        
           StrCpy $R1 "${PARAMETERS} $R1" 
        
           end_param: 
        
           ;===== Execution ================================= 
        
           Exec '"${COMMAND}" $R1' 
        
           FunctionEnd

4 replies

RoyiAvital Jun 12, 2022
Author

Is there a way to replicate this without cloning the whole project? Even in a less general manner (Like NSIS only or something like that).

firai Jun 13, 2022

Then just modify the NSIS script?

RoyiAvital Jun 13, 2022
Author

Any chance to guide me?

I guess I need:

What to change?
What other files are required (I see something like Noshell.vbs, winvscode.bat)?
How to run?

Once I get them all I will create a template and add it in Wiki so other will be able to use it.
It will be very useful for cases we want to have multiple profiles of VS Code / Spyder for a single installation.

RoyiAvital Jun 15, 2022
Author

@stonebig , @firai , Any chance for assistance on this?

stonebig · 2022-06-15T19:26:28Z

stonebig
Jun 15, 2022
Maintainer

I didn't retry to create launchers without NSIS recently.
I may retry this summer

1 reply

RoyiAvital Jun 16, 2022
Author

I am OK with NSIS, but can we have an NSIS template which is a standalone (Not activated by the code)?

For instance, how to create an NSIS launcher which launces VSCode32 in the t folder?
Can you share an NSIS code for that with the additional required files?

stonebig · 2022-06-16T05:56:28Z

stonebig
Jun 16, 2022
Maintainer

It's in the source, look for create_launcher
It call nsis object that maybe we can put in the winpython

1 reply

RoyiAvital Jun 16, 2022
Author

It was written above but I don't get it.

Any chance you point me in the NSIS file?

firai · 2022-06-16T13:13:31Z

firai
Jun 16, 2022

The snippets I quoted above are self explanatory as to what parameters the Python script is feeding into the NSIS script. If you want to avoid the Python script, then you need to manually feed all of those parameters into the NSIS script.

Whether you need Noshell.vbs and winvscode.bat depend on whether you need the functionality in those scripts. Only you can answer that question based on your intended usage.

Questions about NSIS specifically would be better served by reading NSIS's documentation, going to NSIS's forum or going on the NSIS Discord.

Overall, you might get better answers if you ask specific questions after you actually try to do it, as opposed to a general request for a tutorial.

1 reply

RoyiAvital Jun 16, 2022
Author

@firai , This is not a friendly comment.

Had I known what's going on, I would be more specific.

For example, I can't even find Noshell.vbs and winvscode.bat on this repository, how can I know if I need them?
I see them on my installed distribution, does the NSIS compile them or just create an exe which calls them?
By search I get that wscript.exe is probably used to run the vbs file.

If I get it right, at the end we're just execute the NSIS script you linked to with updated values for:

!addincludedir "" 
!define COMMAND "" 
!define PARAMETERS "" 
!define WORKDIR "" 
Icon "" 
OutFile ""

As I wrote, what I'd like to be able, for my example, a launcher for VS Code 32 Bit which will be on the folder t\VSCode32.

I am here to learn and then support by documenting everything I learned in the Wiki. But please be kind and guide me through it. The benefit will be for others as well.

firai · 2022-06-17T01:40:41Z

firai
Jun 17, 2022

They're generated by the make.py that I referred to above.

winpython/make.py

Lines 1407 to 1423 in 5369694

    
                   self.create_batch_script( 
        
                       'Noshell.vbs', 
        
                       r""" 
        
           'from http://superuser.com/questions/140047/how-to-run-a-batch-file-without-launching-a-command-window/390129 
        
           If WScript.Arguments.Count >= 1 Then 
        
               ReDim arr(WScript.Arguments.Count-1) 
        
               For i = 0 To WScript.Arguments.Count-1 
        
                   Arg = WScript.Arguments(i) 
        
                   If InStr(Arg, " ") > 0 or InStr(Arg, "&") > 0 Then Arg = chr(34) & Arg & chr(34) 
        
                 arr(i) = Arg 
        
               Next 
        
               RunCmd = Join(arr) 
        
               CreateObject("Wscript.Shell").Run RunCmd, 0 , True 
        
           End If 
        
                   """, 
        
                   )

winpython/make.py

Lines 1962 to 1978 in 5369694

    
                   self.create_batch_script( 
        
                       'winvscode.bat', 
        
                       r"""@echo off 
        
           rem launcher for VScode 
        
           call "%~dp0env_for_icons.bat" %* 
        
           rem cd/D "%WINPYWORKDIR1%" 
        
           if exist "%WINPYDIR%\..\t\vscode\code.exe" ( 
        
               "%WINPYDIR%\..\t\vscode\code.exe" %* 
        
           ) else ( 
        
           if exist "%LOCALAPPDATA%\Programs\Microsoft VS Code\code.exe" ( 
        
               "%LOCALAPPDATA%\Programs\Microsoft VS Code\code.exe"  %* 
        
           ) else ( 
        
               "code.exe" %* 
        
           )) 
        
           """, 
        
                   )

1 reply

RoyiAvital Jun 17, 2022
Author

OK, So basically what I'm after is how the nsi file look like just before it is compiled.
I guess if someone has built the distribution it may share it?

