Importing win32api (pywin32) in Briefcase Run

[MosGeo]

Describe the bug
Importing win32api works during dev but not run. Note that pywin32 is added as a requirement and it is installed in site_packages.

To Reproduce
Steps to reproduce the behavior:

1. Create new briefcase project
2. Add pywin32 as a requirement in pyproject.toml
3. Add import win32api to app.py
4. Run briefcase run -u

Expected behavior
Application runs

Environment:

• Operating System: Windows 10 64 Bit
• Python version: 3.10
• Software versions:
  • Briefcase: 0.3.9

Additional context
I tried the workaround as suggested in a very old closed issue by adding the paths manually but it didn't help (#102).

[rmartin16]

Can you try briefcase dev -d? That'll upgrade (and install any new) Python dependencies for the dev command.

[MosGeo]

Both the run and dev environments are using the latest versions of all dependencies.

Ps. It works in dev but not in run. The initial post was confusing.

[rmartin16]

Ahh....ok. I can replicate this as well now. Given the existence of this post install script for pywin32, it looks like this package will require some extra tweaking; the use-case here appears to fall outside of what they're expecting. Although, I'll have to defer to others on what exactly might need to be done.

[freakboy3742]

I have a sneaking suspicion that this might be a duplicate of #381 - at least in spirit. There are clearly a class of Python modules that are very sensitive to the assumption that they're being installed using the interpreter that will eventually run them.

[MosGeo]

@freakboy3742 just took a quick look. Yes, I suspect it is the same issue.

[freakboy3742]

Closing as a duplicate of #381.