I am looking for an application that will wrap my .Net application (and any
needed .Net parts) into a single exe.

I know of Thinstall ($4,000 for application and per copy fees for your exes)
and of Xenocode (~$1,500 plus ~ $12 per copy of your exe). But, I'd like
something that is actually affordable for a hobbyist programmer.

This capability (Thinstall's being able to wrap a .Net app and ship it as a
single exe) would be a FANTASTIC addition to the .Net application suite. It
would simplify the shipping & installation and not even require the end user
to have .Net installed or to install the application. It also avoids DLL
and .Net Version Hell.

If Microsoft was going to buy something, one of these technologies should be
it.

If you know of anything like Thinstall or Xenocode that does not require per
copy fees, I'd really appreciate a pointer to it.

Thanks!

jim

Windows Installer:

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/2kt85ked.aspx
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa372866.aspx

--
HTH,

Kevin Spencer
Chicken Salad Surgeon
Microsoft MVP

"jim" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:e7Lcj.28193$(E-Mail Removed)...
>I am looking for an application that will wrap my .Net application (and any
>needed .Net parts) into a single exe.
>
> I know of Thinstall ($4,000 for application and per copy fees for your
> exes) and of Xenocode (~$1,500 plus ~ $12 per copy of your exe). But, I'd
> like something that is actually affordable for a hobbyist programmer.
>
> This capability (Thinstall's being able to wrap a .Net app and ship it as
> a single exe) would be a FANTASTIC addition to the .Net application suite.
> It would simplify the shipping & installation and not even require the end
> user to have .Net installed or to install the application. It also avoids
> DLL and .Net Version Hell.
>
> If Microsoft was going to buy something, one of these technologies should
> be it.
>
> If you know of anything like Thinstall or Xenocode that does not require
> per copy fees, I'd really appreciate a pointer to it.
>
> Thanks!
>
> jim
>

Do you have Visual Studio 2005? If so why not make a windows application?




"jim" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:e7Lcj.28193$(E-Mail Removed)...
>I am looking for an application that will wrap my .Net application (and any
>needed .Net parts) into a single exe.
>
> I know of Thinstall ($4,000 for application and per copy fees for your
> exes) and of Xenocode (~$1,500 plus ~ $12 per copy of your exe). But, I'd
> like something that is actually affordable for a hobbyist programmer.
>
> This capability (Thinstall's being able to wrap a .Net app and ship it as
> a single exe) would be a FANTASTIC addition to the .Net application suite.
> It would simplify the shipping & installation and not even require the end
> user to have .Net installed or to install the application. It also avoids
> DLL and .Net Version Hell.
>
> If Microsoft was going to buy something, one of these technologies should
> be it.
>
> If you know of anything like Thinstall or Xenocode that does not require
> per copy fees, I'd really appreciate a pointer to it.
>
> Thanks!
>
> jim
>

Kevin,

While I certainly appreciate your willingness to peck out those URLs, they
are in no way whatsoever related to the functionality of the applications
that I mentioned (Thinstall and Xenocode).

Windows Installer does not wrap the executable and associated files into a
single executable. Windows Installer does not allow a user to run a .Net
application without having .Net installed. Windows Installer does not
obfuscate the executable contents. Windows Installer does not allow you to
create no-install applications that will run without being "installed" on
the end users PC (simply copy the created executable and run - no .Net
install & no application install needed).

Bless your pointed little head....but, what I need is so far advanced from
Windows Installer its not even funny.

