Briefcase installer options #1144

lrandersson · 2025-12-17T16:03:17Z

Description

This does not fully resolve #1103 but is a start.

Checklist - did you ...

Add a file to the news directory (using the template) for the next release's release notes?
Add / update necessary tests?
Add / update outdated documentation?

marcoesters · 2025-12-17T16:18:07Z

constructor/briefcase.py

+        )
+    initialize_conda = info.get("initialize_conda", "classic")
+    if initialize_conda:
+        # TODO: How would we distinguish between True/classic in the UI? Same for NSIS


True and classic are synonyms. You would have to distinguish between classic and condabin. You can currently just take what's in the NSIS template and add that here.

Fixed 326be7f

I was thinking about these lines:

constructor/constructor/nsis/OptionsDialog.nsh

Lines 167 to 178 in 97dbba0

# Account for the conda mode

${If} "${INIT_CONDA_MODE}" == "condabin"

${NSD_CreateLabel} 5% "$5u" 90% 20u \

"Adds condabin/, which only contains the 'conda' executables, to PATH. \

Does not require special shortcuts but activation needs \

to be performed manually."

${Else}

${NSD_CreateLabel} 5% "$5u" 90% 20u \

"NOT recommended. This can lead to conflicts with other applications. \

Instead, use the Commmand Prompt and Powershell menus added \

to the Windows Start Menu."

${EndIf}

You can then add the condabin UI text if info.get("initialize_conda", "classic") == "condabin", and the other text if not.

Ah, updated a642278

marcoesters · 2025-12-17T16:18:43Z

constructor/briefcase.py

+            {
+                "name": "register_python",
+                "title": "Register Python as System Default",
+                "description": "TODO: Register Python description",


For now, you can just copy the description in NSIS.

Fixed 326be7f

lrandersson · 2026-01-16T13:22:06Z

@marcoesters I've now rebased this branch, even though this does not connect the UI installer options right now to any sort of "activity" in post_install.bat, I think it can be good to merge it to get some of the UI updates in place.

marcoesters

It looks like a few options are missing:

constructor/constructor/nsis/OptionsDialog.nsh

Lines 9 to 13 in 5eecfa0

    
           Var mui_AnaCustomOptions.AddToPath 
        
           Var mui_AnaCustomOptions.PostInstall 
        
           Var mui_AnaCustomOptions.PreInstall 
        
           Var mui_AnaCustomOptions.ClearPkgCache 
        
           Var mui_AnaCustomOptions.CreateShortcuts

marcoesters · 2026-01-16T15:41:44Z

constructor/briefcase.py

+    options = []
+    register_python = info.get("register_python", True)
+    if register_python:
+        python_version = f"{sys.version_info.major}.{sys.version_info.minor}"


This will be the Python version of the Python binary used to call constructor. This is not necessarily the same as the one bundled in the installer - in fact, python may not even be in the installer at all. You will have to use _dists in the info dictionary to get the Python version bundled in the installer.

While looking into info["dists"], I found this seemingly old code in winexe.py:

make_nsi( { "name": "Maxi", "version": "1.2", "_platform": "win-64", "_outpath": "dummy.exe", "_download_dir": "dummy", "_dists": ["python-2.7.9-0.tar.bz2", "vs2008_runtime-1.0-1.tar.bz2"], }, ".", )

Is it safe to assume that if an installer bundles python, the package is formatted as above? I.e. python-x.y.z-<build number>.tar.bz2?

In general, package names are formatted as <package name>-<version>-<build string>.<extension>. <build string> is not necessarily a number and <package name> may contain dashes. <extension> is either .tar.bz2 or .conda, but that may change in the future.

