Pyinstaller app doesn't launch, no error (worked previously)

[conlin-matt]

Hello,

Thanks for developing and maintaining such a useful tool. I'm having what seems to be a strange issue and I'm hoping some expert advice could help me solve it. I have a PyQt app, e.g. this:
`

from PyQt5.QtWidgets import *
from PyQt5.QtGui import QFont

class WelcomeWindow(QWidget):

    def __init__(self):
        super().__init__()    
    
        if not QApplication.instance():
            app = QApplication(sys.argv)
        else:
            app = QApplication.instance()    
        
        
        # Left menu box setup #
        bf = QFont()
        bf.setBold(True)
        leftBar1 = QLabel('• Welcome!')
        leftBar1.setFont(bf)
        leftBar2 = QLabel('• Get imagery')
        leftBar3 = QLabel('• Get lidar data')
        leftBar4 = QLabel('• Pick GCPs')
        leftBar5 = QLabel('• Calibrate')
    
        leftGroupBox = QGroupBox('Contents:')
        vBox = QVBoxLayout()
        vBox.addWidget(leftBar1)
        vBox.addWidget(leftBar2)
        vBox.addWidget(leftBar3)
        vBox.addWidget(leftBar4)
        vBox.addWidget(leftBar5)
        vBox.addStretch(1)
        leftGroupBox.setLayout(vBox)
        ########################    
        
        # Right contents box setup #      
        txt = QLabel('Text1')
        txt2 = QLabel('Text2')      
        txt3 = QLabel('Text3')
        contBut = QPushButton('Continue >')
    
        rightGroupBox = QGroupBox()
        hBox1 = QHBoxLayout()
        hBox1.addWidget(txt3)
        hBox1.addWidget(contBut)
        vBox = QVBoxLayout()
        vBox.addWidget(txt)
        vBox.addWidget(txt2)
        vBox.addLayout(hBox1)
        rightGroupBox.setLayout(vBox)
        ############################
    
        # Connect widgets with signals #
        contBut.clicked.connect(self.StartTool)
        ################################
    
        # Full widget layout setup #
        fullLayout = QHBoxLayout()
        fullLayout.addWidget(leftGroupBox)
        fullLayout.addWidget(rightGroupBox)
        self.setLayout(fullLayout)

        self.setWindowTitle('Title')
        self.show()
        ###############################
     
    def StartTool(self):
        self.close()


if __name__ == '__main__':
    import sys
    from PyQt5 import QtWidgets

    if not QtWidgets.QApplication.instance():
        app = QtWidgets.QApplication(sys.argv)
    else:
        app = QtWidgets.QApplication.instance()

    w = WelcomeWindow()
    sys.exit(app.exec_())`

I can successfully freeze this using pyi-makespec --debug all --onefile -n test --icon icon3.ico test.py and pyinstaller test.py. When I launch the program, however, whether it be through the command line or by running the app directly, the app fails to start. I don't get any error messages, the last 4 lines of the output are as follows:

`

# PyQt5.QtWidgets not found in PYZ

[2820] LOADER: Back to parent (RC: -1073741819)

[2820] LOADER: Doing cleanup

[2820] LOADER: Freeing archive status for C:\Users\conli\Documents\SurfRCaT\dist\test.exe`

I'm on a Windows 10 machine, running Python 3.6 with Anaconda (64 bit). I've tried using the most recent development version of PyInstaller. I've tried creating a clean environment. I've tried invoking the app differently. I've tried using --onedir instead. All same result. The strangest part is that this worked just fine before my computer restarted. I'm at quite a loss here as to why the app refuses to launch- any ideas?

[rafael-mq]

I'm also facing this problem on some Windows 7 and Windows 10 computers.
Python 3.7.4 - 32bits
PyInstaller 4.0 dev
I'm building my program on a single executable.
I tried building it with debug mode on (--debug all) and at some point an error message appears saying it failed to execute script "pyiboot01_bootstrap" just like what was reported at #4213.
I'm reaaly looking forward for an answer on this topic.

[rafael-mq]

I'm also facing this problem on some Windows 7 and Windows 10 computers.
Python 3.7.4 - 32bits
PyInstaller 4.0 dev
I'm building my program on a single executable.
I tried building it with debug mode on (--debug all) and at some point an error message appears saying it failed to execute script "pyiboot01_bootstrap" just like what was reported at #4213.
I'm reaaly looking forward for an answer on this topic.

