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I have Debian / Ubuntu / Xubuntu. I'm trying to distribute and run a Python file with the least number of clicks for the end user. How do I create a PKG file for Mac OS X on Linux?

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stackoverflow.com/questions/2323818/… this SE question might be a start, also osxgnu.org/info/osxpackages.html - other than some files that are generated by packagemaker, it looks like the pkg file is a fairly standard nix style compressed archive – Journeyman Geek Feb 23 '12 at 11:27
If I extract the contents of a .pkg file, there's some directories, and a PAX file (which i can make), and a BOM file, (which i've no idea how to make on a platform other than osx) – Tom O'Connor Feb 23 '12 at 12:51
@TomO'Connor Is your problem identical to Luke's, i.e. you have a script file and just want to execute it (and could accept alternatives), or do you actually want to create a proper Installer .pkg, possibly containing lots of files? – Daniel Beck♦ Feb 23 '12 at 17:09
Initially, the problem's identical, but there's more than just one file we want/need to package up. – Tom O'Connor Feb 24 '12 at 9:56
@TomO'Connor It's much easier to create Mac OS X application bundles. There might be easier options that integrate just as well with your target system (i.e. easy for your users). Consider specifying your requirements in more detail. If they're not too fancy, and more along the lines of running instead of installing, this might work quite well. – Daniel Beck♦ Feb 25 '12 at 20:21

3 Answers

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+100

Some multiplatform installers I know of are :

IzPack is a an open source software installer generator. As it uses Java you need the JRE on the target platform.

The free InstallJammer is :

a multiplatform GUI installer and builder designed to be completely cross-platform and function on Windows and most all versions of UNIX with eventual support for Mac OS X.

You could contact the developer, as he is very responsive.

InstallAnywhere is a commercial multiplatform installer. Its Standard Edition is priced at $1,999.

BitRock's InstallBuilder (don't look at the price tag) also claims :

Generate installers for all target platforms from a single project file. Create all your installers from a single build environment!

JExpress is another one at only $849.

The only one from the above that I have used is InstallJammer, which I really recommend. If OS X is already available in beta, don't hesitate to try it, as the developer corrects bugs at a very fast pace.

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Interesting, but not seeming to answer the exact question, not from my POV, anyway. – Tom O'Connor Feb 23 '12 at 12:42
Then what is your POV? – harrymc Feb 23 '12 at 12:48
Well, free would be a starting point, and the only free one is IzPack. which doesn't make DMG/PKG files, but is actually it's own installer format. Like we need another one of those(!). – Tom O'Connor Feb 23 '12 at 12:50
IzPack and InstallJammer are open source, so you could have a look at how it is done if you want to roll your own. – harrymc Feb 23 '12 at 12:52
Another idea would be to use a trial version of one of the commercial packages to create the installation, then use it as a model for repackaging on Linux. I don't know if Lion pkg files are still xarchives or are now standard zip files. (One nasty idea is to install the trial in a disposable VM.) – harrymc Feb 23 '12 at 13:36
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I think I may have ended up using a rar or a zip file, which has contents that can be ran somewhat like a DMG can be. Would this meet your goal? It was close enough to my original problem that led me to ask my question.

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up vote -1 down vote

Sorry - it will not work.

Linux may create Solaris and BSD pkg files which are tarballs with some metadata, which will lead all your searches to a complete no-go.

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5  
I don't believe you. – Tom O'Connor Feb 23 '12 at 11:11
Make a DMG file in Linux or Windows - OSX PKG is same format... – ZaB Feb 23 '12 at 16:46
2  
That's totally wrong. – Simon Sheehan Feb 25 '12 at 18:53

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