Just in case you decide to read about the referenced applications BEFORE you
post, you can do so at http://www.thinstall.com/ and
http://www.xenocode.com/.

jim

"Kevin Spencer" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:elOyO%(E-Mail Removed)...
> Windows Installer:
>
> http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/2kt85ked.aspx
> http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa372866.aspx
>
> --
> HTH,
>
> Kevin Spencer
> Chicken Salad Surgeon
> Microsoft MVP
>
> "jim" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:e7Lcj.28193$(E-Mail Removed)...
>>I am looking for an application that will wrap my .Net application (and
>>any needed .Net parts) into a single exe.
>>
>> I know of Thinstall ($4,000 for application and per copy fees for your
>> exes) and of Xenocode (~$1,500 plus ~ $12 per copy of your exe). But,
>> I'd like something that is actually affordable for a hobbyist programmer.
>>
>> This capability (Thinstall's being able to wrap a .Net app and ship it as
>> a single exe) would be a FANTASTIC addition to the .Net application
>> suite. It would simplify the shipping & installation and not even require
>> the end user to have .Net installed or to install the application. It
>> also avoids DLL and .Net Version Hell.
>>
>> If Microsoft was going to buy something, one of these technologies should
>> be it.
>>
>> If you know of anything like Thinstall or Xenocode that does not require
>> per copy fees, I'd really appreciate a pointer to it.
>>
>> Thanks!
>>
>> jim
>>
>
>

For several reasons.....

1) An application is just the first step. I plan on coding .Net
applications. The request has to do with distribution of those
applications - not coding the applications.

2) Applications wrapped by Thinstall or Xenodcode can run from a single
EXE - no application need be installed.

3) Applications wrapped by Thinstall or Xenodcode can run without .Net
installed.

4) Applications wrapped by Thinstall or Xenodcode do not suffer from DLL or
..Net version hell.

5) Applications wrapped by Thinstall or Xenodcode are smaller than .Net +
Application installs.

6) Applications wrapped by Thinstall or Xenodcode can run from a USB drive
or (if Thinstalled) be streamed over a network with no installation
whatsoever (not even copying the exe).

Please read up on Thinstall and Xenocode at http://www.thinstall.com/ and
http://www.xenocode.com/. Once you do, you too will wonder just why we
don't have this functionality in .Net.

jim

"ThatsIT.net.au" <me@thatsit> wrote in message
news:1E20AF5C-0719-418A-B50F-(E-Mail Removed)...
> Do you have Visual Studio 2005? If so why not make a windows application?
>
>
>
>
> "jim" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:e7Lcj.28193$(E-Mail Removed)...
>>I am looking for an application that will wrap my .Net application (and
>>any needed .Net parts) into a single exe.
>>
>> I know of Thinstall ($4,000 for application and per copy fees for your
>> exes) and of Xenocode (~$1,500 plus ~ $12 per copy of your exe). But,
>> I'd like something that is actually affordable for a hobbyist programmer.
>>
>> This capability (Thinstall's being able to wrap a .Net app and ship it as
>> a single exe) would be a FANTASTIC addition to the .Net application
>> suite. It would simplify the shipping & installation and not even require
>> the end user to have .Net installed or to install the application. It
>> also avoids DLL and .Net Version Hell.
>>
>> If Microsoft was going to buy something, one of these technologies should
>> be it.
>>
>> If you know of anything like Thinstall or Xenocode that does not require
>> per copy fees, I'd really appreciate a pointer to it.
>>
>> Thanks!
>>
>> jim
>>
>

Hello jim,

ok, what's from that list cant be done with Windows Installer?
except the point 3 the Windows Installed can do the same things, maybe not
so silently


---
WBR,
Michael Nemtsev [.NET/C# MVP] :: blog: http://spaces.live.com/laflour

"The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we
miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it" (c) Michelangelo


