Distributing a Python App

[Allan Hughes]

I'm a python noob and have a question.

I would like to write a little app and then share it with others.

It is going to need to store potentially large amounts of data and then
generate reports based on that data.

I could just write to a DB, but that wouldn't be very portable.

I would like a solution that will work 'out of the box' for any old shmo
who wants to use it without worrying about whether they have the right
DB. How can I build this in? Suggestion? What have you done in the past?

Thanks!

 

[Irmen de Jong]

I'm a python noob and have a question.

I would like to write a little app and then share it with others.

It is going to need to store potentially large amounts of data and then
generate reports based on that data.

I could just write to a DB, but that wouldn't be very portable.

Define "a DB".

I would like a solution that will work 'out of the box' for any old shmo
who wants to use it without worrying about whether they have the right
DB. How can I build this in? Suggestion? What have you done in the past?

I've successfully used plain text data files, standard Python pickles,
and an (py)sqlite embedded database. None of them requires a full-blown
database engine to be present. PySQLite is also a self-contained package.
It depends on the amount and structure of your data what the best
solution will be.

--Irmen

 

[Allan Hughes]

Define "a DB".

MySQL for instance.

I've successfully used plain text data files, standard Python pickles,
and an (py)sqlite embedded database. None of them requires a full-blown
database engine to be present. PySQLite is also a self-contained package.
It depends on the amount and structure of your data what the best
solution will be.

I'm looking to records detailing network status, which will be updated
frequently. I then want to be able to retrieve and sort the data to
present reports based on that data.

PySQLite sounds like it might be a good solution. I have never done any
kind of distribution of a desktop app before, so maybe this is a dumb
question. I'm guessing I could use some sort of tool to package the
python app and PySQLite into one nice tidy package which the end user
could then install?

Or something like that...

 

[Miki Tebeka]

Hello Allan,

I'm looking to records detailing network status, which will be updated
frequently. I then want to be able to retrieve and sort the data to
present reports based on that data.

If you want a minimal database try metakit
(http://www.equi4.com/metakit.html) which has good Python bindings and
it's only one dll.

I'm guessing I could use some sort of tool to package the
python app and PySQLite into one nice tidy package which the end user
could then install?

py2exe, cx_Freeze, Installer ...
IMO py2exe seems to be the most active.

HTH.
Miki