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update readme
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‎.gitignore‎

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api.spec
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.venv/
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node_modules/
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build/
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dist/

‎README.md‎

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## important notice
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The following are copied from my [original post](https://www.fyears.org/2017/02/electron-as-gui-of-python-apps-updated.html). They should be the same.
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The following are copied from my [original post](https://www.fyears.org/2017/02/electron-as-gui-of-python-apps-updated.html). They should be the same. **If there are inconsistency, the `README.md` on the GitHub repo is more accurate.**
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## original post and debates
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First of all, since we already have the Python application running, the Python environment should be fine. I strongly recommend developing Python applications in `virtualenv`.
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Try install `zerorpc`, and `pyinstaller` (for packaging).
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Try install `zerorpc`, and `pyinstaller` (for packaging). On Linux / Ubuntu we may need to run `sudo apt-get install libzmq3-dev` **before** `pip install`.
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```bash
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pip install zerorpc
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pip install pyinstaller
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```
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If working on Windows, also
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```bash
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# for windows only
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pip install pypiwin32 # for pyinstaller
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```
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"start": "electron ."
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},
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"dependencies": {
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"zerorpc": "*"
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"zerorpc": "fyears/zerorpc-node"
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},
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"devDependencies": {
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"electron": "^1.4.1",
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}
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```
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Ironically, to compile Node.js C/C++ native codes, we need to have `python2` configured, no matter what Python version we are using for our Python application. Check out the [official guide](https://github.com/nodejs/node-gyp).
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Clean the caches:
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If working on Windows, open PowerShell **as Administrator**, and run
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```bash
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# On Linux / OS X
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# clean caches, very important!!!!!
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rm -rf ~/.node-gyp
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rm -rf ~/.electron-gyp
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rm -rf ./node_modules
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```
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```powershell
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# On Window PowerShell (not cmd.exe!!!)
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# clean caches, very important!!!!!
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Remove-Item "$($env:USERPROFILE)\.node-gyp" -Force -Recurse -ErrorAction Ignore
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Remove-Item "$($env:USERPROFILE)\.electron-gyp" -Force -Recurse -ErrorAction Ignore
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Remove-Item .\node_modules -Force -Recurse -ErrorAction Ignore
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```
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Then run `npm`:
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```bash
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npm install --global --production windows-build-tools
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# 1.4.15 is the version of electron
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# It's very important to set the electron version correctly!!!
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# check out the version value in your package.json
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npm install --runtime=electron --target=1.4.15
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# verify the electron binary and its version by opening it
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./node_modules/.bin/electron
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```
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The above command installs Python 2.7 in `%USERPROFILE%\.windows-build-tools\python27` and other VS libraries. Everything should be set and should not cause any conflict with the previously-installed Python environment.
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The `npm install` will install `zerorpc-node` from [my fork](https://github.com/0rpc/zerorpc-node/pull/84) to skip building from sources.
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Also download VC 2010 runtime from [here](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=14632) due to a [bug](https://github.com/JustinTulloss/zeromq.node/issues/582).
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All libraries should be fine now.
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Then set the `npm` [for Electron](https://github.com/electron/electron/blob/master/docs/tutorial/using-native-node-modules.md), and install the required libraries.
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#### optional: building from sources
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On Linux / OS X:
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If the above installation causes any errors **even while setting the electron version correctly**, we may have to build the packages from sources.
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Ironically, to compile Node.js C/C++ native codes, we need to have `python2` configured, no matter what Python version we are using for our Python application. Check out the [official guide](https://github.com/nodejs/node-gyp).
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Especially, if working on Windows, open PowerShell **as Administrator**, and run `npm install --global --production windows-build-tools` to install a separated Python 2.7 in `%USERPROFILE%\.windows-build-tools\python27` and other required VS libraries. We only need to do it at once.
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Then, **clean `~/.node-gyp` and `./node_modules` caches as described above at first.**
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Set the `npm` [for Electron](https://github.com/electron/electron/blob/master/docs/tutorial/using-native-node-modules.md), and install the required libraries.
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Set the environment variables for Linux (Ubuntu) / OS X / Windows:
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```bash
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# On Linux / OS X:
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# env
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export npm_config_target=1.4.15 # electron version
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export npm_config_arch=x64
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export npm_config_target_arch=x64
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export npm_config_disturl=https://atom.io/download/electron
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export npm_config_runtime=electron
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export npm_config_disturl=https://atom.io/download/electron
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export npm_config_build_from_source=true
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npm config ls
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# clean caches, very important!!!!!
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rm -rf ~/.node-gyp
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rm -rf ~/.electron-gyp
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rm -rf ./node_modules
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```
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# may not be necessary
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#export npm_config_arch=x64
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#export npm_config_target_arch=x64
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On Windows PowerShell, set environement variables in [different way](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/714877/setting-windows-powershell-path-variable):
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npm config ls
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```
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```powershell
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# On Window PowerShell (not cmd.exe!!!)
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$env:npm_config_target="1.4.15" # electron version
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$env:npm_config_arch="x64"
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$env:npm_config_target_arch="x64"
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$env:npm_config_disturl="https://atom.io/download/electron"
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$env:npm_config_runtime="electron"
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$env:npm_config_disturl="https://atom.io/download/electron"
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$env:npm_config_build_from_source="true"
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npm config ls
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# clean caches, very important!!!!!
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Remove-Item "$($env:USERPROFILE)\.node-gyp" -Force -Recurse -ErrorAction Ignore
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Remove-Item "$($env:USERPROFILE)\.electron-gyp" -Force -Recurse -ErrorAction Ignore
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Remove-Item .\node_modules -Force -Recurse -ErrorAction Ignore
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# may not be necessary
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#$env:npm_config_arch="x64"
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#$env:npm_config_target_arch="x64"
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npm config ls
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```
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Then install things:
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# install everything based on the package.json
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npm install
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```
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All libraries should be fine now.
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# verify the electron binary and its version by opening it
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./node_modules/.bin/electron
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```
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## core functions
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See [GitHub `electron-python-example`](https://github.com/fyears/electron-python-example).
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### solutions to errors
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[issue #6](https://github.com/fyears/electron-python-example/issues/6): `... failed with KeyError`
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[issue #7](https://github.com/fyears/electron-python-example/issues/7): `Uncaught Error: Module version mismatch. Expected 50, got 48.`
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Uninstall everything, **set up the npm environment variables correctly especially for the electron version**, remember to `activate` the virtualenv if using Python `virtualenv`.
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### further optimization?
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Trim some unnecessary files in Python executable by configuring `pyinstaller` further. Trim Electron (is it possible?). Use even faster IPC methods (though `ZeroMQ` is one of the fastest in most cases).

‎package.json‎

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"author": "fyears",
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"license": "MIT",
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"dependencies": {
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"zerorpc": "*"
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"zerorpc": "fyears/zerorpc-node"
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},
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"devDependencies": {
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"electron": "^1.4.1",

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