Packaging files into one executable (C#)

Question

I developed a small project using C# and got everything working perfectly. The only problem is that this app will be regularly sent via emails, therefore I'm trying to assemble all the files as one executable. The user will only have to open and see one executable, which will load the needed files and start the application.

The app does not use any external libraries. The only .dll file is for the IWshRuntimeLibrary.

The files that need to be assembled:

Note that I know that some files can be removed (svhost etc.). However this won't help because I'll still have more than one file. Also I've tried some free assemblers online but none of them worked.

Possible duplicate of [Merging Assemblies](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/3562709/merging-assemblies) — Manfred Radlwimmer, Aug 22 '16 at 08:11
You only need a small selection of those files. All `.pdb` and `.vshost` files shouldn't be distributed — Manfred Radlwimmer, Aug 22 '16 at 08:12
Have you considered embedding this dll as resource into your exe? Please refer to:http://www.codeproject.com/Articles/528178/Load-DLL-From-Embedded-Resource — pmatyszok, Aug 22 '16 at 08:13
`It didn't work` is probably the worst error description ever. — Manfred Radlwimmer, Aug 22 '16 at 08:15
@ManfredRadlwimmer build was successful but app was not functional — N Bousaba, Aug 22 '16 at 08:16
Do you have any required settings in your `app.config`? Does the merged assembly work if you leave all other files in the same directory? Are you using any other external resources? Have you tried [debugging the merged Assembly](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/3064741/how-do-i-debug-into-an-ilmerged-assembly)? etc ... — Manfred Radlwimmer, Aug 22 '16 at 08:19
@MatthewWatson I know, and several other files can be removed. I got to a point where it is working with 4-5 files — N Bousaba, Aug 22 '16 at 09:31
@ManfredRadlwimmer There are no required settings. The app is very simple. The merged assembly works if i leave the other files. When i debug it also works. If i remove the files it boots but some functions are not being accessed. — N Bousaba, Aug 22 '16 at 09:32

score 0 · Answer 1 · answered Aug 22 '16 at 08:18

In Solution Explorer, select the reference of Interop.IWshRunctime... and in the property window, change the value of Embed Interop Types to True.

This will not generate a separate dll for Interop Types.

PS: This is not a generic solution, but works with Interop Type only.

webnoob · Answer 2 · 2016-08-22T08:20:49.110

0

I've used https://github.com/Fody/Costura in the past. Nuget install Install-Package Costura.Fody (https://www.nuget.org/packages/Costura.Fody/)

Description about what it does from the source:

Take all assemblies (and pdbs) that have been marked as "Copy Local" and embed them as resources in the target assembly.

edited Aug 22 '16 at 08:20

answered Aug 22 '16 at 08:20

webnoob

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score 0 · Answer 3 · edited May 23 '17 at 12:23

0

Actually you are looking for a method to merge some assemblies and resources into one executable file.
Custora.Fody, ILMerge, Obfuscators with assembly merging feature are some examples that can be used for this purpose.

You can find some answers here:
Embedding DLLs in a compiled executable
How to merge multiple assemblies into one?
List of obfuscators for .NET

edited May 23 '17 at 12:23

Community

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answered Aug 22 '16 at 08:50

Milad H.

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score 0 · Answer 4 · answered Aug 23 '16 at 03:02

If this is not about security reason, I would create the directory structure as follow:

- root
└　Startup.bat
└　lib
    └　DiagnosticsSwitch.exe
    └　DiagnosticsSwitch.exe.config
    └　DiagnosticsSwitch.exe.manifest
    └　Interop.IWshRuntimeLibrary.dll

And inside the Startup.bat

"lib/DiagnosticsSwitch.exe"

Packaging files into one executable (C#)

4 Answers4