How Do You Build into .EXE and not VB?

[nafiul93]

Hey, I am a beginner at Visual Basic. I am using "Microsoft Visual Basic 2008 Express Edition". I made a little browser just for fun and when I ''Build'' it for use, I get a Setup file, a ''application manifest'' file, and a folder with files called ''Application Files''. Now I am assuming if I send this all (setup, folder, file, everything) to someone else to install WITHOUT VB installed, will they be able to execute it? I was wanting a .EXE kind of program and not this awkward "Application Manifest" thing. Please help me with this matter!

[kbrizs]

The .exe file that makes up you program is most likely in the debug directory, which should be in the directory for your project.

[mahammad()]

I get the .EXE file from the debug directory too , I was think that it is a stupid way to make an EXE file
but is there is not in the 2008 Express 'Make EXE file' like in vb6?

[obi1kenobi]

The application manifest doesn't contain the executable, it only describes the permissions and stuff it needs in xml. You don't press Build, you press Publish in order to get an installer. It is made to download and install all prerequisites, such as .NET 3.5.

If you want the exe, go to the bin/Release (not the Debug) folder in your project directory and copy it from there. Don't say you weren't warned if it doesn't work on another machine. It may miss .NET, you may need the .config files, you may need some .resx resource files, you may need all kinds of stuff which will NOT be included.

[Lord Orwell]

entirely correct. Unlike earlier versions of vb, the OS does not contain the run-time files for vb.net. And if you are using vb2008, and your target system doesn't have vb.net installed, it almost certainly won't work because vb2008 uses .net 3.5 which is not ever installed even with windows update. Only programs that need it download it.
Your program will need it but it won't be able to download it since that is what the install package does and you aren't giving them that.

[jmcilhinney]

Does noone ever read anything? This subject has been discussed over and over on this forum and compiling and deploying are covered in detail in the MSDN Library.

When you BUILD your project it is compiled into an executable, i.e. and EXE file. Every time you run your project in the debugger this occurs and it is the EXE file that gets run. The EXE file is located in the bin\Debug folder under your project folder. If you build the project from the main menu it will compile a Release version, so the EXE is located in the bin\Release folder.

When you PUBLISH your project, it is first built and then bundled into a ClickOnce installer. It is THAT that you're talking about in the first post. That package will install your app (yes, that means the EXE) onto the user's system along with the .NET Framework if it isn't already installed.

By default, the installer will download the Framework over the Internet if and only if it's required. That's goo if the user is downloading your app because it means they won't download the Framework if they already have it installed. If you're deploying on physical media then it's better to change that behaviour and deploy the Framework with the app, so the user doesn't have to use their download allowance unnecessarily.

[nafiul93]

Thanks for so many posts during this little time but my problem still goes on.

Why is everyone talking about the bin / debug folder? Yes i have all of them but im trying to make this like a real program. Something like the user clicks the Setup file to install all the contents into a directory located in the Program Files and you run it from an EXE, not something that needs visual basic on your computer to open!

I am major beginner, 15 years old taking programming and engineering classes in my high skool lol.

[jmcilhinney]

This is just a bit ridiculous. You say:

Something like the user clicks the Setup file to install all the contents into a directory

yet in your first post you specifically state that you already have the Setup.exe file. You already have what you're asking for. All you need to do is deploy the contents of the output from the publish operation, i.e. the contents of the folder that contains the Setup.exe file. The user executes that setup and your app gets installed, end of story.

[nafiul93]

YES but it installs files that that open with visual basic

[jmcilhinney]

Either you're mistaken or your IDE is broken. When you publish the code files aren't touched at all. It is the contents of the aforementioned bin folder that are the source. Building takes the code files as the source and outputs the executable files to a different folder. Publishing takes those executable files as the source and outputs a deployment package to yet another folder. The publishing process doesn't know anything about the code files so I don't see how what you're saying could be true. I'd need to see specific evidence before I'd believe that.

[nafiul93]

Yes I think I am highly mistaken, when I go to "build", all I see are tiny locks on the tabs for like a second and they go away. I dont know whats going on. When I get the EXE, folder, and the other file, thats when I clicked "publish". Ok so I think something is wrong with my "Build" function, or im doing something wrong or need an add-on??

[jmcilhinney]

There's nothing wrong with your Build function. The padlock on the tab indicates a read-only file, which they are while the project is being built.

[nafiul93]

yeah i see padlocks for like a second then nothing happens

where is it building what is it building what locatoin how do i access it??

[jmcilhinney]

Um, you've already been told several times. Did you read post #6? Post #10? I'm not fond of repeating myself and I'm not going to. If you ask for help and people provide it, don't ignore it and ask questions they've already answered.

[nafiul93]

oohh im sry yes now i understand.

so that exe can be copy pasted out of that folder and used for independent use? meaning no other files need to be there for it to work, and no setup/install required?

[jmcilhinney]

Exactly, other than the appropriate version of the .NET Framework. That's the primary reason you'd provide an installer for a simple application: to install the .NET Framework if it isn't already installed. If you know that the end-user will already have the Framework installed, or that they'll be able to install it themselves, then you don't need to worry about that.

[nafiul93]

yeah i got my friend to test it thank u so much

[obi1kenobi]

Age doesn't matter at all. I only turned 16 today... Btw, I think that nafiul93's reference to files that open with VB in post #9 is actually about the .Net framework...

Btw, you should mark the thread resolved if you require no further help. Cheers!

[JuggaloBrotha]

Man, 15 year olds have it easy with being able to program in .Net from the start, I remember doing Basic and QBasic back in high school.

[nafiul93]

lol yeah im taking a pre ap class on programming this year

[Stoobert]

Man, 15 year olds have it easy with being able to program in .Net from the start, I remember doing Basic and QBasic back in high school.

Ahh, I remember getting royally annoyed at skool becuase they insisted on the final projects being wrote in QBasic when I wanted to use VB3.