Streamline Windows installation process

[back1ply]

Problem

The installation process on Windows fails due to multiple issues:

1. Unicode/Emoji Encoding Errors

The scripts use emoji characters that fail on Windows' default cp1252 console encoding:

UnicodeEncodeError: 'charmap' codec can't encode character '\U0001f527' in position 0

Files affected:

• scripts/run.py
• scripts/setup_environment.py

Suggested fix: Add encoding configuration at the top of each script:

import sys
if sys.platform == 'win32':
    sys.stdout.reconfigure(encoding='utf-8', errors='replace')
    sys.stderr.reconfigure(encoding='utf-8', errors='replace')

2. Pip Upgrade Fails Silently

In setup_environment.py, the pip upgrade step fails but captures output, making debugging difficult:

subprocess.run(
    [str(self.venv_pip), "install", "--upgrade", "pip"],
    check=True,
    capture_output=True,  # Hides error details
    text=True
)

Suggested fix:

• Make pip upgrade optional or skip if already recent
• Don't use capture_output=True during setup so users can see what's happening
• Or add fallback logic if upgrade fails

3. Multi-step Manual Recovery Required

When the automated setup fails, users must manually:

1. Navigate to the skill directory
2. Run pip install directly
3. Install Chrome for Patchright separately

Suggested improvements:

• Add a --verbose flag to show all output during setup
• Add better error recovery - if pip upgrade fails, continue with existing pip
• Consider a simpler install.bat / install.sh for first-time setup
• Document manual installation steps in README for when automation fails

Environment

• OS: Windows 11
• Python: 3.14
• Console: Windows Terminal (cp1252 default encoding)

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