Pyinstaller adding data files

As others (@Anson Chan, @schlimmchen) have said:

If you want to add some extra files, you should use Adding Data Files.

Two ways to implement

• Command Line: add parameter to --add-data
• Spec file: add parameter to datas=
  • Generated when running pyinstaller the first time.
    • Then later you can edit your *.spec file.
    • Then running pyinstaller will directly use your *.spec file.

Parameter Logic

Parameter in --add-data or datas=:

• --add-data:
  • format: {source}{os_separator}{destination}
    • os_separator:
      • Windows: ;
      • Mac/Linux/Unix: :
    • source and destination
      • Logic:
        • source: path to single or multiple files, supporting glob syntax. Tells PyInstaller where to find the file(s).
        • destination
          file or files: destination folder which will contain your source files at run time.
          * NOTE: NOT the destination file name.
          • folder: destination folder path, which is RELATIVE to the destination root, NOT an absolute path.
  • Examples:
    • Single file: 'src/README.txt:.'
    • multiple files: '/mygame/sfx/*.mp3:sfx'
    • folder: /mygame/data:data'
• datas=
  • Format: list or tuple.
  • Examples: see the following.

added_files = [
    ( 'src/README.txt', '.' ),
    ( '/mygame/data', 'data' ),
    ( '/mygame/sfx/*.mp3', 'sfx' )
]

a = Analysis(...
    datas = added_files,
    ...
)

Your case

For your (Windows OS) here is:

• --add-data in command line
  • pyinstaller -F --add-data "main.kv;." yourtarget.py

OR:

• datas= in yourtarget.spec file, see following:

a = Analysis(...
    datas = ["main.kv", "."],
    ...
)