fix(flet pack): Windows taskbar shortcut pointing to wrong .exe

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 * Fix `find_platform_image` selecting incompatible icon formats (e.g. `.icns` on Windows) by ranking glob results per target platform ([#6381](https://github.com/flet-dev/flet/pull/6381)) by @HG-ha.
 * Fix `Page.show_drawer()`, `close_drawer()`, and root/top view accessors (`appbar`, `drawer`, `navigation_bar`, `controls`, ...) failing with `TypeError` under `Page.render_views()` by unwrapping component-wrapped views and normalizing single-view returns ([#6413](https://github.com/flet-dev/flet/issues/6413), [#6414](https://github.com/flet-dev/flet/pull/6414)) by @FeodorFitsner.
 * Fix `auto_scroll` on scrollable controls silently doing nothing unless `scroll` was also explicitly set ([#6397](https://github.com/flet-dev/flet/issues/6397), [#6404](https://github.com/flet-dev/flet/pull/6404)) by @ndonkoHenri.
+* Fix `flet pack` desktop packaging so Windows and Linux bundles include the expected client archive, and Windows taskbar pins point to the packed app instead of the cached `flet.exe` ([#5151](https://github.com/flet-dev/flet/issues/5151), [#6403](https://github.com/flet-dev/flet/pull/6403)) by @ndonkoHenri.
 
 ### Other changes
 

client/windows/runner/main.cpp

@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 #include <flutter/dart_project.h>
 #include <flutter/flutter_view_controller.h>
+#include <shobjidl.h>
 #include <windows.h>
 
 #include "flutter_window.h"
@@ -17,6 +18,18 @@ int APIENTRY wWinMain(_In_ HINSTANCE instance, _In_opt_ HINSTANCE prev,
   // plugins.
   ::CoInitializeEx(nullptr, COINIT_APARTMENTTHREADED);
 
+  // Set AppUserModelID so that Windows associates this window with the
+  // parent application (e.g. a PyInstaller-packaged exe) rather than
+  // this flet.exe binary. This ensures taskbar pins and shortcuts
+  // point to the correct executable.
+  wchar_t *aumid = nullptr;
+  size_t aumid_len = 0;
+  if (_wdupenv_s(&aumid, &aumid_len, L"FLET_APP_USER_MODEL_ID") == 0 &&
+      aumid != nullptr && aumid[0] != L'\0') {
+    ::SetCurrentProcessExplicitAppUserModelID(aumid);
+  }
+  free(aumid);
+
   flutter::DartProject project(L"data");
 
   std::vector<std::string> command_line_arguments =

packages/flet/CHANGELOG.md

@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 ### Bug fixes
 
 * Handle unbounded width in `ResponsiveRow` with an explicit error and treat child controls with `col=0` as hidden at the current breakpoint ([#1951](https://github.com/flet-dev/flet/issues/1951), [#3805](https://github.com/flet-dev/flet/issues/3805), [#6354](https://github.com/flet-dev/flet/pull/6354)) by @ndonkoHenri.
+* Fix `flet pack` desktop packaging so Windows and Linux bundles include the expected client archive, and Windows taskbar pins point to the packed app instead of the cached `flet.exe` ([#5151](https://github.com/flet-dev/flet/issues/5151), [#6403](https://github.com/flet-dev/flet/pull/6403)) by @ndonkoHenri.
 
 ### Other changes
 

sdk/python/packages/flet-cli/src/flet_cli/__pyinstaller/rthooks/pyi_rth_localhost_fletd.py

@@ -1,9 +1,16 @@
 import logging
 import os
+import sys
 
 logger = logging.getLogger("flet")
 
 
 logger.info("Running PyInstaller runtime hook for Flet...")
 
 os.environ["FLET_SERVER_IP"] = "127.0.0.1"
+
+# On Windows, set AppUserModelID so the taskbar associates the Flet client window
+# with the parent executable (a PyInstaller bundle in this case) rather than the cached
+# flet.exe. This ensures taskbar pins and shortcuts point to the correct executable.
+if sys.platform == "win32" and "FLET_APP_USER_MODEL_ID" not in os.environ:
+    os.environ["FLET_APP_USER_MODEL_ID"] = os.path.abspath(sys.executable)

sdk/python/packages/flet-cli/src/flet_cli/commands/pack.py

@@ -2,10 +2,12 @@
 import os
 import shutil
 import sys
+import tarfile
+import zipfile
 from pathlib import Path
 
 import flet_cli.__pyinstaller.config as hook_config
-from flet.utils import is_macos, is_windows
+from flet.utils import is_linux, is_macos, is_windows
 from flet_cli.commands.base import BaseCommand
 