I am trying to go down the rabbit hole.

Step I

Running the function create_launcher() with name = VS Code.exe, icon = pathToIcon, command = wscript.exe, args = Noshell.vbs winvscode.bat, workdir = r'$EXEDIR\scripts and launcher = launcher_basic.nsi.

The function creates the list of tuples:

 data = [
            ('WINPYDIR', '$EXEDIR\%s' % self.python_name),
            ('WINPYVER', self.winpyver),
            ('COMMAND', 'wscript.exe'),
            ('PARAMETERS', 'Noshell.vbs winvscode.bat'),
            ('WORKDIR', '$EXEDIR\scripts'),
            ('Icon', icon.ico),
            ('OutFile', 'VS Code.exe'),
        ]

Step II

Running the build_nsis() function with srcname = 'launcher_basic.nsi, dstname = 'VS Code.nsi' and data = data (The list from previous step).

Basically this function edits the base nsi file by replacing variables according to the tuples in data.
It adds to the list the tuple ('!addincludedir', osp.join(portable_dir, 'include'),). This probably makes the icon files and other resources available to the NSIS compiler.

It edits (If I got it right) the lines (Insert values inside the ""):

!addincludedir ""
!define COMMAND ""
!define PARAMETERS ""
!define WORKDIR ""
Icon ""
OutFile ""

So

!addincludedir "PathToResourcesFolder"
!define COMMAND "wscript.exe"
!define PARAMETERS "Noshell.vbs winvscode.bat"
!define WORKDIR "$EXEDIR\scripts"
Icon "PathToIcon"
OutFile "VS Code.exe"

Am I right? Did I miss something?

RoyiAvital · 2022-06-30T19:08:24Z

RoyiAvital
Jun 30, 2022
Author

OK, So basically what I'm after is how the nsi file look like just before it is compiled.
I guess if someone has built the distribution it may share it?

I am trying to go down the rabbit hole.

Step I

Running the function create_launcher() with name = VS Code.exe, icon = pathToIcon, command = wscript.exe, args = Noshell.vbs winvscode.bat, workdir = r'$EXEDIR\scripts and launcher = launcher_basic.nsi.

The function creates the list of tuples:

 data = [
            ('WINPYDIR', '$EXEDIR\%s' % self.python_name),
            ('WINPYVER', self.winpyver),
            ('COMMAND', 'wscript.exe'),
            ('PARAMETERS', 'Noshell.vbs winvscode.bat'),
            ('WORKDIR', '$EXEDIR\scripts'),
            ('Icon', icon.ico),
            ('OutFile', 'VS Code.exe'),
        ]

Step II

Running the build_nsis() function with srcname = 'launcher_basic.nsi, dstname = 'VS Code.nsi' and data = data (The list from previous step).

Basically this function edits the base nsi file by replacing variables according to the tuples in data.
It adds to the list the tuple ('!addincludedir', osp.join(portable_dir, 'include'),). This probably makes the icon files and other resources available to the NSIS compiler.

It edits (If I got it right) the lines (Insert values inside the ""):

!addincludedir ""
!define COMMAND ""
!define PARAMETERS ""
!define WORKDIR ""
Icon ""
OutFile ""

So

!addincludedir "PathToResourcesFolder"
!define COMMAND "wscript.exe"
!define PARAMETERS "Noshell.vbs winvscode.bat"
!define WORKDIR "$EXEDIR\scripts"
Icon "PathToIcon"
OutFile "VS Code.exe"

Am I right? Did I miss something?

0 replies

Step II

Creating a Launcher #1079

Uh oh!

RoyiAvital Jun 12, 2022

Step I

Replies: 6 comments · 8 replies

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firai Jun 12, 2022

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RoyiAvital Jun 12, 2022 Author

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firai Jun 13, 2022

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RoyiAvital Jun 13, 2022 Author

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RoyiAvital Jun 15, 2022 Author

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stonebig Jun 15, 2022 Maintainer

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RoyiAvital Jun 16, 2022 Author

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stonebig Jun 16, 2022 Maintainer

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RoyiAvital Jun 16, 2022 Author

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firai Jun 16, 2022

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RoyiAvital Jun 16, 2022 Author

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firai Jun 17, 2022

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RoyiAvital Jun 17, 2022 Author

Step I

Step II

Uh oh!

RoyiAvital Jun 30, 2022 Author

Step I

Step II

RoyiAvital
Jun 12, 2022

Replies: 6 comments 8 replies

firai
Jun 12, 2022

RoyiAvital Jun 12, 2022
Author

RoyiAvital Jun 13, 2022
Author

RoyiAvital Jun 15, 2022
Author

stonebig
Jun 15, 2022
Maintainer

RoyiAvital Jun 16, 2022
Author

stonebig
Jun 16, 2022
Maintainer

RoyiAvital Jun 16, 2022
Author

firai
Jun 16, 2022

RoyiAvital Jun 16, 2022
Author

firai
Jun 17, 2022

RoyiAvital Jun 17, 2022
Author

RoyiAvital
Jun 30, 2022
Author