.NET linker (=> running app without full .NET runtime) ?

[O.L.]

Hello,

I'd like to transform my app created with VJ# in a real stand-alone
app, that I could easily distribute on the net, even if users' PC don't
have a .NET framework.
So I'm looking for a software which can link an entire .NET project to
produce a stand-alone executable, which is independant of .NET
framework, because it contains an internal reduced .NET platform.

Here is a software doing that : http://www.remotesoft.com/linker/
But it cost around $500 and produces executables of about 8 MB :-/

Could anyone help me ?

Thank you
Olivier (from France)
PS : excuse me for my bad english ...

 

[Sean Hederman]

Hello,

I'd like to transform my app created with VJ# in a real stand-alone app,
that I could easily distribute on the net, even if users' PC don't have a
.NET framework.
So I'm looking for a software which can link an entire .NET project to
produce a stand-alone executable, which is independant of .NET framework,
because it contains an internal reduced .NET platform.

Olivier, first off don't apologize for your English, it's a lot better than
some of the English-speakers who post here. I personally do not like the
idea of a linker. They mean your app will be forever tied to that Framework
version. If a fix comes out, tough. In addition linked .NET apps remove a
lot of the security features built into the Framework. I wrote a little
article about my opinions on this here:
http://dotnet.org.za/codingsanity/archive/2005/05/25/20986.aspx.

Would it not be better to supply an MSI install that downloads and installs
the Framework if it is not on the computer?

 

[O.L.]

Sean Hederman a écrit :

Olivier, first off don't apologize for your English, it's a lot better than
some of the English-speakers who post here.

Lol ... Thank you ! :-]

I personally do not like the idea
of a linker. They mean your app will be forever tied to that Framework
version. If a fix comes out, tough. In addition linked .NET apps remove a lot
of the security features built into the Framework. I wrote a little article
about my opinions on this here:
http://dotnet.org.za/codingsanity/archive/2005/05/25/20986.aspx.

I thought that an application compiled (in VJ#) under a .NET platform
was only runnable on a PC with this version of the .NET platform ? Or
is this true only for the beta versions ? Or not true at all ? :-/

Would it not be better to supply an MSI install that downloads and installs
the Framework if it is not on the computer?

Yes, it could be a solution :-/
I would have prefer that my app was not too big (idealy 5-7 MB), but it
seems to a dream ... Except for peaople who already have the .NET
platform ! But I think it's a reduced percentage of the users, no ?
I am afraid that people who don't have the platform could decide to
quit without have downloaded my app ... :-(

Bye & thanks
O.L.

 

[Sean Hederman]

[Snip]

I thought that an application compiled (in VJ#) under a .NET platform was
only runnable on a PC with this version of the .NET platform ? Or is this
true only for the beta versions ? Or not true at all ? :-/

Generally it will only run on a machine which has it's version of the
platform or later.

[Snip]

I would have prefer that my app was not too big (idealy 5-7 MB), but it
seems to a dream ... Except for peaople who already have the .NET platform
! But I think it's a reduced percentage of the users, no ?

Unfortunately it is. However, the coverage of the .NET platform is
increasing dramatically. Win XP includes it as part of the Automatic Updates
for example, Win2003 comes with .NET pre-installed.

I am afraid that people who don't have the platform could decide to quit
without have downloaded my app ... :-(

Yeah, I know. Unfortunately, the ease of .NET development does come with
it's deployment headache. Linkers will bloat your app quite hugely, but not
to the extent of the entire .NET runtime.

What might be an idea is to have a test on your download page that probes
for .NET installed on the client machine. If it finds it, it directs the
users to the standard .NET install (without runtime). If it doesn't, it
gives the user the option of downloading the linked version or the "proper"
version + runtime.

 

[O.L.]

Le 01/06/2005, Sean Hederman a supposé :

[Snip]

I thought that an application compiled (in VJ#) under a .NET platform was
only runnable on a PC with this version of the .NET platform ? Or is this
true only for the beta versions ? Or not true at all ? :-/

Generally it will only run on a machine which has it's version of the
platform or later.

[Snip]

I would have prefer that my app was not too big (idealy 5-7 MB), but it
seems to a dream ... Except for peaople who already have the .NET platform
! But I think it's a reduced percentage of the users, no ?

Unfortunately it is. However, the coverage of the .NET platform is increasing
dramatically. Win XP includes it as part of the Automatic Updates for
example, Win2003 comes with .NET pre-installed.

I am afraid that people who don't have the platform could decide to quit
without have downloaded my app ... :-(

Yeah, I know. Unfortunately, the ease of .NET development does come with it's
deployment headache. Linkers will bloat your app quite hugely, but not to the
extent of the entire .NET runtime.

What might be an idea is to have a test on your download page that probes for
.NET installed on the client machine. If it finds it, it directs the users to
the standard .NET install (without runtime). If it doesn't, it gives the user
the option of downloading the linked version or the "proper" version +
runtime.

Yes, that's a good idea
So users will just download what they need.