 
@@ -152,6 +154,31 @@ def add_arguments(self, parser: argparse.ArgumentParser) -> None:
             help="Enable non-interactive mode. All prompts will be skipped",
         )
 
+    def compress_flet_client_dir(self, temp_bin_dir: str, archive_name: str) -> None:
+        """Compress the flet/ directory into an archive and remove the original.
+
+        Args:
+            temp_bin_dir: Path to the temporary directory containing the flet/
+                subdirectory with client binaries.
+            archive_name: Target archive filename. Uses zip for `.zip`
+                extensions and gzipped tar for everything else.
+        """
+        flet_dir = os.path.join(temp_bin_dir, "flet")
+        if not os.path.isdir(flet_dir):
+            return
+        archive_path = os.path.join(temp_bin_dir, archive_name)
+        if archive_name.endswith(".zip"):  # windows
+            with zipfile.ZipFile(archive_path, "w", zipfile.ZIP_DEFLATED) as zf:
+                for root, _dirs, files in os.walk(flet_dir):
+                    for f in files:
+                        full = os.path.join(root, f)
+                        arcname = os.path.relpath(full, temp_bin_dir)
+                        zf.write(full, arcname)
+        else:
+            with tarfile.open(archive_path, "w:gz") as tar:
+                tar.add(flet_dir, arcname="flet")
+        shutil.rmtree(flet_dir)
+
     def handle(self, options: argparse.Namespace) -> None:
         """
         Package the app into a standalone desktop artifact.
@@ -293,6 +320,12 @@ def handle(self, options: argparse.Namespace) -> None:
 
                         pyi_args.extend(["--version-file", version_info_path])
 
+                    # Compress the patched flet/ directory into flet-windows.zip
+                    # so ensure_client_cached() finds it at runtime.
+                    self.compress_flet_client_dir(
+                        hook_config.temp_bin_dir, "flet-windows.zip"
+                    )
+
                 elif is_macos():
                     from flet_cli.__pyinstaller.macos_utils import (
                         assemble_app_bundle,
@@ -341,12 +374,12 @@ def handle(self, options: argparse.Namespace) -> None:
                         copyright=options.copyright,
                     )
 
-                    # assemble
+                    # Compress the patched .app bundle back into flet-macos.tar.gz so
+                    # ensure_client_cached() finds it at runtime.
                     assemble_app_bundle(app_path, tar_path)
 
-                    # Remove everything except the tar.gz so
-                    # PyInstaller doesn't try to process loose
-                    # framework binaries.
+                    # Remove everything except the tar.gz so PyInstaller doesn't try
+                    # to process loose framework binaries.
                     for entry in os.listdir(hook_config.temp_bin_dir):
                         entry_path = os.path.join(hook_config.temp_bin_dir, entry)
                         if entry_path == tar_path:
@@ -356,7 +389,16 @@ def handle(self, options: argparse.Namespace) -> None:
                         else:
                             os.remove(entry_path)
 
-            # run PyInstaller!
+                elif is_linux():
+                    from flet_desktop import get_artifact_filename
+
+                    # Compress the flet/ directory into a tar.gz
+                    # so ensure_client_cached() finds it at runtime.
+                    self.compress_flet_client_dir(
+                        hook_config.temp_bin_dir, get_artifact_filename()
+                    )
+
+            # run PyInstaller
             print("Running PyInstaller:", pyi_args)
             PyInstaller.__main__.run(pyi_args)
 

sdk/python/packages/flet-desktop/src/flet_desktop/__init__.py

@@ -55,13 +55,13 @@ def get_package_bin_dir():
 
 def __get_desktop_flavor():
     """
-    Return the desktop client flavor to use: ``"full"`` or ``"light"``.
+    Return the desktop client flavor to use: `"full"` or `"light"`.
 
     Resolution order:
 
-    1. ``FLET_DESKTOP_FLAVOR`` environment variable.
-    2. ``[tool.flet].desktop_flavor`` in the project's ``pyproject.toml``.
-    3. Default: ``"light"`` on Linux, ``"full"`` elsewhere.
+    1. `FLET_DESKTOP_FLAVOR` environment variable.
+    2. `[tool.flet].desktop_flavor` in the project's `pyproject.toml`.
+    3. Default: `"light"` on Linux, `"full"` elsewhere.
     """
 
     env_flavor = os.environ.get("FLET_DESKTOP_FLAVOR", "").strip().lower()
@@ -93,9 +93,9 @@ def __get_desktop_flavor():
 
 def __get_system_glibc_version():
     """
-    Return the system glibc version as a ``(major, minor)`` tuple.
+    Return the system glibc version as a `(major, minor)` tuple.
 
