Executing py2exe fails with can't open file 'setup.py'

Question

I'm using py2exe and I get the following errors in command prompt.

   C:\Users\Me>C:\Python26\My_scripts\python.exe setup.py py2exe
   C:\Python26\My_scripts\python.exe: can't open file 'setup.py': [Errno 2] No such
   file or directory

What am I doing wrong?

Where is setup.py located? Python is going to look in the directory you invoke it from, not in the directory where it (python.exe) is located. — eldarerathis
– eldarerathis, Commented Sep 16, 2010 at 1:18
It's in the same directory as python.exe. How do I tell which directory I Invoked it from, or specify where it should look for setup.py? — rectangletangle
– rectangletangle, Commented Sep 16, 2010 at 1:32
That's what I was guessing. I'll follow up with an answer since it would be a bit much to put here. — eldarerathis
– eldarerathis, Commented Sep 16, 2010 at 2:42

eldarerathis · Accepted Answer · 2010-09-22 23:23:35Z

3

Since your comment confirmed what I expected, I'll follow up with an answer post.

You invoked python from the directory you were in when you called the executable. In this case, according to your prompt, you invoked it from C:\Users\Me. Therefore, python is trying to find setup.py under this directory (which doesn't exist). You can either:

1) Change directories to the location of the setup.py file, then invoke python. The full path to the python executable will be necessary if it's not in your PATH or if it's in a different directory, otherwise it is not:

C:\Users\Me> cd C:\Python26\My_Scripts
C:\Python26\My_Scripts> C:\Python26\My_Scripts\python.exe  setup.py py2exe

2) Point python to the absolute path of setup.py:

C:\Users\Me> C:\Python26\My_Scripts\python.exe "C:\Python26\My_Scripts\setup.py" py2exe

edited Sep 22, 2010 at 23:23

answered Sep 16, 2010 at 2:39

eldarerathis

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Comments

Alex Martelli · Accepted Answer · 2010-09-16 01:18:49Z

1

You have no file called setup.py in the C:\Users\Me directory. Various possible mistakes you could be making, of which the two likeliest ones:

the file might be in the directory in question but with a wrong name (say settup.py, oops, two Ts where one was needed) -- then, rename the file!
the file might be in another directory -- then, cd to that directory and try again!

Of course, both errors might be happening at the same time (in which case you need to fix both).

If you think you made neither mistake show us a dir *.py (from the Me) directory...

answered Sep 16, 2010 at 1:18

Alex Martelli

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