Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Make your own .exe files

Guys! I am sure many of you might have had previous experiences with batch files(.bat) or visual basic scripts(.vbs). Many of you might have wondered as to how could you convert it to exe files. exe files dont only look standard, they have become a standard platform for software distribution. Moreover it protects your scripting to be copied or modified. It is a well known fact that .bat files can be easily read and modified in notepad and so is the case with .vbs. In this post i would explain how to convert your .bat files or .vbs files to .exe and that to without using any third party softwares..

There is a very good tool inside windows called IExpress 2.0. It is actually located in C:\Windows\System32. But you can access it by typing iexpress or iexpress.exe in Start>Run(or Win+R).

1. Click on Next.
2. Next you will be presented with the Package Purpose screen. For our purposes select “Extract Files and run an installation command” and click the Next button.You will be presented with the Package Title screen, which will give you the opportunity to give your project a name.
3.
You will next be presented with the Confirmation Prompt Screen. We would like the batch file to just be extracted and run so just choose “No Prompt” and click the Next Button.If you want some prompt for the user before your .bat comes into action u can do that.
4. You always see long license agreements in software distribution packages.. You can do that here in the screen you are presented with.
5.
The Packaged Files window is where you will select your batch file (or .vbs). Click the Add button and browse to your desired file. Then click next.
6. Here you are presented with a window titled Install Program to Launch. Use the drop down control next to “Install Program and choose the only option that will be present, the .bat or .vbs file that you chose in the previous window. The Show Window screen is next. I didn’t want my users to be prompted in any way so I chose Hidden. Click Next.
7. Select a finish message if u would like.
8.
The Package Name and Options window is where the new .exe specified. Type in a path or browse to the folder you would like your .exe in, type a name in the file name box and click save. Also check the box that says “Hide File Extraction Progress Animation from User.” If you’re worried about long file names go ahead and click the other box as well.
9.
Since we really aren’t installing anything we probably want to tell the Configure Restart window to not restart. So choose the option that says “No restart” and hit Next.
10. This window is where you have a chance to save all of the options you have chosen into a project file so that if necessary you may later return and make modifications. I have no need to retain the file, but if you would like to be able to come back to it, by all means choose “Save Self Extraction Directive (SED) file” and tell it where to put it. As always, click Next.