-    Falls back to ``(0, 0)`` when detection fails.
+    Falls back to `(0, 0)` when detection fails.
     """
 
     try:
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ def __get_linux_distro_id():
 
     Uses glibc version detection to pick the best matching build target
     (highest glibc requirement that is <= system glibc).  Can be
-    overridden via the ``FLET_LINUX_DISTRO`` environment variable.
+    overridden via the `FLET_LINUX_DISTRO` environment variable.
     """
 
     override = os.environ.get("FLET_LINUX_DISTRO", "").strip()
@@ -139,13 +139,13 @@ def __get_linux_distro_id():
     return best
 
 
-def __get_artifact_filename():
+def get_artifact_filename():
     """
     Return the release artifact filename for the current platform.
 
-    Windows: ``flet-windows.zip``
-    macOS:   ``flet-macos.tar.gz``
-    Linux:   ``flet-linux-{distro}[-light]-{arch}.tar.gz``
+    Windows: `flet-windows.zip`
+    macOS:   `flet-macos.tar.gz`
+    Linux:   `flet-linux-{distro}[-light]-{arch}.tar.gz`
     """
 
     if is_windows():
@@ -165,8 +165,7 @@ def __get_client_storage_dir():
     """
     Return a versioned local directory used to store unpacked desktop client files.
 
-    The path format is:
-    ``~/.flet/client/flet-desktop-{flavor}-{version}``.
+    The path format is: `~/.flet/client/flet-desktop-{flavor}-{version}`.
     """
 
     flavor = __get_desktop_flavor()
@@ -180,11 +179,11 @@ def __download_flet_client(file_name):
     Download a Flet client archive from GitHub Releases.
 
     The download URL is constructed from the version embedded in
-    ``flet_desktop.version.version``.  It can be overridden entirely
-    via the ``FLET_CLIENT_URL`` environment variable.
+    `flet_desktop.version.version`.  It can be overridden entirely
+    via the `FLET_CLIENT_URL` environment variable.
 
     Args:
-        file_name: Archive filename to download (e.g. ``flet-macos.tar.gz``).
+        file_name: Archive filename to download (e.g. `flet-macos.tar.gz`).
 
     Returns:
         Local path to the downloaded archive.
@@ -217,7 +216,7 @@ def ensure_client_cached():
         logger.info(f"Flet client found in cache: {cache_dir}")
         return cache_dir
 
-    artifact = __get_artifact_filename()
+    artifact = get_artifact_filename()
 
     # Check for a bundled archive (PyInstaller or legacy wheel).
     bundled = os.path.join(get_package_bin_dir(), artifact)
@@ -327,22 +326,22 @@ def __locate_and_unpack_flet_view(page_url, assets_dir, hidden):
 
     Resolution strategy (per platform):
 
-    1. Prefer app binaries produced by ``flet build`` in the current workspace.
-    2. Use ``FLET_VIEW_PATH`` when provided.
-    3. Use cached / downloaded client from ``~/.flet/client/``.
+    1. Prefer app binaries produced by `flet build` in the current workspace.
+    2. Use `FLET_VIEW_PATH` when provided.
+    3. Use cached / downloaded client from `~/.flet/client/`.
 
     Platform-specific launch commands are prepared for Windows, macOS, and Linux.
 
     Args:
         page_url: Page endpoint the desktop client should open.
         assets_dir: Optional assets directory passed to the client process.
-        hidden: Whether to set ``FLET_HIDE_WINDOW_ON_START=true`` in process env.
+        hidden: Whether to set `FLET_HIDE_WINDOW_ON_START=true` in process env.
 
     Returns:
         A tuple containing:
-            - ``list[str]``: command arguments for the desktop client.
-            - ``dict[str, str]``: environment variables for the launched process.
-            - ``str``: path to the temporary PID file.
+            - `list[str]`: command arguments for the desktop client.
+            - `dict[str, str]`: environment variables for the launched process.
+            - `str`: path to the temporary PID file.
 
     Raises:
         FileNotFoundError: If a required desktop executable or archive

website/docs/reference/environment-variables.md

@@ -23,6 +23,14 @@ It is already pre-created and its location depends on the platform the app is ru
 A directory for the storage of temporary application files, i.e. cache.
 It is already pre-created and its location depends on the platform the app is running on.
 
+### `FLET_APP_USER_MODEL_ID`
+
+Windows [AppUserModelID](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/shell/appids)
+used by the desktop client process for taskbar grouping and pinning.
+
+For apps packaged with [`flet pack`](../cli/flet-pack.md), this value is set automatically
+so taskbar pins point to the packaged app executable instead of the cached Flet client executable.
+
 ### `FLET_ASSETS_DIR`
 
 Absolute path to the app's assets directory.