Building the Odoo Lightweight Installer

Date: 2025-11-04
Purpose: Step-by-step guide to build odoo-lightweight-setup.exe

Prerequisites

1. Install Inno Setup

Download: https://jrsoftware.org/isdl.php
Version: 6.2.2 or later
Install: Run installer, accept defaults
Location: C:\Program Files (x86)\Inno Setup 6\

2. Download Required Components

You need to download these components and place them in the installer\bundled\ folder:

Python 3.10 Embedded (50MB)

Download: https://www.python.org/ftp/python/3.10.11/python-3.10.11-embed-amd64.zip
Extract to: installer\bundled\python-3.10-embed\

What you should see:

installer\bundled\python-3.10-embed\
├── python.exe
├── python310.dll
├── python310.zip
├── pythonw.exe
└── ... (other files)

PostgreSQL 15 Portable (150MB)

Download: https://www.enterprisedb.com/download-postgresql-binaries
Version: PostgreSQL 15.x (Windows x64 binaries)
Extract to: installer\bundled\postgresql-15\

What you should see:

installer\bundled\postgresql-15\
├── bin\
│   ├── postgres.exe
│   ├── psql.exe
│   ├── pg_ctl.exe
│   └── initdb.exe
├── lib\
└── share\

Folder Structure

Before building, your installer\ folder should look like this:

C:\Users\total\installer\
├── bundled\
│   ├── python-3.10-embed\          (50MB - Python runtime)
│   └── postgresql-15\              (150MB - PostgreSQL binaries)
├── scripts\
│   ├── start-odoo.bat              ✅ Created
│   ├── stop-odoo.bat               ✅ Created
│   ├── create-config.bat           ✅ Created
│   └── open-browser.bat            ✅ Created
├── assets\
│   ├── odoo-icon.ico               ⚠️ Need to create/download
│   └── README.txt                  ✅ Created
├── odoo-lightweight-setup.iss      ✅ Created
└── BUILD_INSTALLER_GUIDE.md        ✅ This file

Step-by-Step Build Process

Step 1: Prepare Python Embedded

Download Python:
```powershell
# Open PowerShell
cd C:\Users\total\installer\bundled

# Download Python embedded
Invoke-WebRequest -Uri "https://www.python.org/ftp/python/3.10.11/python-3.10.11-embed-amd64.zip" -OutFile "python-3.10.11-embed-amd64.zip"

# Extract
Expand-Archive -Path "python-3.10.11-embed-amd64.zip" -DestinationPath "python-3.10-embed"
```

Enable pip in embedded Python:

Edit python-3.10-embed\python310._pth and uncomment this line:
import site

(Remove the # at the beginning of the line)

Get pip:
```powershell
cd python-3.10-embed

# Download get-pip.py
Invoke-WebRequest -Uri "https://bootstrap.pypa.io/get-pip.py" -OutFile "get-pip.py"

# Install pip
.\python.exe get-pip.py
```

Step 2: Prepare PostgreSQL Portable

Download PostgreSQL binaries:
Visit: https://www.enterprisedb.com/download-postgresql-binaries
Select: PostgreSQL 15.x (Windows x64)
Download the ZIP file (not the installer!)
Extract:
```powershell
cd C:\Users\total\installer\bundled

# Extract the downloaded ZIP
Expand-Archive -Path "postgresql-15.x-windows-x64-binaries.zip" -DestinationPath "."

# Rename folder
Rename-Item "pgsql" "postgresql-15"
```

Step 3: Create/Download Odoo Icon

Option 1: Use existing Odoo icon

# If you have Odoo installed, copy its icon
copy "C:\Program Files\Odoo 18\server\odoo\addons\web\static\img\favicon.ico" "C:\Users\total\installer\assets\odoo-icon.ico"

Option 2: Create a simple icon
- Use an online ICO converter: https://convertio.co/png-ico/
- Upload any Odoo logo PNG
- Download as .ico
- Save to: C:\Users\total\installer\assets\odoo-icon.ico

Option 3: Skip icon (temporary)
- Comment out icon lines in the .iss script:
ini ; SetupIconFile=assets\odoo-icon.ico ; UninstallDisplayIcon={app}\assets\odoo-icon.ico

Step 4: Verify Folder Structure

Run this PowerShell command to check everything is ready:

cd C:\Users\total\installer

# Check Python
if (Test-Path "bundled\python-3.10-embed\python.exe") {
    Write-Host "✅ Python found" -ForegroundColor Green
} else {
    Write-Host "❌ Python missing!" -ForegroundColor Red
}

# Check PostgreSQL
if (Test-Path "bundled\postgresql-15\bin\postgres.exe") {
    Write-Host "✅ PostgreSQL found" -ForegroundColor Green
} else {
    Write-Host "❌ PostgreSQL missing!" -ForegroundColor Red
}

# Check Odoo
if (Test-Path "C:\odoo-lightweight\server\odoo-bin") {
    Write-Host "✅ Odoo lightweight found" -ForegroundColor Green
} else {
    Write-Host "❌ Odoo lightweight missing!" -ForegroundColor Red
}

# Check scripts
if (Test-Path "scripts\start-odoo.bat") {
    Write-Host "✅ Scripts found" -ForegroundColor Green
} else {
    Write-Host "❌ Scripts missing!" -ForegroundColor Red
}

Step 5: Build the Installer

Method 1: Using Inno Setup GUI
1. Open Inno Setup Compiler
2. File > Open > Select odoo-lightweight-setup.iss
3. Build > Compile
4. Wait for compilation (2-5 minutes)
5. Installer created: installer\Output\odoo-lightweight-setup.exe

Method 2: Using Command Line

cd C:\Users\total\installer

# Compile installer
& "C:\Program Files (x86)\Inno Setup 6\ISCC.exe" "odoo-lightweight-setup.iss"

Step 6: Test the Installer

IMPORTANT: Test on a clean Windows machine or VM!

Copy installer to test machine:
Copy Output\odoo-lightweight-setup.exe to test PC
Run installer:
Double-click odoo-lightweight-setup.exe
Follow wizard
Choose installation type (Standard or Full)
Wait for installation (~5-15 minutes depending on components)
Verify installation:
Desktop shortcut created?
Start Odoo works?
Browser opens to http://localhost:8069?
Can create a database?
Test uninstall:
Control Panel > Programs > Uninstall Odoo Lightweight
Verify clean removal

Troubleshooting

Issue: "Cannot find python.exe"

Solution: Check that Python is in bundled\python-3.10-embed\python.exe

Issue: "Cannot find PostgreSQL"

Solution: Check that PostgreSQL is in bundled\postgresql-15\bin\postgres.exe

Issue: "Icon file not found"

Solution: Either create the icon or comment out icon lines in .iss file

Issue: "Pip install fails during installation"

Solution:
1. Make sure you enabled import site in python310._pth
2. Make sure pip was installed in embedded Python

Issue: "PostgreSQL initdb fails"

Solution: Make sure you downloaded PostgreSQL binaries (not installer)

Issue: "Installer size too large (>500MB)"

Solution: This is normal! Components are:
- Python: 50MB
- PostgreSQL: 150MB
- Odoo: 118MB
- Total: ~320MB

Customization Options

Change Installation Directory

Edit .iss file:

DefaultDirName={autopf}\Odoo Lightweight

Change to:

DefaultDirName=C:\Odoo

Skip Memory System Component

Users can choose during installation. Default is included in "Full" install.

Add License Agreement

Add to .iss file:

[Setup]
LicenseFile=assets\LICENSE.txt

Change Default Database Password

Edit scripts\create-config.bat:

echo db_password = odoo_password