How-to specify the name of compiled output (*.exe) within C++ code?

Hello

How can I specify the name of the compiled output (the .exe) within my C++ code?

I'm using Visual Studio 2008.

Please tell me if this is possible, and if it is, how to do so.

Thanks in advance,

Panarchy

within your c++ code ? What do you mean by that ?

You can't specify the name of the exe with your code. That's in the build options of the IDE.

Don't you think your question is a sort of chicken and egg problem.

To get the output name you have to build and run the EXE.
To build the EXE you have to give it a name.

If you mean you want to show the name of EXE from within the code you can either use the argv[0] parameter in the case of console application or in the case of Windows applications you can use GetCommandLine and CommandLineToArgvW functions.

I was just thinking, I could have 1 command prompt window open, and 1 Visual Studio main.cpp (or equivalent) open.

I could then make the changes to the code, Alt-Tab to the command-prompt window, then put in what I want the .exe to be via the /out parameter.

Advantages;
- No extra code needs to be added
- So the size of my program won't enlarge

:D

Problem solved!

Disadvantages;
- Have to do an Alt-Tab :rolleyes:
- Command-Prompt sucks, as I need to right-click, Paste

Though I still would like to know if this can be done programmatically, it is no longer a priority.

If you know how I can get this to be done programmatically, please tell me.

Thanks in advance,

Panarchy

Links:
/OUT
Output File

You could probably write/record a macro that takes as input the name of the output desired. The could be put as a button on the toolbar.

On running the macro, it could set the output name in the Output File option in Project Properties -> Configuration Properties -> Linker.

Thanks, but the /out parameter can do it, if I can just work out how to use it.

Any ideas?

Panarchy

Hi

I've worked it out, first I need to do a;

cl /clr "test.cpp"

Then

Link "Test.obj" /out:"testing.exe"

There is one problem with this though, that is it doesn't give me an icon.

Doing it manually using the GUI, it does include an icon.

So any ideas on how I can embed the icon via the CLI?

Thanks,

Panarchy

/out is a command line parameter of link.exe.

Refer to the Command Line option in Project Properties -> Configuration Properties -> Linker.

Also check out the Command Line option in Project Properties -> Configuration Properties -> C / C++.

You could also copy/rename the file with Post build options from the settings dialog. I use VC++ 6 , maybe it's slightly elsewhere in dotnet.

I'm using Visual Studio 2008 Professional, specifically the Visual C++ component.

Just trying to work out how to compile my program via the command-line, including the icon.

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance,

Panarchy

You will get the whole command line parameter for the CL.EXE compiler and the LINK.EXE linker from the project properties that I mentioned in my earlier post. Copy and paste that into the command window to execute it from command line.

This is of course for a single cpp file. For multiple files you will need to create a makefile.

IN VC 2008 you can do the same as in VC6++

project settings => Build events => Post build-events:

REN $(TARGETPATH) newname.exe
or something like that.

Thanks, but how do I put that line directly into the .cpp file?

I got it to work by using the .res at the linking stage.

:D

So I've now successfully worked out how to compile, the program via command-prompt, specifying the name, and having the correct icon.

Thanks for all your help.

Now, any ideas on how I can do this within my C++ code?

Thanks in advance,

Panarchy

Well, the idea is that .cpp is not a correct place for holding resource descriptions and build settings. That's why resource scripts, makefiles and/or project files exist.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Panarchy

Thanks, but how do I put that line directly into the .cpp file?

---

You can't. Exe output is generated by the linker, and the linker never sees your source code.

Would it be possible, to use argv to specify the name of the .exe within my code?

Is that possible?

Thanks

Panarchy

No. Argv is used with the program runs. After the exe has already been created and named.

Ah.

Well, thinking outside the square, could I put some kind of copy/rename program/line to run as soon as program finishes compiling?

You do know that you can specify the name of the exe in your project settings, right? You can set up your project to do post-build actions though, if that's what you really want/need.

Okay, but how do I specify the post-build actions within the actual code?

Hello Again!

I still haven't worked out how to do this :(.

Could someone please tell me how to set the name of the *.exe programmatically?

More info: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/libr...utputfile.aspx

Please help me do this!

Thanks in advance,

Panarchy

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Panarchy

Could someone please tell me how to set the name of the *.exe programmatically?

More info: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/libr...utputfile.aspx

---

I wonder if you really read the "more info"? This article has nothing to do with the thread's topic. Because this is about how to write VisualStudio extension that can set the name of compiled exe.

Really more info:

Code:

---

// 503.cpp
#pragma comment(linker, "/out:mycool.exe")

int main()
{
        return 0;
}

---

Code:

---

E:\Temp\503>cl 503.cpp
Microsoft (R) 32-bit C/C++ Optimizing Compiler Version 13.10.3077 for 80x86
Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation 1984-2002. All rights reserved.

503.cpp
Microsoft (R) Incremental Linker Version 7.10.3077
Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation.  All rights reserved.

/out:503.exe
503.obj
503.obj : warning LNK4070: /OUT:mycool.exe directive in .EXP differs from output filename '503.exe'; ignoring directive

---

...but

Code:

---

E:\Temp\503>cl 503.cpp /c
Microsoft (R) 32-bit C/C++ Optimizing Compiler Version 13.10.3077 for 80x86
Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation 1984-2002. All rights reserved.

503.cpp

E:\Temp\503>link 503.obj
Microsoft (R) Incremental Linker Version 7.10.3077
Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation.  All rights reserved.

---

I got the same;

Code:

---

1>------ Build started: Project: VNC, Configuration: Release Win32 ------
1>Compiling...
1>stdafx.cpp
1>Compiling...
1>VNC.cpp
1>Compiling resources...
1>Microsoft (R) Windows (R) Resource Compiler Version 6.1.6723.1
1>Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation.  All rights reserved.
1>Linking...
1>VNC.obj : warning LNK4070: /OUT:mycool.exe directive in .EXP differs from output filename 'C:\VNC\Release\VNC.exe'; ignoring directive
1>Generating code
1>Finished generating code
1>Embedding manifest...
1>Build log was saved at "file://c:\VNC\VNC\Release\BuildLog.htm"
1>VNC - 0 error(s), 1 warning(s)
========== Build: 1 succeeded, 0 failed, 0 up-to-date, 0 skipped ==========

---

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