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I have a question , Can I execute statements only once at first application execution ? can it be done without registery keys or installer?

user1970090
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  • A code example would help a lot – Steve Jan 16 '13 at 20:13
  • how would you know its the first execution – rerun Jan 16 '13 at 20:15
  • If not executed then Execute... – Tony Hopkinson Jan 16 '13 at 20:19
  • Basically, you need to store some variable OUTSIDE of your program that tells the program whether or not to execute those statements. The simplest way would be to, for example, include a text file with your executable that basically only says `RunMe=True`, say, and change it after those statements run the first time to `RunMe=False` – John Bustos Jan 16 '13 at 20:35
  • Perhaps you could create a "dummy" file to indicate that your application has been executed. Then, simply check if that file exists, or not, when your application starts. – xfx Jan 17 '13 at 02:06

2 Answers2

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Simply store a value in the App.Config 

<appSettings>
<add key="HasExecuted" value ="0"/>

In code:

If Convert.ToBoolean(ConfigurationManager.AppSettings("HasExecuted")) = False Then
'Do something only once
End If

Here is a guide to saving/updating the AppConfig: Update app.config system.net setting at runtime

Community
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Jeremy Thompson
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Since you do not explain why you don't want to/can use any "common" method for storing state parameters for your application, I will assume that it's for anti-piracy purposes.

I guess it all depends to the depths you want to go.

So, here's something I've done on several commercial applications I've developed (mainly, but not limited, to prevent piracy):

  • Encrypt the original executable using your own proprietary algorithm (perhaps, not necessary in your situation)
  • Create a launcher application which can decrypt and execute your application
  • Implement, into the launcher, a mechanism to modify some areas of the original application, that do not affect its execution (hint: meta-data/resources/etc...)
  • Save the modified code

Consequent executions of the program can then easily detect "parameters/values/settings" by "detecting" such changes.

Again, this is a quite complex and rather obscure way to store start-up arguments (or states) for an application, but again, depending on what you are looking for, this is a quite secure and effective method.

Here's a sample demonstrating the "basics" of this method: HiddenParams

xfx
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