All DLLs in one EXE

[Noah Coad [MVP]]

Is there a way to include the .DLL supporting class libraries that my
project uses in the single Windows App .EXE?

In other words, my app uses about half a dozen class libraries (or more) and
I would like to just distribute the one EXE with everything it needs (the
..DLLs) included in it. I place all resources (images, sounds, etc) as
embedded resources, is there a way to do this with other .DLL projects in
the same solution?

Thanks!

Noah Coad
-=[ Know-a-Code ]=-

Microsoft MVP & MCP (.NET/C#) | coad.net/noah

 

[Nicholas Paldino [.NET/C# MVP]]

Noah,

I want to say it is not possible, but I seem to remember that there was
mention of a third-party product that did this. However, I can't think of
it off the top of my head.

If this is possible, you still have to have the framework installed on
the machine (and I wouldn't try to place assemblies like System.dll,
mscorlib.dll, etc, etc into my own executable).

Hope this helps.

 

[Philip Rieck]

I think you're thinking of Salamander Linker:
http://www.remotesoft.com/linker/

It states that you don't need the framework installed at all. I'm a bit
hesitant to ever recommend it though - What about .net patches / service
packs, security administration, etc? Lots of unanswered questions.
However, it may be that it fits your needs.

Noah,

I want to say it is not possible, but I seem to remember that there was
mention of a third-party product that did this. However, I can't think of
it off the top of my head.

If this is possible, you still have to have the framework installed on
the machine (and I wouldn't try to place assemblies like System.dll,
mscorlib.dll, etc, etc into my own executable).

Hope this helps.


--
- Nicholas Paldino [.NET/C# MVP]
- (e-mail address removed)

Is there a way to include the .DLL supporting class libraries that my
project uses in the single Windows App .EXE?

In other words, my app uses about half a dozen class libraries (or more) and
I would like to just distribute the one EXE with everything it needs (the
.DLLs) included in it. I place all resources (images, sounds, etc) as
embedded resources, is there a way to do this with other .DLL projects in
the same solution?

Thanks!

Noah Coad
-=[ Know-a-Code ]=-

Microsoft MVP & MCP (.NET/C#) | coad.net/noah

 

[William Stacey [MVP]]

In a related note, what is the deal with modules? I don't normally worry
about them because I add references to my project and compile to a dll or
exe. If I have my own source, I can compile my library to a module and then
link it in to other projects that use that module and still get one exe?
TIA for any clarity here.

--
William Stacey, MS MVP

I think you're thinking of Salamander Linker:
http://www.remotesoft.com/linker/

It states that you don't need the framework installed at all. I'm a bit
hesitant to ever recommend it though - What about .net patches / service
packs, security administration, etc? Lots of unanswered questions.
However, it may be that it fits your needs.


message news:[email protected]...

Noah,

I want to say it is not possible, but I seem to remember that there was
mention of a third-party product that did this. However, I can't think of
it off the top of my head.

If this is possible, you still have to have the framework installed on
the machine (and I wouldn't try to place assemblies like System.dll,
mscorlib.dll, etc, etc into my own executable).

Hope this helps.


--
- Nicholas Paldino [.NET/C# MVP]
- (e-mail address removed)

Is there a way to include the .DLL supporting class libraries that my
project uses in the single Windows App .EXE?

In other words, my app uses about half a dozen class libraries (or

more)
and

I would like to just distribute the one EXE with everything it needs (the
.DLLs) included in it. I place all resources (images, sounds, etc) as
embedded resources, is there a way to do this with other .DLL projects in
the same solution?

Thanks!

Noah Coad
-=[ Know-a-Code ]=-

Microsoft MVP & MCP (.NET/C#) | coad.net/noah

 

[Toby Jones]

Thinstall (www.thinstall.com) might also be a solution.

Toby Jones
Software Engineer
Human Head Studios

I think you're thinking of Salamander Linker:
http://www.remotesoft.com/linker/

It states that you don't need the framework installed at all. I'm a bit
hesitant to ever recommend it though - What about .net patches / service
packs, security administration, etc? Lots of unanswered questions.
However, it may be that it fits your needs.


message news:[email protected]...

Noah,

I want to say it is not possible, but I seem to remember that there was
mention of a third-party product that did this. However, I can't think of
it off the top of my head.

If this is possible, you still have to have the framework installed on
the machine (and I wouldn't try to place assemblies like System.dll,
mscorlib.dll, etc, etc into my own executable).

Hope this helps.


--
- Nicholas Paldino [.NET/C# MVP]
- (e-mail address removed)

Is there a way to include the .DLL supporting class libraries that my
project uses in the single Windows App .EXE?

In other words, my app uses about half a dozen class libraries (or

more)
and

I would like to just distribute the one EXE with everything it needs (the
.DLLs) included in it. I place all resources (images, sounds, etc) as
embedded resources, is there a way to do this with other .DLL projects in
the same solution?

Thanks!

Noah Coad
-=[ Know-a-Code ]=-

Microsoft MVP & MCP (.NET/C#) | coad.net/noah

 

[Philip Rieck]

I suppose that compiling to a module and then reusing it by linking it in
may be a solution to get one exe, but I think of that as close to simply
creating one class file (.cs or .vb) and reusing it by compiling it in to
multiple assembles. It *is* very similar to staticly linking libraries of
old - you get a unit of code from somewhere already compiled, and link it
into your application for all time (incorporating module changes requires a
recompile)

I'm not sure how easy it would be for most IDE users, though, since VS.NET
seems to have no concept of modules in it anywhere.

In a related note, what is the deal with modules? I don't normally worry
about them because I add references to my project and compile to a dll or
exe. If I have my own source, I can compile my library to a module and then
link it in to other projects that use that module and still get one exe?
TIA for any clarity here.

--
William Stacey, MS MVP

I think you're thinking of Salamander Linker:
http://www.remotesoft.com/linker/

It states that you don't need the framework installed at all. I'm a bit
hesitant to ever recommend it though - What about .net patches / service
packs, security administration, etc? Lots of unanswered questions.
However, it may be that it fits your needs.


message news:[email protected]... there
was

think

of

installed

on

the machine (and I wouldn't try to place assemblies like System.dll,
mscorlib.dll, etc, etc into my own executable).

Hope this helps.


--
- Nicholas Paldino [.NET/C# MVP]
- (e-mail address removed)

Is there a way to include the .DLL supporting class libraries that my
project uses in the single Windows App .EXE?

In other words, my app uses about half a dozen class libraries (or more)
and
I would like to just distribute the one EXE with everything it needs (the
.DLLs) included in it. I place all resources (images, sounds, etc) as
embedded resources, is there a way to do this with other .DLL

projects
in

the same solution?

Thanks!

Noah Coad
-=[ Know-a-Code ]=-

Microsoft MVP & MCP (.NET/C#) | coad.net/noah

 

[DC]

ILMerge
http://research.microsoft.com/~mbarnett/ilmerge.aspx

LP,
Dejan

 

[Noah Coad [MVP]]

Thank to everyone who posted viable solutions.

Something I failed to mention previously was that I had created my own
utility that combines a project's output (exe, dlls, etc) into a single EXE.
It acts as a 'boot strap', including the source exe and dlls as embeded
resources, and works very well. I was specifically looking for a 'built-in'
..NET solution or option in Visual Studio .NET.

Once again, thanks for all the links & info!

-Noah Coad
Microsoft MVP [.NET/C#]