ComfyUI/PR_DESCRIPTION.md

Enhanced run_comfyui.bat with Automated Dependency Checking and CUDA PyTorch Installation

Author's Note

Important: I am not a professional coder and have relied heavily on Cursor AI for the development of this script. While I have done my best to ensure its functionality and safety, I kindly request a thorough review by experienced developers before merging. Please pay special attention to:

• Batch file logic and error handling
• Python command-line invocations
• Virtual environment detection logic
• Dependency checking implementation
• User interaction flow

Overview

This PR enhances the run_comfyui.bat startup script for Windows users, significantly improving the user experience by automatically checking dependencies, detecting virtual environments, and offering intelligent installation options. The script now provides a polished, user-friendly interface with clear error messages and troubleshooting guidance.

Key Features

1. Automated Dependency Checking

• Checks all critical Python dependencies before launching ComfyUI
• Separates critical vs. optional dependencies
• Provides clear prompts for missing packages
• Offers installation options: Install All, Critical Only, or Cancel

2. CUDA PyTorch Auto-Installation

• Automatically detects CPU-only PyTorch installations
• Offers to automatically uninstall CPU version and install CUDA-enabled version
• Shows progress bars during installation (--progress-bar on)
• Verifies installation before proceeding
• Provides clear warnings about NVIDIA GPU requirements

3. Virtual Environment Awareness

• Detects if running in a virtual environment
• Provides appropriate warnings about installation impacts
• Offers guidance on creating virtual environments for safer package management

4. Enhanced User Experience

• UTF-8 encoding support for proper Unicode character display
• ASCII art banner with "Comfy" text
• Progress bars for all pip installations
• User-friendly error messages with actionable troubleshooting steps
• Clear, informative prompts throughout the installation process

5. Comprehensive Error Handling

• Detailed error messages for common issues:
  • Python not found
  • Installation failures
  • CUDA out of memory errors
  • Module not found errors
• Provides specific troubleshooting steps for each error type

Files Changed

• run_comfyui.bat (408 lines, +347 insertions, -61 deletions)

  • Enhanced startup script with all new features
  • UTF-8 encoding support
  • Comprehensive dependency checking
  • CUDA PyTorch detection and auto-installation
  • Virtual environment detection
  • Progress bars for installations
  • User-friendly error messages

• create_shortcut.ps1 (1 line addition)

  • PowerShell script for creating desktop shortcuts
  • Helper utility for easier access

Screenshots

ASCII Art Banner

The script displays a polished ASCII art banner with "Comfy" text:

╔═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║                                                           ║
║       ██████╗ ██████╗ ███╗   ███╗███████╗██╗   ██╗       ║
║      ██╔════╝██╔═══██╗████╗ ████║██╔════╝╚██╗ ██╔╝       ║
║      ██║     ██║   ██║██╔████╔██║█████╗   ╚████╔╝        ║
║      ██║     ██║   ██║██║╚██╔╝██║██╔══╝    ╚██╔╝         ║
║      ╚██████╗╚██████╔╝██║ ╚═╝ ██║██║        ██║          ║
║       ╚═════╝ ╚═════╝ ╚═╝     ╚═╝╚═╝        ╚═╝          ║
║                                                           ║
║         The most powerful open source node-based          ║
║         application for generative AI                    ║
║                                                           ║
╚═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝

Key User Interactions

Dependency Checking Prompt:

╔═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║            Missing Required Packages                      ║
╚═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝

▓ ComfyUI needs some additional software to run.
  The following critical packages are missing:
  yaml, torch, numpy

▓ [Heads Up] You're using your main Python installation.
  Installing packages here might affect other programs that use Python.

▓ Installation Options:
    [I] Install all missing packages (recommended)
    [C] Install only critical packages
    [N] Cancel and exit

CUDA PyTorch Detection:

╔═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║     CPU-Only PyTorch Detected - CUDA Version Required     ║
╚═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝

▓ Your PyTorch installation doesn't support GPU acceleration.
  ComfyUI requires CUDA-enabled PyTorch to run properly.

▓ We can automatically install the CUDA-enabled version for you.
  This will:
     1. Remove the current CPU-only version
     2. Install the CUDA-enabled version (this will take several minutes)
     3. Continue to launch ComfyUI automatically

Would you like to install CUDA-enabled PyTorch now? (Y/N):

Testing Recommendations

To thoroughly test this PR, please verify the following scenarios:

1. Clean Environment: Run the script in an environment with no Python or ComfyUI dependencies installed
2. Missing Critical Dependencies: Manually uninstall one or more critical dependencies (e.g., pyyaml) and verify the script correctly identifies them
3. Missing Optional Dependencies: Uninstall an optional dependency and verify the script offers to install it or skip
4. CPU-Only PyTorch: Install a CPU-only version of PyTorch and verify the script detects it and offers to install the CUDA version
5. CUDA-Enabled PyTorch: Ensure a CUDA-enabled PyTorch is installed and verify the script proceeds directly to launching ComfyUI
6. Virtual Environment: Test running the script within an activated virtual environment
7. System Python: Test running the script with system Python (not in a virtual environment)
8. Error Handling: Verify that all error messages are clear, informative, and provide helpful troubleshooting steps
9. Progress Bars: Verify that progress bars display correctly during pip installations
10. ASCII Art: Confirm the ASCII art banner renders correctly in a standard Windows command prompt

Technical Details

UTF-8 Encoding

• Uses chcp 65001 to enable UTF-8 encoding for proper Unicode character display
• Ensures ASCII art and box-drawing characters render correctly

Dependency Checking

• Uses importlib.util.find_spec() to check for module availability
• Separates critical dependencies (required for ComfyUI to run) from optional dependencies
• Provides user with clear installation options

CUDA PyTorch Detection

• Checks PyTorch version string for "+cpu" indicator
• Verifies CUDA availability using torch.cuda.is_available()
• Automatically updates CUDA availability variables after installation
• Continues to launch ComfyUI after successful installation

Progress Bars

• Uses --progress-bar on flag for all pip installations
• Provides visual feedback during long installations (especially PyTorch)

Backward Compatibility

• ✅ All changes are backward compatible
• ✅ No breaking changes to existing functionality
• ✅ Works with both system Python and virtual environments
• ✅ Existing users can continue using the script as before

Benefits

1. Improved User Experience: Users get clear guidance on what's missing and how to fix it
2. Reduced Support Burden: Common issues are caught and resolved automatically
3. Better Error Messages: Users understand what went wrong and how to fix it
4. Professional Appearance: Polished interface with ASCII art and clear formatting
5. GPU Support: Automatically ensures users have CUDA-enabled PyTorch for optimal performance

Additional Notes

• The script maintains all original functionality while adding new features
• All user prompts are optional - users can cancel at any time
• Installation commands use python -m pip for consistency
• Error handling provides actionable troubleshooting steps
• The script is designed to be safe and non-destructive

Request for Review

Given my limited coding experience, I would greatly appreciate:

• Code review focusing on batch file best practices
• Verification of Python command invocations
• Testing in various Windows environments
• Feedback on error handling and user prompts
• Suggestions for improvements

Thank you for your time and consideration!