[Visualpython-users] Using py2exe with VPython

[Dunning, R. B. <rdu...@bs...>]

Hello,

I'm wondering if anyone can help me with py2exe.  I know this is probably a=
 stupid question, but I just can't figure it out.

First, I'm developing 3-D animation for introductory astronomy courses usin=
g the latest editions of python and VPython on a Windows-PC.  I'm trying to=
 create stand-alone executable files using py2exe, but I can't get it to wo=
rk at all-- even with the provided examples.  Basically, I don't have a clu=
e about what I'm doing.

This is what I do:

(1) I open the setup.py file in the samples\simple directory using IDLE.

(2) From the IDLE menu, I select "Run . . . Run Module".

(3) In the shell window, I see the following:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "C:\Python24\Lib\site-packages\py2exe\samples\simple\setup.py", line=
 34, in -toplevel-
    console =3D ["hello.py"]
  File "C:\Python24\lib\distutils\core.py", line 137, in setup
    raise SystemExit, gen_usage(dist.script_name) + "\nerror: %s" % msg
SystemExit: usage: setup.py [global_opts] cmd1 [cmd1_opts] [cmd2 [cmd2_opts=
] ...]
   or: setup.py --help [cmd1 cmd2 ...]
   or: setup.py --help-commands
   or: setup.py cmd --help
error: no commands supplied

I'm sure this is a stupid question, but I don't know what to do from here. =
How do I supply commands?  The comments in the sample file say

# Run the build process by entering 'setup.py py2exe' or
# 'python setup.py py2exe' in a console prompt.

I know how to run commands a Unix prompt, but I don't know how to "run" the=
se commands.  I've tried using the Python shell window, but it doesn't reco=
gnize these commands.

If anybody can help me get this working, I will be indebted to you forever.=
 Thanks!

--
Rodney Dunning
Assistant Professor of Physics
Birmingham-Southern College