**Course Title:** PySide6 Application Development **Section Title:** Advanced Topics and Final Project Preparation **Topic:** Packaging PySide6 applications for distribution (PyInstaller, fbs) **Introduction** Once you've developed a PySide6 application, you'll want to package it for distribution to users. This involves bundling your application's code, dependencies, and resources into a single executable file that can be run on various platforms. In this topic, we'll explore two popular tools for packaging PySide6 applications: PyInstaller and fbs. **PyInstaller** PyInstaller is a popular tool for bundling Python applications into standalone executables. It supports a wide range of platforms, including Windows, macOS, and Linux. ### Installing PyInstaller To install PyInstaller, run the following command in your terminal or command prompt: ```bash pip install pyinstaller ``` ### Using PyInstaller To package your PySide6 application with PyInstaller, navigate to the directory containing your application's main script and run the following command: ```bash pyinstaller --onefile your_main_script.py ``` This will create a standalone executable file in a `dist` directory. **Example: Packaging a Simple PySide6 Application with PyInstaller** Let's package a simple PySide6 application with PyInstaller. Create a new file called `hello.py` with the following code: ```python import sys from PySide6.QtWidgets import QApplication, QLabel if __name__ == "__main__": app = QApplication(sys.argv) label = QLabel("Hello, World!") label.show() sys.exit(app.exec()) ``` Navigate to the directory containing `hello.py` and run the following command: ```bash pyinstaller --onefile hello.py ``` This will create a standalone executable file in a `dist` directory. You can run the executable file to see the PySide6 application in action. **fbs** fbs is another tool for packaging PySide6 applications. It provides a simple and easy-to-use API for bundling your application's code and resources into a standalone executable file. ### Installing fbs To install fbs, run the following command in your terminal or command prompt: ```bash pip install fbs ``` ### Using fbs To package your PySide6 application with fbs, create a new file called `main.py` with the following code: ```python import sys from fbs_runtime.application_context import ApplicationContext from PySide6.QtWidgets import QApplication, QLabel if __name__ == "__main__": app_ctx = ApplicationContext() app = QApplication(sys.argv) label = QLabel("Hello, World!") label.show() sys.exit(app_ctx.app.exec()) ``` Create a new file called `settings.json` with the following code: ```json { "name": "Hello World App", "version": "1.0.0" } ``` Navigate to the directory containing `main.py` and `settings.json` and run the following command: ```bash fbs.cmd freeze ``` This will create a standalone executable file in a `target` directory. **Comparison of PyInstaller and fbs** Both PyInstaller and fbs are popular tools for packaging PySide6 applications. Here's a brief comparison of the two: * PyInstaller is more flexible and customizable, but requires more configuration. * fbs is simpler and easier to use, but has fewer customization options. **Conclusion** Packaging your PySide6 application for distribution is an important step in the development process. In this topic, we explored two popular tools for packaging PySide6 applications: PyInstaller and fbs. We discussed the installation, usage, and differences between these tools. By following the examples and guidelines provided, you should be able to package your PySide6 application for distribution to users. **Leave a comment below if you have any questions or need further clarification on this topic.** You can find more information on PyInstaller and fbs in the following links: * PyInstaller: [https://www.pyinstaller.org/](https://www.pyinstaller.org/) * fbs: [https://build-system.fman.io/](https://build-system.fman.io/) **Next Topic:** Exploring platform-specific features (system tray, notifications) In the next topic, we'll explore how to use platform-specific features such as system trays and notifications in your PySide6 application.