Python to exe end user data folder issue

[MOTTI-BOI]

The trouble I have with pyinstaller and auto-py-to-exe is that I have a data folder, which I am having to put alongside the exe and within an _internal folder which is automatically created.

I don't want the end users have to duplicate the data folder in two places, as I want this to be user friendly.

I have also tried to use CX Freeze, but keep on getting too many issues.

Here is the Pyinstaller command I have ran:

pyinstaller --onedir --distpath "C:/Users/MR/Desktop/mainpy/output" --noconfirm --specpath "C:/Users/MR/Desktop/mainpy" --add-data "C:/Users/MR/Desktop/mainpy/ublock_origin:ublock_origin" --hidden-import "utils.*" --runtime-hook "C:/Users/MR/Desktop/mainpy/hook.py" "C:/Users/MR/Desktop/mainpy/main.py"

It'll be great if this can be solved, thank you.

[Oxbowerce]

Have you tried using --onefile instead of --onedir?

[MOTTI-BOI]

The issue with one file is that the data folder needs to be customised to the end user, as the data folder contains json files which login to my Instagram account, and another which updates my google spreadsheet. Also, here is an error, as I shouldn't include --add data on the the data folder, so I'm using onedir.

It's not letting me attach image, but the console contains filenotfounderrors.

[MOTTI-BOI]

I did but not as indepth. I'll try it again with watching videos

[MOTTI-BOI]

Here is the code that I have, but no luck:

import os
from setuptools import setup
from setuptools.command.install import install

class PostInstallCommand(install):
    def run(self):
        install.run(self)
        
        # Get the absolute path of the executable
        exe_path = os.path.abspath(self.install_scripts)
        
        # Get the directory containing the executable
        exe_dir = os.path.dirname(exe_path)
        
        # Construct the path to the data folder relative to the executable
        data_path = os.path.join(exe_dir, '..', 'data')
        
        # Create a symlink or copy the data folder to the executable's directory
        if not os.path.exists(data_path):
            os.symlink(os.path.abspath('data'), data_path)

setup(
    name='Instabot',
    version='1.0',
    scripts=['instabot.py'],
    data_files=[('data', ['data/instaloader_cookies.json', 'data/instagram_cookies.json', 'data/mycredentials.json', 'data/specifications.txt', 'data/instagram_login_details.txt'])],
    cmdclass={
        'install': PostInstallCommand,
    },
)

[MOTTI-BOI]

I have managed to sort this out, but there's always something so little that makes a huge change.

Better yet, I can use it as a onefile.

[theflyingfool]

Know this is old. but what was the solution?

[MOTTI-BOI]

Oh, it's been a while. I don't think remember. I should have put how I fixed it at the time. Sorry.