j> For several reasons.....
j>
j> 1) An application is just the first step. I plan on coding .Net
j> applications. The request has to do with distribution of those
j> applications - not coding the applications.
j>
j> 2) Applications wrapped by Thinstall or Xenodcode can run from a
j> single EXE - no application need be installed.
j>
j> 3) Applications wrapped by Thinstall or Xenodcode can run without
j> .Net installed.
j>
j> 4) Applications wrapped by Thinstall or Xenodcode do not suffer from
j> DLL or .Net version hell.
j>
j> 5) Applications wrapped by Thinstall or Xenodcode are smaller than
j> .Net + Application installs.
j>
j> 6) Applications wrapped by Thinstall or Xenodcode can run from a USB
j> drive or (if Thinstalled) be streamed over a network with no
j> installation whatsoever (not even copying the exe).
j>
j> Please read up on Thinstall and Xenocode at http://www.thinstall.com/
j> and http://www.xenocode.com/. Once you do, you too will wonder just
j> why we don't have this functionality in .Net.
j>
j> jim
j>
j> "ThatsIT.net.au" <me@thatsit> wrote in message
j> news:1E20AF5C-0719-418A-B50F-(E-Mail Removed)...
j>
>> Do you have Visual Studio 2005? If so why not make a windows
>> application?
>>
>> "jim" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>> news:e7Lcj.28193$(E-Mail Removed)...
>>
>>> I am looking for an application that will wrap my .Net application
>>> (and any needed .Net parts) into a single exe.
>>>
>>> I know of Thinstall ($4,000 for application and per copy fees for
>>> your exes) and of Xenocode (~$1,500 plus ~ $12 per copy of your
>>> exe). But, I'd like something that is actually affordable for a
>>> hobbyist programmer.
>>>
>>> This capability (Thinstall's being able to wrap a .Net app and ship
>>> it as a single exe) would be a FANTASTIC addition to the .Net
>>> application suite. It would simplify the shipping & installation and
>>> not even require the end user to have .Net installed or to install
>>> the application. It also avoids DLL and .Net Version Hell.
>>>
>>> If Microsoft was going to buy something, one of these technologies
>>> should be it.
>>>
>>> If you know of anything like Thinstall or Xenocode that does not
>>> require per copy fees, I'd really appreciate a pointer to it.
>>>
>>> Thanks!
>>>
>>> jim
>>>

"jim" wrote:

> I am looking for an application that will wrap my .Net application (and any
> needed .Net parts) into a single exe.
>
> I know of Thinstall ($4,000 for application and per copy fees for your exes)
> and of Xenocode (~$1,500 plus ~ $12 per copy of your exe). But, I'd like
> something that is actually affordable for a hobbyist programmer.
>
> This capability (Thinstall's being able to wrap a .Net app and ship it as a
> single exe) would be a FANTASTIC addition to the .Net application suite. It
> would simplify the shipping & installation and not even require the end user
> to have .Net installed or to install the application. It also avoids DLL
> and .Net Version Hell.
>
> If Microsoft was going to buy something, one of these technologies should be
> it.
>
> If you know of anything like Thinstall or Xenocode that does not require per
> copy fees, I'd really appreciate a pointer to it.
>
> Thanks!
>
> jim
>
>

I may be missing your goal with this, but, it looks like these tools are
designed to create something similar to what VMWare does, a distributable
preconfigured machine. Have you looked at VMWare? If so, does it lack some
capability you need?

Really?

That's quite interesting. Just how do you cover #4 with Windows Installer?
Is there a new function that will stop DLLs from being overwritten or that
will accomodate differences in .Net versions (like when hotfixes are
installed to patch .Net problems)?

Or how about #5 (smaller distributions - remember that Windows Installer
REQUIRES the .Net runtimes be installed if they are not already and that WI
does not compress the executable like Thinstall and Xenocode).

As far as #6 is concerned, Windows Installer actively blocks code that would
access files (as most code that is useful does) if it is run from the
network or insternet. The Thinstall/Xenocode wrapped apps retain all
functionality.

And, (might as well mention it since we are comparing Windows Installer and
Thinstall/Xenocode) Windows Installer requires administrator privileges to
do most installs. Using Thinstall (not sure about Xenocode), you don't need
admin permissions to run the executable (no matter its functionality)
because nothing is every "installed" on the system (no registry entries
needed, no install to run). That'd be #7 - for those counting at home.

