copyparty/contrib/windows/README.md

Windows Support for copyparty SFX Files

This directory contains Windows-specific tools and solutions for running copyparty SFX (self-extracting) files.

Problem

Windows users often experience issues when trying to run copyparty SFX files:

1. Double-click doesn't work: Clicking on .py files may open an editor instead of running the script
2. Segmentation faults: The python-magic library can cause crashes on Windows
3. Poor error messages: When something goes wrong, users don't get helpful feedback

Solutions

Option 1: Use the SFX Launcher (Recommended)

1. Download run-sfx.bat and place it in the same folder as your copyparty SFX file
2. Double-click run-sfx.bat instead of the .py file
3. The launcher will:
   • Automatically find your Python installation
   • Set PRTY_NO_MAGIC=1 to prevent crashes
   • Provide helpful error messages
   • Keep the window open so you can see what happened

Option 2: Create a Paired Batch File

1. Download copyparty-sfx.bat
2. Rename it to match your SFX file (e.g., copyparty-1.8.5.py → copyparty-1.8.5.bat)
3. Double-click the .bat file instead of the .py file

Option 3: Manual Environment Variable

If you prefer to run the SFX file directly:

1. Open Command Prompt or PowerShell
2. Set the environment variable: set PRTY_NO_MAGIC=1
3. Run: python copyparty-x.x.x.py

Option 4: Fix File Association

Associate .py files with Python interpreter:

1. Right-click any .py file → "Open with" → "Choose another app"
2. Browse to your Python installation (e.g., C:\Python39\python.exe)
3. Check "Always use this app to open .py files"

Files in this Directory

• copyparty-sfx.bat - Generic batch file template for any SFX file
• run-sfx.bat - Universal SFX launcher that finds any .py file in the same directory
• copyparty-ctmp.bat - Existing utility for running copyparty.exe with fixed temp directory

Technical Details

The SFX script automatically sets PRTY_NO_MAGIC=1 on Windows to disable the python-magic library, which is known to cause segmentation faults on Windows systems. This environment variable is checked by copyparty to determine whether to use python-magic for file type detection.

Troubleshooting

If you still have issues:

1. Make sure Python is installed and accessible from the command line
2. Try running python --version in Command Prompt to verify
3. Check that you have the latest copyparty SFX file
4. For advanced debugging, run the SFX file from Command Prompt to see detailed error messages

Related Issues

• #324: Windows users can't double-click SFX files
• #325: ShareX v17+ compatibility