Programming Forums > Script Programming > Python

titaniumdecoy · May 27th, 2006, 12:48 PM

Is it possible to compile Python scripts so that the source code cannot be retrieved (without difficulty)? Also, is it true that accessing a Python script with an _ after the name, e.g. trip.py_, will show the source code? If so, is it possible to prevent this?

Dietrich · May 27th, 2006, 1:38 PM

This is the way to compile a Python file to a byte code file. The byte code file is not easy to read, check it out with an editor.

(Toggle Plain Text)

# create a byte code compiled python file

import py_compile
py_compile.compile("MyFile.py")  # creates  MyFile.pyc

Python will run either the .py file or the .pyc file

The thing with the .py_ doesn't make much sense. If you take a source file like MyFile.py and rename it MyFile.py_ then you still have a source file. A byte code file like MyFile.pyc can be renamed to MyFile.py_, but it is still a byte code file!

Game_Ender · May 27th, 2006, 6:32 PM

Whenever you run your script from the command line using "python myfile.py" it automatically generates a myfile.pyc. That file is still pretty "open", you can inspect it for all variables, classes, constants, basically symbol information but you can't read the source directly. py2exe, py2app, and freeze will turn you python program into an executable, that is probably the hardest form of python program to read.

Dietrich · May 28th, 2006, 9:12 AM

I hate to differ, but Python does not normally generate a .pyc file. It creates the byte code file in memory, only with imported modules Python will generate a byte code file to speed up their reuse.

Game_Ender · May 29th, 2006, 10:44 AM

:o, oops, yes you are correct.

May 27th, 2006, 12:48 PM	#1
titaniumdecoy Expert Programmer Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 839 Rep Power: 3	Compiling Python code? Is it possible to compile Python scripts so that the source code cannot be retrieved (without difficulty)? Also, is it true that accessing a Python script with an _ after the name, e.g. trip.py_, will show the source code? If so, is it possible to prevent this?

May 27th, 2006, 1:38 PM	#2
Dietrich Professional Programmer Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 434 Rep Power: 4	This is the way to compile a Python file to a byte code file. The byte code file is not easy to read, check it out with an editor. (Toggle Plain Text) # create a byte code compiled python file import py_compile py_compile.compile("MyFile.py") # creates MyFile.pyc # create a byte code compiled python file import py_compile py_compile.compile("MyFile.py") # creates MyFile.pyc Python will run either the .py file or the .pyc file The thing with the .py_ doesn't make much sense. If you take a source file like MyFile.py and rename it MyFile.py_ then you still have a source file. A byte code file like MyFile.pyc can be renamed to MyFile.py_, but it is still a byte code file! __________________ I looked it up on the Intergnats!

May 28th, 2006, 9:12 AM	#4
Dietrich Professional Programmer Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 434 Rep Power: 4	I hate to differ, but Python does not normally generate a .pyc file. It creates the byte code file in memory, only with imported modules Python will generate a byte code file to speed up their reuse. __________________ I looked it up on the Intergnats!

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May 27th, 2006, 6:32 PM	#3
Game_Ender Professional Programmer Join Date: May 2006 Location: Maryland, USA Posts: 306 Rep Power: 3	Whenever you run your script from the command line using "python myfile.py" it automatically generates a myfile.pyc. That file is still pretty "open", you can inspect it for all variables, classes, constants, basically symbol information but you can't read the source directly. py2exe, py2app, and freeze will turn you python program into an executable, that is probably the hardest form of python program to read.

May 29th, 2006, 10:44 AM	#5
Game_Ender Professional Programmer Join Date: May 2006 Location: Maryland, USA Posts: 306 Rep Power: 3	:o, oops, yes you are correct.

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Programming Forums > Script Programming > Python

Compiling Python code?