exe generates another exe

[John E]

And I do too. Coopers, if you can't be a lot more specific about why you need this very unusual requirement, I don't think you'll get any more help.

[coopers]

c++, john_e.

i have a good software idea, that i cannot share at the moment.
i want to find out if i can make this program by my self.

[John E]

Well, a programming IDE is essentially an exe which generates another exe by interfacing with an external compiler. There's a programming IDE built into Visual C++ but another good one is Code::Blocks

It's good because it can work with a whole bunch of different compilers and languages - and in particular, it will show you what it needs to send to the external compiler while it's working (and it also shows you what the external compiler sends back).

Download a free copy of Code::Blocks and experiment with program creation. You'll be able to see what needs to be sent to the compiler for a whole range of different compilers (although you'll need to install them first, of course). That way, you'll be able to learn how to control a compiler (which is much too big a topic for this forum).

Having said all that, I can see nothing in what you've said that convinces me about the necessity for your exe to generate another exe - unless you're planning to write your own IDE (that's what an IDE does).

Good luck but on the basis of what little you've told us, that's probably about as much help as we can give.

[coopers]

thanks for the replys.


i just have to make an installer. enter the path and some options and generates the program with selected options.

donno how to do this simple task.

[Skizmo]

A installer installs something that is already compiled.

[coopers]

and how can i make an exe installer, that contains the files that has to install, and an interface for options input?


please don't give me some installers from market, i have to make one by myself in c++.

keywords please.

[Arjay]

please don't give me some installers from market, i have to make one by myself in c++.

keywords please.

Since you've posted in the Visual C++ forum, why not use the installer that comes with Visual Studio?

In other words, why do you have to make one yourself?

[Skizmo]

why not use the installer that comes with Visual Studio?

... or you can try a free installer like InnoSetup.

[GCDEF]

and how can i make an exe installer, that contains the files that has to install, and an interface for options input?


please don't give me some installers from market, i have to make one by myself in c++.

keywords please.

It really isn't hard to create a dialog with some check boxes on it and it really isn't hard to copy files. Where are you stuck?

[coopers]

i don't know how to include the files that has to be copied, in the exe installer.

give me some reference on the installer that comes with Visual Studio, i'll do the research, i'm not a lazy one.

[John E]

I suspect his problem might be how to store files so they can be retrieved from inside another file. One approach might be to use an open source archiver such as 7-zip or ARJ. These allow you to store several files inside a master file. You'd mostly need to change the user interface to give it the functionality of an installer, instead of the functionality of an archiver but because the above examples are open source, this should be relatively easy. Just watch out for licensing issues.