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I am using Visual Studio 2019 to build a C# Forms application. When publishing an .exe file from a Console application, I have the option to include all the .dll files into the .exe, meaning that users of my application only need to download one file. However, when publishing an .exe from a Forms application, I'm forced to include all of these .dll files independently:

View of folder with .dll files

Is there a way to include these .dll files inside of the .exe so that I only have to send someone the .exe file for them to be able to run it, similar to how it's possible for Console applications?

EDIT: I've discovered that I was in .NET Core and should've been in .NET Framework. I'm relatively new to C# and wasn't aware of the differences. This issue is now resolved! If anyone runs into this problem, just copy-paste your code over to .NET Framework and listen to the instructions in the description.

cunninghamduq
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    There are many ways to package and deploy busted legacy framework applications and more modern .net core + applications, however its unclear what framework you are using, what you have chosen, why you are doing that way and what constraints you have. – TheGeneral Oct 25 '21 at 20:41
  • Please edit the question to limit it to a specific problem with enough detail to identify an adequate answer. – Community Oct 26 '21 at 00:41

2 Answers2

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You need to change the configuration settings during the build step to be "self-contained":

Using dotnet cli

dotnet publish -r win-x64 -c Release --self-contained

Using Visual Studio

  1. Add <PublishSingleFile>true</PublishSingleFile> to your project file.

  2. On the Solution Explorer pane, right-click on the project you want to publish. Select Publish.

    Soluition Explorer

    If you don't already have a publishing profile, follow the instructions to create one and choose the Folder target-type.

  3. Choose Edit.

    Edit

  4. In the Profile settings dialog, set the following options:

    • Set Deployment mode to Self-contained or Framework-dependent.
    • Set Target runtime to the platform you want to publish to. (Must be something other than Portable.)
    • Select Produce single file.

    Choose Save to save the settings and return to the Publish dialog.

    Profile Settings

  5. Choose Publish to publish your app as a single file.

For more information, see Visual Studio Docs: Single file deployment and executable.

Duplicate of Embedding DLLs in a compiled executable

Noah
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  • [I'm seeing a significantly different publishing menu than you are.](https://i.imgur.com/vKQxXtS.png) I see the menu that you do when I'm publishing a console application. – cunninghamduq Oct 26 '21 at 00:54
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    Update: It turns out I was using .NET Core and I should've been using .NET Framework. Copy-pasting my code over (and learning how to install Newtonsoft) fixed the issue. Thanks for your help!!! – cunninghamduq Oct 26 '21 at 01:31
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I don't think compile all files into one is a good idea. If you want to have single file for downloading, you can package them into a self-extract zip format (winRAR, winzip or 7zip). Good luck~~

Xiaohuan ZHOU
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