jim

"Michael Nemtsev [MVP]" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hello jim,
>
> ok, what's from that list cant be done with Windows Installer? except
> the point 3 the Windows Installed can do the same things, maybe not so
> silently
>
>
> ---
> WBR, Michael Nemtsev [.NET/C# MVP] :: blog:
> http://spaces.live.com/laflour
> "The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we
> miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it" (c) Michelangelo
>
> j> For several reasons.....
> j> j> 1) An application is just the first step. I plan on coding .Net
> j> applications. The request has to do with distribution of those
> j> applications - not coding the applications.
> j> j> 2) Applications wrapped by Thinstall or Xenodcode can run from a
> j> single EXE - no application need be installed.
> j> j> 3) Applications wrapped by Thinstall or Xenodcode can run without
> j> .Net installed.
> j> j> 4) Applications wrapped by Thinstall or Xenodcode do not suffer from
> j> DLL or .Net version hell.
> j> j> 5) Applications wrapped by Thinstall or Xenodcode are smaller than
> j> .Net + Application installs.
> j> j> 6) Applications wrapped by Thinstall or Xenodcode can run from a USB
> j> drive or (if Thinstalled) be streamed over a network with no
> j> installation whatsoever (not even copying the exe).
> j> j> Please read up on Thinstall and Xenocode at
> http://www.thinstall.com/
> j> and http://www.xenocode.com/. Once you do, you too will wonder just
> j> why we don't have this functionality in .Net.
> j> j> jim
> j> j> "ThatsIT.net.au" <me@thatsit> wrote in message
> j> news:1E20AF5C-0719-418A-B50F-(E-Mail Removed)...
> j>
>>> Do you have Visual Studio 2005? If so why not make a windows
>>> application?
>>>
>>> "jim" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>>> news:e7Lcj.28193$(E-Mail Removed)...
>>>
>>>> I am looking for an application that will wrap my .Net application
>>>> (and any needed .Net parts) into a single exe.
>>>>
>>>> I know of Thinstall ($4,000 for application and per copy fees for
>>>> your exes) and of Xenocode (~$1,500 plus ~ $12 per copy of your
>>>> exe). But, I'd like something that is actually affordable for a
>>>> hobbyist programmer.
>>>>
>>>> This capability (Thinstall's being able to wrap a .Net app and ship
>>>> it as a single exe) would be a FANTASTIC addition to the .Net
>>>> application suite. It would simplify the shipping & installation and
>>>> not even require the end user to have .Net installed or to install
>>>> the application. It also avoids DLL and .Net Version Hell.
>>>>
>>>> If Microsoft was going to buy something, one of these technologies
>>>> should be it.
>>>>
>>>> If you know of anything like Thinstall or Xenocode that does not
>>>> require per copy fees, I'd really appreciate a pointer to it.
>>>>
>>>> Thanks!
>>>>
>>>> jim
>>>>
>
>

On 27/12/2007 in message
<(E-Mail Removed)> Michael Nemtsev [MVP]
wrote:

>Hello jim,
>
>ok, what's from that list cant be done with Windows Installer? except
>the point 3 the Windows Installed can do the same things, maybe not so
>silently

Looks to me like Jim is looking for the .NET equivalent of compiling with
static libraries to produce a single executable. I'll add my vote to his
wish list :-)

--
Jeff Gaines

Hi,

If you are looking from the angle of a hobby, I can suggest you using
InnoSetup (free) http://www.jrsoftware.org/isinfo.php . It is really
successful.

If you need further help with using it, I will be looking forward to hear.

--
All the best,
Coskun SUNALI
MVP ASP/ASP.NET
http://sunali.com


"jim" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:e7Lcj.28193$(E-Mail Removed)...
>I am looking for an application that will wrap my .Net application (and any
>needed .Net parts) into a single exe.
>
> I know of Thinstall ($4,000 for application and per copy fees for your
> exes) and of Xenocode (~$1,500 plus ~ $12 per copy of your exe). But, I'd
> like something that is actually affordable for a hobbyist programmer.
>
> This capability (Thinstall's being able to wrap a .Net app and ship it as
> a single exe) would be a FANTASTIC addition to the .Net application suite.
> It would simplify the shipping & installation and not even require the end
> user to have .Net installed or to install the application. It also avoids
> DLL and .Net Version Hell.
>
> If Microsoft was going to buy something, one of these technologies should
> be it.
>
> If you know of anything like Thinstall or Xenocode that does not require
> per copy fees, I'd really appreciate a pointer to it.
>
> Thanks!
>
> jim
>