rmtPocketWatcher/flutter_app/BUILD_INSTRUCTIONS.md

rmtPocketWatcher - Windows Build Instructions

This document explains how to build rmtPocketWatcher for Windows distribution.

Prerequisites

• Flutter SDK 3.22.3 or later
• Windows 10/11 with Visual Studio Build Tools
• PowerShell (for advanced build script)

Quick Build (Batch Script)

For a simple build process, use the batch script:

build_windows.bat

This will create:

• build\windows\standalone\rmtpocketwatcher.exe - Standalone executable with all dependencies
• build\rmtPocketWatcher-Windows-Standalone.zip - Distribution archive

Advanced Build (PowerShell Script)

For more control and MSIX installer creation:

# Release build (recommended for distribution)
.\build_windows.ps1 -Release

# Debug build (for development)
.\build_windows.ps1 -Debug

This creates:

• Standalone Package: Complete folder with all dependencies
• Portable Executable: Single-file distribution (if possible)
• MSIX Installer: Windows Store-style installer
• Distribution Archive: ZIP file ready for sharing

Output Files

After building, you'll find:

Standalone Distribution

• build\windows\standalone\ - Complete application folder
• build\windows\standalone\rmtpocketwatcher.exe - Main executable
• build\windows\standalone\data\ - Flutter engine and assets
• build\windows\standalone\VERSION.txt - Version information

Distribution Archives

• build\rmtPocketWatcher-Windows-v{version}.zip - Full standalone package
• build\rmtPocketWatcher-Windows-Portable-v{version}.zip - Portable version (exe only)

Installer (if created)

• build\windows\x64\runner\Release\*.msix - Windows installer package

Distribution Options

Option 1: Standalone ZIP (Recommended)

• Share the rmtPocketWatcher-Windows-v{version}.zip file
• Users extract and run rmtpocketwatcher.exe
• No installation required
• All dependencies included

Option 2: Portable Executable

• Share the rmtPocketWatcher-Windows-Portable-v{version}.zip file
• Contains only the executable
• Smallest download size
• May require Visual C++ Redistributable on target machine

Option 3: MSIX Installer

• Share the .msix file
• Windows Store-style installation
• Automatic updates support
• Requires Windows 10 version 1809 or later

Testing

To test the standalone build:

cd build\windows\standalone
rmtpocketwatcher.exe

Troubleshooting

Build Fails

• Ensure Flutter is properly installed: flutter doctor
• Check Windows development setup: flutter doctor -v
• Clean and retry: flutter clean && flutter pub get

MSIX Creation Fails

• MSIX creation is optional and may fail on some systems
• The standalone executable will still be created
• Install Windows SDK if you need MSIX support

Runtime Issues

• Ensure the .env file is present in the build directory
• Check that all assets are included in the data folder
• Verify Visual C++ Redistributable is installed on target machine

CI/CD Integration

The build scripts are designed to work with the GitHub Actions workflow in .gitea/workflows/release.yml. The workflow automatically:

1. Builds both standalone and portable versions
2. Creates MSIX installer (if possible)
3. Packages everything for release
4. Uploads artifacts to the release

Manual Flutter Commands

If you prefer manual control:

# Basic build
flutter build windows --release

# Create MSIX (requires msix package)
flutter pub get
flutter pub run msix:create

Note: Manual builds won't include the packaging and organization provided by the build scripts.