I solved the problem in my case downgrading both Python to 3.6.8 and PyInstaller to 3.4.

[JarekParal]

I have the same issue.
When I create an app with pyinstaller (setting onefile, onedir don't matter) and run the app, the app just opens a console window and without any message close the window.
I tested it with Conda 32-bit, Python 3.6.4/3.7.4 and pyinstaller 3.4/3.5/3.6 and everytime a get the same behaviour.

For testing I used just simple script:

# test.py file
if __name__ == '__main__':
    print('__main__ - start')

and call pyinstaller like that: pyinstaller test.py with --onefile or with --onedir flag.

In all of these configurations, the app just opens console windows and close. I also check the output with --debug all, where I got the same output as @conlin-matt:

[28600] LOADER: Running test.py
[28600] LOADER: OK.
[28600] LOADER: Cleaning up Python interpreter.

But when I move the test.py file to subfolder test and call the pyinstaller: pyinstaller test\test.py it suddenly solves this issue and the app start work (show the message __main__ - start in the console window):

[28600] LOADER: Running test.py
__main__ - start
[28600] LOADER: OK.
[28600] LOADER: Cleaning up Python interpreter.

Then this could be a workaround.

For testing purpose, I add my conda env export: environment.txt

[Legorooj]

@JarekParal try opening a command prompt and running the exe from there - unless you were already doing that? And the subdir thing shouldn't change anything.

[JarekParal]

@Legorooj I'm not sure if I tried to run the app from command prompt but that isn't a solution for me. I moved the file test.py to a subfolder and it works well for me. But I had to change the import structure.

[Legorooj]

Hmm. Could you type out a file structure for us (For both the working and not working config)? Eg:

- data-folder
  - data-file.json
  - _another_data.yml
- my_module
  - __init__.py
- main.py

And tell us which pyinstaller command you used?

[JarekParal]

I tried to create MCVE but I couldn't reproduce this issue on any simple MCVE, which mean that my previous comment about simple test file isn't correct:

# test.py file
if __name__ == '__main__':
    print('__main__ - start')

But I can still reproduce the issue in my code. As it is an internal project, I couldn't share the code base, but I exported at least the build log files.
I tried to build this project first time with file name calmanimo.py and second time with file test.py.
Second build works but the first not.

I found one difference in the xref... files:

1. https://github.com/JarekParal/pyinstaller-project-structure-issue/blob/build-files/build/calmanimo/xref-calmanimo.html
2. https://github.com/JarekParal/pyinstaller-project-structure-issue/blob/build-files/build/test/xref-test.html

But I don't understand what is the difference and if that could be an issue.

My project structure is:

- `test.py` or `calmanimo.py
- calmanimo folder
  - __init__.py
  - all other folders with implementation for this app 

The app is base on WxPython and I'm using ctype library for C DLL binding and pythonnet for C# DLL binding + other libraries specify in environment.yml.

[Legorooj]

Wait a sec. You're saying the following folder structure doesn't work:

- calmanimo.py
- calmanimo (dir)
  - __init__.py
  - GUI.py
  - etc

Am I right?

[JarekParal]

Actually it is more like that:

- calmanimo.py
- calmanimo (dir)
  - __init__.py
  - gui (dir)
    - __init__.py
    - GUI.py
  - etc

But yes, you are right.

[Legorooj]

Try renaming calmanimo.py to main.py and building. Don't change anything else. @JarekParal

[JarekParal]

Yes, this seems to fix this issue. Do you know why that happens?

[Legorooj]

When you import calmanimo, python is trying to import itself, ie calmanimo.py. If you name a python file os.py, and try to import the os module, it'll fail. If you want the python file named that, change the name of the directory to something like _calmanimo

[Legorooj]

@conlin-matt have you tried with the latest version of PyInstaller?

[conlin-matt]

I haven't tried since November. I ended up having so many issues with this that I switched gears to fbs, a great package that puts a nice wrapper on Pyinstaller. That being aid, I've had success building some (simpler) apps with Pyinstaller since then, so I don't think whatever was going on here serves as an Issue for Pyinstaller anymore. As far as I'm concerned this issue seems resolved.

[Legorooj]

@conlin-matt I'll close then. In case you're interested, I've got a PyInstaller GUI I'm in late development stages with. It'll be released soon.