Is it possible to add a library as a resource C#

Question

I am using the iTextSharp pdf library to create pdf files in C#. Is it possible to add the library file into the ressources (under "projektname"-properties) so I can simply give the users the .exe without them installing the programm.

This is the error i get when i try to simply run the exe from the debug folder without installing it (sorry its german).

How can i add the files and will it work or is there a better way to do it.

Add it to the project references, and make sure "copy local" is set to "true" in it's properties. Then it will be included in your "bin" folder when you build. You will not be able to provide just the .exe, you will need to include the .dll too. There are [ways to bundle into .exe](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/189549/embedding-dlls-in-a-compiled-executable) if you really need to — musefan, Sep 06 '16 at 13:04
A utility called ILMerge can package up all your dlls into one exe but I have a feeling the licensing of ITextSharp won't allow it, check on it, maybe you can. — Crowcoder, Sep 06 '16 at 13:06
If you want it as a resource, you'll need to remove the reference to the DLL in your project. Add it as a resource, and then when your app starts up, you'll need to extract the DLL from the .EXE, write it to disk, then dynamically load it. I think this is what you're asking to do. This allows you to package everything into the .EXE. — Pete, Sep 06 '16 at 13:06
If you are aiming to distribute your application as a single executable with all resources and DLLs embedded in it (and extracted automatically at runtime), then it's certainly possible to do this. [The easiest way is to use this Costura utility from GitHub.](https://github.com/Fody/Costura) — Matthew Watson, Sep 06 '16 at 13:08
@Pete The DLL will not be loaded until it is actually used. If you copy it from the resources in your `Main` method, all should be fine. See my answer. — Thorsten Dittmar, Sep 06 '16 at 13:13
@Crowcoder, OP: is the software as a whole, as it is distribution in exe format, using the AGPL license? Including distribution of the source code, of iText AND of the software as a whole? OR - has the OP purchased a commercial license? If yes in either of those cases, then by all means, go ahead. — Amedee Van Gasse, Sep 06 '16 at 13:23
You have the iTextSharp sources, why not just use them in your project? — Paulo Soares, Sep 06 '16 at 13:26
@Mr_BlackHawk7 cool! It's always nice to see when students are using iText. So where can we download your software and where can we take a look at your source code? — Amedee Van Gasse, Sep 06 '16 at 13:29
It is not even closed do beeing finished a you would need some hardware because I am trying to build a Perimetrie (german word) as a school projekt. So the C# program is not doing much just drawing a diagram and making a pdf of it. — Mr_Grennn7, Sep 06 '16 at 13:42
Still. When the C# program is finished, you will need to publish the source code anyway as part of your school project. By doing that, you already comply with iText's AGPL license. Ask your teachers about licensing and publication, they will tell you what to do and how. — Amedee Van Gasse, Sep 07 '16 at 08:22

Thorsten Dittmar · Accepted Answer · 2016-09-06T13:54:00.437

4

Yes you can:

Open the project properties, go to the resources tab and select "Add Resource > Add existing file" ("Ressource hinzufügen > Vorhandene Datei hinzufügen"). Select the DLL. It should appear somewhere in the resources, either under "files" or under "other".
Copy it from the resources to file as follows

In your code, check whether it is present when the application starts. The following assumes you're using WinForms. If not, the code can also be added to the WPF App class. There's a method you can override that's called when the WPF application starts.

static void Main()
{
    Application.EnableVisualStyles();
    Application.SetCompatibleTextRenderingDefault(false);

    string dllPath = Path.Combine(Path.GetDirectoryName(Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly().Location), "filenameofdll.dll");
    if (!File.Exists(dllPath))
    {
        byte[] fileBytes = Properties.Resources.<resourcename>;
        File.WriteAllBytes(dllPath, fileBytes);  
    }

    Application.Run(new Form1());
}

<resourcename> in the above code will be the name of your resource. It should be auto-completed by IntelliSense.

