Can Cython compile to an EXE?

Question

I know what Cythons purpose is. It's to write compilable C extensions in a Python-like language in order to produce speedups in your code. What I would like to know (and can't seem to find using my google-fu) is if Cython can somehow compile into an executable format since it already seems to break python code down into C.

I already use Py2Exe, which is just a packager, but am interested in using this to compile down to something that is a little harder to unpack (Anything packed using Py2EXE can basically just be extracted using 7zip which I do not want)

It seems if this is not possible my next alternative would just be to compile all my code and load it as a module and then package that using py2exe at least getting most of my code into compiled form, right?

Linked to [Making an executable in Cython](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/22507592/making-an-executable-in-cython) — Basj, Jun 15 '20 at 15:25

score 46 · Answer 1 · edited Aug 04 '15 at 18:19

46

Here's the wiki page on embedding cython

Assuming you installed python to C:\Python31 and you want to use Microsoft Compiler.

smalltest1.py - is the file you want to compile.

test.exe - name of the executable.

You need to set the environmental variables for cl.

C:\Python31\python.exe C:\Python31\Scripts\cython.py smalltest1.py --embed

cl.exe  /nologo /Ox /MD /W3 /GS- /DNDEBUG -Ic:\Python31\include -Ic:\Python31\PC /Tcsmalltest1.c /link /OUT:"test.exe" /SUBSYSTEM:CONSOLE /MACHINE:X86 /LIBPATH:c:\Python31\libs /LIBPATH:c:\Python31\PCbuild

edited Aug 04 '15 at 18:19

evan

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answered Apr 30 '10 at 09:12

Aftershock

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Waw, it works very well. At the end the .exe file is really tiny. This is really a `cython2exe` similar to `py2exe` ! Could we do a script that does this automatically (adapt to the current Python version installed, etc.) ? What files do we need to ship with this .exe ? – Basj Feb 09 '14 at 11:39
I am getting the errors `ignoring unknown option /main.c`, ` missing source filename` – the_prole Nov 27 '14 at 00:11
From where to get `cython.py` file? – user13107 May 21 '18 at 04:50
what is cl.exe ?? – mrid Aug 26 '19 at 19:47
Microsoft c++ compiler – Aftershock Sep 06 '19 at 12:32

score 30 · Accepted Answer · edited Mar 03 '15 at 20:35

30

In principal it appears to be possible to do something like what you want, according to the Embedding Pyrex HOWTO. (Pyrex is effectively a previous generation of Cython.)

Hmm... that name suggests a better search than I first tried: "embedding cython" leads to this page which sounds like what you want.

edited Mar 03 '15 at 20:35

yamm

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answered Apr 05 '10 at 23:47

Peter Hansen

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Please see my example of how to do exactly that [here](http://stackoverflow.com/a/22040484/2198548) for a Linux system. – Broken Man Feb 26 '14 at 11:58

score 4 · Answer 3 · answered Sep 30 '18 at 07:36

I have successfully used the Cython & gcc to convert the *.py file to *.exe, with below batch file:

# build.bat
set PROJECT_NAME=test
set PYTHON_DIR=C:\python27
%PYTHON_DIR%\python -m cython --embed -o %PROJECT_NAME%.c %PROJECT_NAME%.py
gcc -Os -I %PYTHON_DIR%\include -o %PROJECT_NAME%.exe %PROJECT_NAME%.c -lpython27 -lm -L %PYTHON_DIR%\libs

score 1 · Answer 4 · edited Jun 15 '20 at 16:07

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Aftershock's answer is good, what I want to say is about run app without console. Most like Aftershock's answer, if you want your application run without console, two points are important:

Replace all the main() function in the ".c" file made by cython --embed with wmain()
Add /subsystem:windows /entry:wmainCRTStartup to the end of cl.exe ... command

edited Jun 15 '20 at 16:07

Basj

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answered May 21 '18 at 15:50

longgangfan

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Very useful indeed! `/subsystem:windows /entry:wmainCRTStartup` was required indeed (1. was not necessary for me). – Basj Jun 15 '20 at 16:06
How to do the same with gcc ? (mingw64) – 0xB00B Feb 15 '21 at 01:23

Can Cython compile to an EXE?

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