dumbjuice 0.6.2

DumbJuice is a Python module that simplifies the process of packaging small Python programs into self-contained installable packages. These packages can be shared with non-technical users, who only need to run a single install.bat file to install Python, set up a virtual environment, install necessary dependencies, and create a shortcut to the program on their desktop.

DumbJuice

DumbJuice is a Python module that simplifies the process of packaging small Python programs into self-contained installable packages. These packages can be shared with non-technical users, who only need to run a single install.bat file to install Python, set up a virtual environment, install necessary dependencies, and create a shortcut to the program on their desktop.

Installation

To install the dumbjuice module

pip install dumbjuice

Usage

TLDR

• Create a dumbjuice.conf file in your projects base folder with the minimum content (replace MyProgramName with your program's name and update python_version to your python version)

{
  "program_name": "MyProgramName",
  "python_version": "3.11.7"
}

• Run dumbjuice-build <project_folder_path>
• Test script by running the install.bat file in dumbjuice_build/
• Send the zipped file in dumbjuice_dist to those you want

Full instructions

Recommended project structure

project_folder/
│
├── main.py                 # Your main program file 
├── dumbjuice.conf          # Configuration file for DumbJuice
├── .gitignore (optional)   # Git ignore file (optional)
├── requirements.txt        # Your program's dependencies (if any)
├── djicon.ico (optional)   # Optional icon file for the application
│
├── some_folder/            # Additional folders (optional)
│   ├── other_file.py       # Other Python files
│   └── subfolder/          # Nested subfolders (optional)
│       └── another_file.py
│
└── other_script.py         # Additional Python script files (optional)

Configuration

The build function needs a json configuration file (dumbjuice.conf) with the following:

{
  "program_name": "MyProgramName",
  "python_version": "3.11.7",
  "gui": false,
  "ignore": ["*.git", "*.gitignore"],
  "use_gitignore": true,
  "include": ["my_module.py"]
}

program_name: The name of your program. (*)
python_version: The Python version to be installed (e.g., "3.8.10") (*)
gui: Set to true if your program requires a GUI; set to false for console programs (default)
ignore: A list of files or directories to be excluded from the build
use_gitignore: Set to true if you want to use .gitignore rules to determine which files to exclude
include: A list of files or directories that should always be included, even if they are in the ignore list

* required

Building

To build the installer for your program, navigate to the folder containing your program's files and configuration, and run the following:

python -m dumbjuice build <target_folder>

Alternatively, if you want to use the command line interface (CLI), you can use the following command:

dumbjuice-build <target_folder>

or in python

import dumbjuice as dj
dj.build(<target_folder>)

target_folder (optional): Path to the folder containing your python program files. If not provided, the current working directory will be used.

Result of a build

project_folder/
│
├── dumbjuice_build/        # Raw build files, can be used to test the installation script
│   ├── install.bat         # Install script
│   ├── appfolder/          # Other Python files
│       └── <copied_files>  # Everything you haven't excluded through .gitignore or exclude ends up here
│       └── build.ps1       # installation script
│       └── djicon.ico      # either your icon.ico icon or the default dumbjuice icon if you didn't provide
├── dumbjuice_dist/         # distribution files
│   ├── <program_name>.zip  # zipped contents of dumbjuice_build, ready for distribution
├── main.py                 # Your main program file 
├── dumbjuice.conf          # Configuration file for DumbJuice
├── .gitignore (optional)   # Git ignore file (optional)
├── requirements.txt        # Your program's dependencies (if any)
├── djicon.ico (optional)   # Optional icon file for the application
│
├── some_folder/            # Additional folders (optional)
│   ├── other_file.py       # Other Python files
│   └── subfolder/          # Nested subfolders (optional)
│       └── another_file.py
│
└── other_script.py         # Additional Python script files (optional)

What Happens During the Build Process?

• Your program files, including the requirements.txt and dumbjuice.conf, are copied into a new folder structure in dumbjuice_build/appfolder/
• A build.ps1 file is created that is responsible for installing the program and necessary modules for the user is added dumbjuice_build/appfolder/
• An install.bat file which initiates the build.ps1 on the users end when started is added to dumbjuice_build/
• The entire dumbjuice_build folder is zipped and added to dumbjuice_dist

What happens during the install process?

• DumbJuice looks for already existing DumbJuice installation and adds it if necessary
• DumbJuice script creates the program structure in /DumbJuice/Programs/<program_name> and copies over the files in appfolder/
• DumbJuice script install the defined python version (if not present in DumbJuice already), creates a venv for the program and installs all modules defined in requirements.txt
• DumbJuice script creates shortcuts for the user which starts the program

Starting a program

Simply double click the generated <program_name> shortcut, either on the Desktop or in the /DumbJuice/programs/<program_name> folder

Debugging

Sometimes there may be uncaught errors that causes program crashes. There is a /DumbJuice/programs/<program_name>_debug shortcut that leaves a command line open for debugging if needed

Pypi instructions

pip install setuptools wheel (first time)

Remove previous dist and update version number in setup.py

Build

python setup.py sdist bdist_wheel

Upload to pypi

pip install twine (first time)

twine upload dist/* enter username token and api token as password.