This should work provided that the DLL is only used after that above code executes. The DLL should only be loaded when the first instance of a class from the DLL is created, so you should be fine.

DISCLAIMER
I do not know whether this has licensing implications! Please make sure that you're not doing anything illegal. Also: The above will only work if the application has write permissions to the folder.

edited Sep 06 '16 at 13:54

answered Sep 06 '16 at 13:08

Thorsten Dittmar

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So when I am giving the application to users will i have to include the folder? – Mr_Grennn7 Sep 06 '16 at 13:20
@Mr_BlackHawk7 No! Please try what I said. The DLL will be included in the exe as a binary resource and will be "extracted" when the application is started for the first time. Just follow the steps... You can even leave out steps 1 and 2 and in step three, simply use the "Add resource" button and then select the DLL. It should then simply be added to the resources. – Thorsten Dittmar Sep 06 '16 at 13:23
@ThorstenDittmar the question about the licensing can only be answered if the license of the software as a whole is known. – Amedee Van Gasse Sep 06 '16 at 13:25
1

@AmedeeVanGasse Well, it's not really my concern - I'm just saying that I'm not encouraging illegal behavior here, but merely give a technical hint :-) – Thorsten Dittmar Sep 06 '16 at 13:27
You can create it as "embedded" resource and it will be included in your assembly. Before writing, ensure the folder exists and create it if not "programmatically." – Matt Sep 06 '16 at 13:27
@Mr_BlackHawk7 I modified my answer for a cleaner approach. – Thorsten Dittmar Sep 06 '16 at 13:27
@Matt The folder **must** exist, as it is the folder the application was started from. No need to create it. – Thorsten Dittmar Sep 06 '16 at 13:28
1

I see, that makes sense. – Matt Sep 06 '16 at 13:29
I included using System.Reflection; so Assembly now isn´t underlined red but I still get an error on the resourcename part. I checked the spelling and autocomplete insn´t working eather. – Mr_Grennn7 Sep 06 '16 at 13:37
What do you want with `System.Reflection` now?? My instructions said: Include file as binary resource and extract it! Revert your changes and do as I said in my answer above. No more, no less! I didn't say anything about removing references! – Thorsten Dittmar Sep 06 '16 at 13:39
I followed your steps and the itextsharp.dll is as a filetype a binary. But I don´t get the extract part. – Mr_Grennn7 Sep 06 '16 at 13:46
What about that is it you don't get? Add this to the `Main` method in `program.cs` above the `Application.Run(new xyzform());`. I changed my answer... – Thorsten Dittmar Sep 06 '16 at 13:47
Ok sorry it did that now but its the same thing the resourcename is underlinde red and i would have to add using System.Reflection; so that Assembly isn´t underlinde also. (sorry) – Mr_Grennn7 Sep 06 '16 at 13:50
That actually shouldn't be necessary, really. There might be something wrong. Intellisense should tell you the resource name for the binary resource you created. – Thorsten Dittmar Sep 06 '16 at 13:52
Thank you i redid your steps and now it is working i don´t know what i did wrong. After the program is closed i could simply delete the .dll right? – Mr_Grennn7 Sep 06 '16 at 13:56
That will not be possible from your application itself. You see: The DLL is loaded the first time a class from it is used, but it will only be unloaded along with your application. You can try, but I guess you'll get a "File is being used by another process" error. – Thorsten Dittmar Sep 06 '16 at 14:02

score 1 · Answer 2 · edited May 23 '17 at 12:32

1

In this post solved a similar problem.
The method of how to put dll into exe.

How to bundle MahApps.Metro into single exe

Also, you can use IL merge

http://www.codeproject.com/Articles/9364/Merging-NET-assemblies-using-ILMerge

edited May 23 '17 at 12:32

Community

1
1

answered Sep 06 '16 at 13:56

Yaroslav Novikov

36
2

Is it possible to add a library as a resource C#

2 Answers2