Exe for multi-file GUI project

steve64

It's not clear to me how to create an EXE (with rtc) from a multi-file GUI project.
Let suppose to have a main multi.wlua file loading other files with their own functions or even top level statement.
Are they required to be structured as modules and loaded with require? May I use dofile() in the main file ?
Should I put the modules in a subfolder to be embedded in the EXE from rtc?

It seems that the following approach is working, do you confirm that it's the correct way?

-- RTC build command

rtc -s -w -o ..\multi.exe modules multi.wlua

-- MAIN FILE  multi.wlua

ui = require 'ui'
if embed then  oth = require 'other'
else  oth = require 'modules/other'
end
win = ui.Window('Multi', 'fixed', 400, 200)
oth.test(win)
win:show()
repeat ui.update() until not win.visible

-- OTHER MODULE FILE: other.lua (stored inside sufolder 'modules')

local other = {}
function other.test(w) w.title = 'TESTED' end
return other

Samir

Don't change the require call for Lua scripts.
Use in this case require "modules.other"
And use as directory folder the folder where your main script is. You can use the fullpath or just "." if you use rtc from the same directory as the main Lua file.

steve64

many thanks, your suggestion is working fine

Samir

Great, I might write a tutorial to explain this !

steve64

I have some shared Lua modules (e.s. strict.lua) in a different folder path w.r.t. my project folder (it's two levels above)
When running from the IDE I use:

package.path = package.path..';..\\..\\_common\\?.lua'
require 'strict'

and it's fine.
However, I have troubles when building a standalone exe.
I tried the following:

rtc -i .\panel.ico -o myapp.exe -lkeyboard -lnet -lc -w main.lua . %shared_path%\_common\strict.lua

When running the exe by clicking the exe in the File Manager window, it works.
But running the exe from a command shell fails with a dialog window saying: "module 'strict' not found

Samir

Very strange. The behaviour should not change between console launch and File manager launch

Samir

I will do some checks

Samir

It works on my side. It must be something else in your code ?

steve64

Maybe the strict.lua has not been really embedded in the exe at build time with rtc?

Samir

It is embedded but in the root virtual folder, as the main.lua file

steve64

Thanks, now I've fixed it !
I had also another older LuaRT bin path in my Windows PATH...
Now it's fine!