See 6087f5e

constructor/briefcase.py

lrandersson · 2026-01-16T18:35:01Z

@marcoesters I've added the remaining options in 6087f5e, I compared it to OptionsDialog.nsh as much as possible and hopefully got it as close to as we have today.

marcoesters

Just a few small comments

marcoesters · 2026-01-16T22:04:03Z

constructor/briefcase.py

+    if has_python:
+        register_python = info.get("register_python", True)
+        if register_python:
+            options.append(
+                {
+                    "name": "register_python",
+                    "title": f"Register {info['name']} as my default Python {python_version}.",
+                    "description": "Allows other programs, such as VSCode, PyCharm, etc. to automatically "
+                    f"detect {info['name']} as the primary Python {python_version} on the system.",
+                    "default": info.get("register_python_default", False),
+                }
+            )


Suggested change

if has_python:

register_python = info.get("register_python", True)

if register_python:

options.append(

{

"name": "register_python",

"title": f"Register {info['name']} as my default Python {python_version}.",

"description": "Allows other programs, such as VSCode, PyCharm, etc. to automatically "

f"detect {info['name']} as the primary Python {python_version} on the system.",

"default": info.get("register_python_default", False),

}

)

if has_python and info.get("register_python", True)

options.append(

{

"name": "register_python",

"title": f"Register {info['name']} as my default Python {python_version}.",

"description": "Allows other programs, such as VSCode, PyCharm, etc. to automatically "

f"detect {info['name']} as the primary Python {python_version} on the system.",

"default": info.get("register_python_default", False),

}

)

marcoesters · 2026-01-16T22:05:52Z

constructor/briefcase.py

+        script_description = info.get(f"{script_type}_install_desc", "")
+        script = info.get(f"{script_type}_install", "")
+        if script_description and not script:
+            raise ValueError(


Suggested change

raise ValueError(

raise KeyError(

Technically since it is a key in construct.yaml?

marcoesters · 2026-01-16T22:08:05Z

constructor/briefcase.py

+                raise FileNotFoundError(
+                    f"Specified {script_type}-install script '{script}' does not exist."
+                )
+            if not is_bat_file(script_path):


I think you can just check for the suffix here. The only thing is_bat_file does additionally is checking whether the file exists - which you do immediately before this.

conda-bot added this to 🔎 Review Dec 17, 2025

github-project-automation bot moved this to 🆕 New in 🔎 Review Dec 17, 2025

conda-bot added the cla-signed [bot] added once the contributor has signed the CLA label Dec 17, 2025

lrandersson force-pushed the briefcase-installer-options branch from 7ae9015 to 532ff27 Compare December 17, 2025 16:07

lrandersson marked this pull request as ready for review December 17, 2025 16:08

lrandersson requested a review from a team as a code owner December 17, 2025 16:08

marcoesters reviewed Dec 17, 2025

View reviewed changes

lrandersson requested a review from marcoesters December 17, 2025 17:14

marcoesters force-pushed the briefcase-integration branch from 26ee3bb to a2caeec Compare December 19, 2025 17:12

lrandersson added 3 commits January 16, 2026 08:16

Add Install Options Page - WIP

7e7b8bc

Review fixes

a83410c

Fix description

575b454

lrandersson force-pushed the briefcase-installer-options branch from a642278 to 575b454 Compare January 16, 2026 13:17

Remove comment and fix format

6fb710d

marcoesters reviewed Jan 16, 2026

View reviewed changes

Review fixes

6087f5e

Remove 'self'

27a5c73

marcoesters reviewed Jan 16, 2026

View reviewed changes

	# Account for the conda mode
	${If} "${INIT_CONDA_MODE}" == "condabin"
	${NSD_CreateLabel} 5% "$5u" 90% 20u \
	"Adds condabin/, which only contains the 'conda' executables, to PATH. \
	Does not require special shortcuts but activation needs \
	to be performed manually."
	${Else}
	${NSD_CreateLabel} 5% "$5u" 90% 20u \
	"NOT recommended. This can lead to conflicts with other applications. \
	Instead, use the Commmand Prompt and Powershell menus added \
	to the Windows Start Menu."
	${EndIf}

	Var mui_AnaCustomOptions.AddToPath
	Var mui_AnaCustomOptions.PostInstall
	Var mui_AnaCustomOptions.PreInstall
	Var mui_AnaCustomOptions.ClearPkgCache
	Var mui_AnaCustomOptions.CreateShortcuts

Briefcase installer options #1144

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Briefcase installer options #1144

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lrandersson commented Dec 17, 2025 • edited Loading Uh oh! There was an error while loading. Please reload this page.

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lrandersson commented Jan 16, 2026

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lrandersson commented Jan 16, 2026

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lrandersson commented Dec 17, 2025 •

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