Shoutbox

I have lots of projects on VB Express 2005. I want to publish them as standalone *.exe files, but I see no option for that. All I see is the publish to web server and publish to CD. I want all my files to package into one .exe standalone so that when run, you do not need to install it or anything. How do I do this?

I am not sure if this is the correct way to do it, but Visual Studio 2005 creates the .exe file every time you test it out.  This file is the same as the published file and it can be found under the project directory in \bin\Debug then there will be what ever your project is called .exe

(sorry this is breif and confusing...I can explain better if you need it)

Yes I know all about that.

I have tried sending a test program as that .exe to another person who didn't have VB or anything and it didn't work. It obviously needs the program resources or something, i think.

Oh, that is because they need .NET Framework 2.0 installed for them to use it.  It is freely avaliable from the Microsoft Site here

As blades said, you want them to install the .NET Framework (Version 2), from Windows Update or wherever. It's roughly 20mb.

Also, you'll want to use the program created in the Release output folder, rather than the debug version. If there's nothing in that folder, go to the Visual Basic menu and find "Build".

quote:

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Originally posted by Snaal Sevool Snr.
I have lots of projects on VB Express 2005. I want to publish them as standalone *.exe files, but I see no option for that.

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Because there is no option for that in the "Express" version. You need to buy VB6 the home or pro or whatever edition for that (I meant the full product, I know VB6 is not .NET, just a stupid typo).

quote:

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Originally posted by bladeswords
Visual Studio 2005 creates the .exe file every time you test it out.

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No.... It doesn't create a standalone exe when you don't tell it to.

When you run code it's run in the debugger in P-code, and the only "exe" made is not a compiled standalone one. Making a standalone exe is compiling a program, which isn't possible with the free "Express" version.

If "standalone .exe"  means an executable file that can be run on other computers with .NET framework v2.0 runtime installed, then the Express Edition will work just fine. 

If "standalone .exe" means an executable that can run on any Windows computer without requiring .NET framework (the preferred term is "unmanaged code"), then no edition of Visual Studio 2005 will help you there.  Visual Basic has become Visual Basic .NET and current development tools from Microsoft don't offer it any other way. 

The debug versions of .NET executables are no less and no more "p-code" (the preferred term is "Intermediate Language", IL) than release versions.  Just the same as it is with unmanaged code, the debug versions include symbol information and are not optimized (to enable faster build times).

Visual C++ continues to support unmanaged code projects. With some limitations, that also includes the free Visual C++ 2005 Express Edition.   If you want to create unmanaged code software, Microsoft wants you to use C++.

VB6 is a legacy product.  While it does compile to unmanaged code (requiring a runtime library of its own, however), I would not recommend investing money and time in it to anyone who doesn't use it already.

Thank you Adeptus.  That is what I thought, I just wasnt sure.  (I am downloading Visual Basic Express to test it all out)

I'll check with the person I sent it to if they had .NET 2.0.

Some of my programs work on a fairly new computer of my friend's who has all the latest stuff etc. and my version of VB.

Doesn't it prompt you to install .NET 2.0 on the installer?

I am not sure what you mean by "Doesn't it prompt you to install .NET 2.0 on the installer?" if you mean the Visual Studio installer or your program.  If you mean Visual Studio, then yes it does install .NET 2.0.  If you mean your program, then no, unless you have packaged .NET 2.0 with it.