Include dll into .exe

[Provoni]

Hey all,

My program uses zlibwapi.dll. Is there a way to include it with the .exe itself so it doesn't need to be included in the program directory?

Thanks

[MrSwiss]

Nope, sorry, no way for .dll (dynamic link lib) loaded/linked at run time.
Only static lib's are linkable at compile time (included in .exe).

[UEZ]

Hey all,

My program uses zlibwapi.dll. Is there a way to include it with the .exe itself so it doesn't need to be included in the program directory?

Thanks

Yes for windows at least, it is possible to embed the DLL into the exe and call it directly from the memory. Check this out: http://www.joachim-bauch.de/tutorials/l ... om-memory/

[srvaldez]

never tried it but apparently it can be done, here's a purebasic solution https://www.purebasic.fr/english/viewto ... dll+binary

[UEZ]

never tried it but apparently it can be done, here's a purebasic solution https://www.purebasic.fr/english/viewto ... dll+binary

Definitely it can be done. I did it using Autoit in several project I made. ;-)

[jj2007]

I have little doubts about that, see How to convert a dynamic dll to static lib? at SOF.

What is certainly possible (and easy to do) is to include the DLL as an RCDATA resource, and to write it to the executable's folder during the first run. In comparison, the PureBasic version posted above may work for some dlls but is ridiculously complicated.

Btw the easiest solution would be to compile the source as a static lib.

[srvaldez]

@jj2007
in the link you provided it seems that they are talking about an import lib and not a static lib

[Provoni]

Thanks for your answers everyone.

Definitely it can be done. I did it using Autoit in several project I made. ;-)

Can you give a short run down?

[UEZ]

Thanks for your answers everyone.

Definitely it can be done. I did it using Autoit in several project I made. ;-)

Can you give a short run down?

What do you need exactly?

[Provoni]

Hey UEZ,

Include a dll into .exe, but if there is not a elegant and simple solution then I will skip it.

Thanks

[UEZ]

Hey UEZ,

Include a dll into .exe, but if there is not a elegant and simple solution then I will skip it.

Thanks

Afaik, there is no solution for Freebasic yet unless someone is willing to port it to Freebasic, too. For other languages, e.g. AutoIt, yes. I can provide you a sample code but this will be out of scope for this forum providing non Freebasic code.

[SARG]

Include a dll into .exe, but if there is not a elegant and simple solution then I will skip it.

pefrmdllembed could do the job. However not used/tested.

http://pefrm-units.osdn.jp/pefrmdllembed.html

If you get some difficulty to find an executable I took it from https://www.gtagarage.com/mods/show.php?id=28541 (click on donwload mod)

Don't forget to run your AV on it before executing....

[jj2007]

@jj2007
in the link you provided it seems that they are talking about an import lib and not a static lib

They are talking about several things, and in a fairly confused way even for SOF standards. Of course, an import lib is useless for OP's problem. Converting a DLL into a real static lib, otoh, is a can of worms. The same applies for the attempt to run the code of a DLL from memory: not foreseen by the OS, so you need some dirty hacks to do that.

The cleanest solution is to include the DLL in the installation package. But then OP might run into licensing problems, I suppose. Is hiding it inside the exe the solution?

[Provoni]

The cleanest solution is to include the DLL in the installation package. But then OP might run into licensing problems, I suppose. Is hiding it inside the exe the solution?

Not a licensing problem. Just want the .exe to be stand alone for worst case scenario.

[jj2007]

worst case scenario.

Which is?