WiX, .msi and a setuptools(easy install) and pip bundle

Hi,

I am forging ahead with the making of the .msi-files for the windows installation of Optimal BPM tools (or rather Optimal Sync, to be fair).

During the process of making the installation bundle(I want to include everything) i have been forced to create som  .msi:s that I would think could be pretty useful outside this project, namely a setuptools and pip windows installation bundle. Please download and if you encounter any problem, just create a ticket at the Sourceforge project page.

If course, for a Python application, these programs are very important. So now there is a way to easily include easy install and pip in an Python 3.3 windows deployment for those who want that. The installation checks for a Python 3.3 installation and installs the files in its /Scripts-folder.

By the way, WiX is one of the least well documented tools i have ever encountered. At the same time it is pretty complicated. And strange. So it hasn't been easy. Far from it.

However, in the end, I have managed to create a pretty flexible setup using WiX preprocessor variables. Which actually works in a predictable manner as opposed to WiX Properties and normal WiXVariable constructs which might or might not be available at "bind" time.

My current recommendation is to use preprocessor variables instead of the other stuff as they don't resolve in an equally predictable manner.
I will elaborate on that further on my writeup later on.



Until then, have a nice time.