Overview

The SAF Desktop Installer enables packaging SAF-based solutions into standalone, distributable installers for desktop deployment. It is part of the Solution Application Framework (SAF) toolchain and is typically invoked through the saf build command provided by the SAF CLI.

The generated installer is self-contained: it bundles the solution code, all Python dependencies, and the Python interpreter itself, so end users can run the solution without needing a pre-configured development environment. Ansys products and other external tools required by the solution must still be installed separately on the target machine.

Key capabilities include:

• Standalone packaging: Uses PyInstaller to produce a single installer that includes all necessary dependencies and a Python interpreter.

• Cross-platform support: Generates installers compatible with the operating system where the build is executed (Windows .exe or Linux executable).

• Online and offline modes: By default, installers download dependencies at install time; the --offline-package option bundles everything for environments without internet access.

• Customizable build options: Supports encryption, code obfuscation, custom entry points, and configurable Python versions.

• Documentation embedding: Automatically builds and embeds Sphinx documentation so users can access it offline from within the solution.

From a workflow perspective, SAF Desktop Installer is the final step in preparing a solution for distribution. Once a solution has been developed and tested locally using SAF CLI and SAF Desktop Orchestrator, the installer packages it into a form that can be delivered to end users or deployed across an organization.

Installation

Ensure you have all the necessary prerequisites.

To install SAF Desktop Installer, run:

pip install ansys-saf-desktop-installer

Documentation

Visit the official documentation for detailed information on how to use SAF Desktop Installer.

Troubleshooting

For troubleshooting or reporting issues, please open an issue in the project repository.

Please follow these steps to report an issue:

• Go to the project repository.

• Click on the Issues tab.

• Click on the New Issue button.

• Provide a clear and detailed description of the issue you are facing.

• Include any relevant error messages, code snippets, or screenshots.

Additionally, you can refer to the official documentation for additional resources and troubleshooting guides.

Contribute

Contributions are welcome! If you would like to contribute, please follow the guidelines provided in the Contribute section of the official documentation.

License

You can find the full text of the license in the LICENSE file.

Changelog

The changelog section provides a summary of notable changes for each version of SAF Desktop Installer for Python. It helps you keep track of updates, bug fixes, new features, and improvements made to the project over time.

To view the complete changelog, visit the project repository and navigate to the CHANGELOG file. It provides a comprehensive list of changes categorized by version, along with brief descriptions of each change.