buildrelease.bat lacks `--disable-gil` support for free-threaded Python 3.14+ releases

[kuankuan2007]

Bug report

Bug description:

The buildrelease.bat script does not support the --disable-gil parameter, which is required for building official free-threaded Python releases starting with Python 3.14. This prevents the creation of proper Windows installers for free-threaded Python builds.

Background

With PEP 779 introducing official support for free-threaded Python in Python 3.14 (moving from experimental status in 3.13), the ability to build official free-threaded releases is critical for Windows users.

Current State

• ✅ PCbuild\build.bat supports --disable-gil
• ✅ Tools\msi\build.bat supports --disable-gil
• ❌ buildrelease.bat does not support --disable-gil

Problem Description

1. Missing --disable-gil Parameter Support

The buildrelease.bat script lacks the parameter parsing and handling for --disable-gil that exists in the other build scripts.

2. WiX Configuration Issues

Even when manually forcing the --disable-gil parameter to be passed to build.bat by modifying line 168-169 in buildrelease.bat:

@echo call "%PCBUILD%build.bat" -e -p %BUILD_PLAT% -t %TARGET% %PGOOPTS% %CERTOPTS% --disable-gil
@call "%PCBUILD%build.bat" -e -p %BUILD_PLAT% -t %TARGET% %PGOOPTS% %CERTOPTS% --disable-gil

The WiX packaging process fails because the configuration files cannot handle free-threaded binaries with the "t" suffix (e.g., python3t_d.dll).

Error Output

"J:\cpython\Tools\msi\bundle\releaselocal.wixproj"(Rebuild target) (1) ->
"J:\cpython\Tools\msi\core\core_d.wixproj"(Rebuild target) (3) ->
(Link target) ->
  J:\cpython\Tools\msi\core\core_files.wxs(23): error LGHT0103: The system cannot find the file 'python3_d.dll'. [J:\cpython\Tools\msi\core\core_d.wixproj]
  J:\cpython\Tools\msi\core\core_files.wxs(26): error LGHT0103: The system cannot find the file 'python314_d.dll'. [J:\cpython\Tools\msi\core\core_d.wixproj]
  J:\cpython\Tools\msi\core\core_files.wxs(27): error LGHT0103: The system cannot find the file 'python314_d.pdb'. [J:\cpython\Tools\msi\core\core_d.wixproj]

"J:\cpython\Tools\msi\bundle\releaselocal.wixproj"(Rebuild target) (1) ->
"J:\cpython\Tools\msi\dev\dev_d.wixproj"(Rebuild target) (6) ->
  J:\cpython\Tools\msi\dev\dev_files.wxs(25): error LGHT0103: The system cannot find the file 'python3_d.lib'. [J:\cpython\Tools\msi\dev\dev_d.wixproj]
  J:\cpython\Tools\msi\dev\dev_files.wxs(28): error LGHT0103: The system cannot find the file 'python314_d.lib'. [J:\cpython\Tools\msi\dev\dev_d.wixproj]

"J:\cpython\Tools\msi\bundle\releaselocal.wixproj"(Rebuild target) (1) ->
"J:\cpython\Tools\msi\exe\exe_d.wixproj"(Rebuild target) (9) ->
  J:\cpython\Tools\msi\exe\exe_files.wxs(57): error LGHT0103: The system cannot find the file 'python_d.exe'. [J:\cpython\Tools\msi\exe\exe_d.wixproj]

Expected Behavior

1. buildrelease.bat should accept and properly handle the --disable-gil parameter
2. The WiX configuration should be updated to support free-threaded binary names with the "t" suffix
3. Official free-threaded Python Windows installers should be buildable using the standard release process

Steps to Reproduce

1. Clone the CPython repository (3.14+ branch)
2. Attempt to run: buildrelease.bat --disable-gil -x64
3. Observe that the --disable-gil parameter is not recognized
4. Manually modify the script to pass --disable-gil to build.bat
5. Observe WiX packaging failures due to missing "t" suffix binaries

Environment

• Target Python version: 3.14.0rc2
• Venv Python version: 3.13.7
• Operating System: Windows
• Architecture: x64

Additional Context

This issue was originally discussed on discuss.python.org: I think we need to add –disable-gil support to buildrelease.bat for official free-threaded Python releases (3.14+)

Proposed Solution

1. Add --disable-gil parameter support to buildrelease.bat similar to how it's implemented in build.bat
2. Update the WiX configuration files to properly handle free-threaded binary naming conventions
3. Ensure the MSI packaging process can correctly package free-threaded Python builds

This is critical for the Python 3.14 release cycle as free-threaded Python transitions from experimental to officially supported status.

CPython versions tested on:

3.14

Operating systems tested on:

Windows

[gpshead]

i'm going to put the release blocker tag on this just to force some release manager eyeballs on it, they're the actual deciders and can reprioritize.

[zware]

The free-threaded build is available as an install option since 3.13; see https://docs.python.org/3.13/using/windows.html#installing-free-threaded-binaries (or https://docs.python.org/3.14/using/windows.html#id3). Is the request here for a separate installer with only the free-threaded build?

Either way, the whole installer is deprecated after PEP-773.

[kuankuan2007]

The free-threaded build is available as an install option since 3.13; see https://docs.python.org/3.13/using/windows.html#installing-free-threaded-binaries (or https://docs.python.org/3.14/using/windows.html#id3). Is the request here for a separate installer with only the free-threaded build?

Either way, the whole installer is deprecated after PEP-773.

Yes, I think it's better to put both versions in one package or package the free-thread version separately.

After all, we can't expect users to download the free-thread version online every time they install it, can we? This doesn't seem to be the kind of appearance that an officially supported and official version should have.

If after the bug fix versions of 3.13 or 3.14, we need to build and distribute our own secure updated versions, or if there is a need for non-official builds, the fact that the free-threaded version cannot be packaged and released independently will become a very serious obstacle.

Even if it is an official build, every time a complete MSI is released, it is also necessary to release its free-threaded version in a networked manner. Isn't this also very troublesome?

[zooba]

I think you misunderstood what "the whole installer is deprecated" means - it means it will go away, and we aren't significantly changing or enhancing it anymore.

To produce a "modern" package of the free-threaded build, build it with PCbuild/build.bat and then use python PC/layout (pass '-h' to see options) and it will either produce a directory or a ZIP file with the runtime in it. You can include the PyManager option for it to be installable with our new installer, or you can just copy the files around yourself, depending on what is convenient.

So there's no point requesting significant changes to the MSI installer now. We won't take them. You are welcome to fork it to your own repository and maintain it if you want (I'd suggest updating from WiX 3 to WiX 5 or later to resolve some pretty bad security issues first).

[hugovk]

As such, this isn't a release-blocker.