Enhance build process by adding OS-specific npm command handling, update README with clearer installation instructions and prerequisites

README.md

@@ -1,34 +1,51 @@
 
-## CDRM-Project  
+# CDRM-Project
+
  ![forthebadge](https://forthebadge.com/images/badges/uses-html.svg) ![forthebadge](https://forthebadge.com/images/badges/uses-css.svg) ![forthebadge](https://forthebadge.com/images/badges/uses-javascript.svg) ![forthebadge](https://forthebadge.com/images/badges/made-with-python.svg)  
   
-## Prerequisites  (from source only)
+## Prerequisites (from source only)
   
- - [Python](https://www.python.org/downloads/) version [3.12](https://www.python.org/downloads/release/python-3120/)+ with PIP and VENV installed  
+- [Python](https://www.python.org/downloads/) version 3.12+ with PIP installed  
-  
-   > Python 3.13 was used at the time of writing  
 
-## Installation (Automatic) - Recommended   
+  Python 3.13 was used at the time of writing
-- Extract contents of CDRM-Project 2.0 git contents into a new folder
+
+- [Node.js](https://nodejs.org/en/download/) v20+
+
+## Installation (Automatic) - Recommended
+
+- Extract contents of CDRM-Project into a new folder
 - Open a terminal and change directory into the new folder
-- Run `python main.py`
+- Run `python build.py && python main.py`
 - Follow the on-screen prompts
 
 ## Installation (From binary)
+
 - Download the latest release from the [releases](https://cdm-project.com/tpd94/CDRM-Project/releases) page and run the `.exe`
 
- ## Installation  (Manual)
+## Installation  (Manual)
- - Open your terminal and navigate to where you'd like to store the application  
+
- - Create a new python virtual environment using `python -m venv CDRM-Project`  
+- Open your terminal and navigate to where you'd like to store the application
- - Change directory into the new `CDRM-Project` folder  
+- Clone the project with `git clone https://cdm-project.com/tpd94/CDRM-Project.git`
- - Activate the virtual environment  
+- Navigate to the `CDRM-Project` folder
+- Create a new python virtual environment using `python -m venv venv`
+- Activate the virtual environment
+
+  - Windows:
   
-   > Windows - change directory into the `Scripts` directory then `activate.bat`  
+  ```bash
-    >   
+  .\venv\Scripts\activate
-    > Linux - `source bin/activate`  
+  ```
+
+  - Linux:
   
- - Extract CDRM-Project 2.0 git contents into the newly created `CDRM-Project` folder  
+  ```bash
- - Install python dependencies `pip install -r requirements.txt`  
+  source venv/bin/activate
- - (Optional) Create the folder structure `/configs/CDMs/WV` and place your .WVD file into `/configs/CDMs/WV`  
+  ```
- - (Optional) Create the folder structure `/config/CDMs/PR` and place your .PRD file into `/configs/CDMs/PR`  
+
- - Run the application with `python main.py`
+  Verify that the virtual environment is activated by seeing the `(venv)` prefix in your terminal
+
+- Install python dependencies `pip install -r requirements.txt`
+- (Optional) Create the folder structure `/configs/CDMs/WV` and place your .WVD file into `/configs/CDMs/WV`
+- (Optional) Create the folder structure `/config/CDMs/PR` and place your .PRD file into `/configs/CDMs/PR`
+- Build the frontend with `python build.py`
+- And finally, run the application with `python main.py`

build.py

@@ -3,18 +3,29 @@
 import os
 import subprocess
 import shutil
+import sys
+
+
+def get_npm_command():
+    """Get the appropriate npm command for the current OS."""
+    if sys.platform == "win32":
+        return "npm.cmd"
+    return "npm"
 
 
 def build_frontend():
     """Build the frontend."""
     frontend_dir = "cdrm-frontend"
+    npm_cmd = get_npm_command()
 
-    # Check and run npm commands if needed
+    # Check and install dependencies if node_modules doesn't exist
     if not os.path.exists(f"{frontend_dir}/node_modules"):
-        subprocess.run(["npm", "install"], cwd=frontend_dir, check=False)
+        print("📦 Installing dependencies...")
+        subprocess.run([npm_cmd, "install"], cwd=frontend_dir, check=True)
 
-    if not os.path.exists(f"{frontend_dir}/dist"):
+    # Always build the frontend to ensure it's up to date
-        subprocess.run(["npm", "run", "build"], cwd=frontend_dir, check=False)
+    print("🔨 Building frontend...")
+    subprocess.run([npm_cmd, "run", "build"], cwd=frontend_dir, check=True)
 
     # Move dist to frontend-dist
     if os.path.exists("frontend-dist"):