Generate DET executable files

.github/workflows/release_actions.yml

@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+name: commcare-export release actions
+on:
+  release:
+    types: [published]
+
+jobs:
+  generate_release_assets:
+    name: Generate release assets
+    runs-on: ubuntu-22.04
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout repository
+        uses: actions/checkout@v2
+        with:
+          repo-token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+
+      - name: Pull docker images for pyinstaller/wine
+        run: |
+          docker pull cdrx/pyinstaller-linux
+          docker pull cdrx/pyinstaller-windows
+
+      - name: Generate linux binary
+        run: |
+          docker run -v "$(pwd):/src/" cdrx/pyinstaller-linux
+
+      - name: Generate windows exe
+        run: |
+          docker run -v "$(pwd):/src/" cdrx/pyinstaller-windows
+
+      - name: Upload release assets
+        uses: AButler/[email protected]
+        with:
+          files: "./dist/linux/*;./dist/windows/*"
+          repo-token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}

README.md

@@ -546,6 +546,11 @@ https://pypi.python.org/pypi/commcare-export
 
 https://github.com/dimagi/commcare-export/releases
 
+Once the release is created, a GitHub workflow is kicked off that generates two release artifacts, 
+which constitute executable files of the DET compatible with the following operating systems, namely
+1. Linux
+2. Windows
+
 
 Testing and Test Databases
 --------------------------
@@ -656,3 +661,18 @@ export HQ_API_KEY=<apikey>
 
 For Travis builds these are included as encrypted vars in the travis
 config.
+
+
+Compiling executable files locally
+-----------------------------------
+The DET executable files are compiled using a tool called [pyinstaller](https://pyinstaller.org/en/stable/).
+Pyinstaller is very easy to use, but only works out-of-the-box for Linux as support for cross-compilation was
+dropped in earlier releases. Another tool, [wine](https://www.winehq.org/), can be used in conjuction with
+pyinstaller to compile the Windows exe files.
+
+Luckily in the world we live there's a repo out there called [docker-pyinstaller](https://github.com/cdrx/docker-pyinstaller)
+which takes you through very simple steps to pull and use docker images to generate both the Linux binary and 
+Windows .exe files, so we don't ever have to worry about installing any additional packages ourselves.
+
+Please note that the `commcare-export.spec` file used by the docker containers is already defined and sits at the top of this project.
+It shouldn't be necessary for you to change any parameters in the file.

commcare-export.spec

@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+# -*- mode: python ; coding: utf-8 -*-
+
+
+a = Analysis(
+    ['commcare_export/cli.py'],
+    pathex=[],
+    binaries=[],
+    datas=[('./commcare_export', '.')],
+    hiddenimports=[],
+    hookspath=[],
+    runtime_hooks=[],
+    excludes=[],
+    noarchive=False,
+)
+pyz = PYZ(a.pure)
+
+exe = EXE(
+    pyz,
+    a.scripts,
+    a.binaries,
+    a.datas,
+    [],
+    name='commcare-export',
+    debug=False,
+    bootloader_ignore_signals=False,
+    strip=False,
+    upx=True,
+    upx_exclude=[],
+    runtime_tmpdir=None,
+    console=True,
+    disable_windowed_traceback=False,
+    argv_emulation=False,
+    target_arch=None,
+    codesign_identity=None,
+    entitlements_file=None,
+)