Bundle skin within exe

[JoyceBabu 0]

First of all, I would like thank the creators of AutoIt and this community of creating and promoting such a nice product. I was planning to create a simple application and was planning to do it in VB. Accidently, I visited this site and found AutoIt much more easier than VB for my task(though I had a little trouble with creating the GUI). Thanks.

Now to my question. I used XSkin to skin my program to the MsgPlus! style. Is it possible to bundle the skin directory within the exe file? Any help is much appreciated. Thanks.

[Zedna 166]

For creating GUIs look at Koda here

To bundle files into your EXE look at FileInstall() or resources: here

Edited August 31, 2007 by Zedna

[JoyceBabu 0]

For creating GUIs look at Koda here

To bundle files into your EXE look at FileInstall() or resources: here

Thanks a lot Zedna. I looked through the material you have provided and my problem is solved. But I have a small doubt.

From Resource Hacker help file, the syntax for adding a resource to the exe is

ResHacker.exe -add ExeFile, SaveAsFile, ResourceFile, ResourceMask

ie -add command has 4 command_parameters.

Wheras in the example you showed, it is being called with 6 parameters

ResHacker.exe -add %out%, %out%, test_1.txt, 10, TEST_TXT_1, 0

Can you plz tell me what is the use of the other two parameters

[JoyceBabu 0]

Thanks a lot Zedna. I looked through the material you have provided and my problem is solved. But I have a small doubt.

From Resource Hacker help file, the syntax for adding a resource to the exe is

ResHacker.exe -add ExeFile, SaveAsFile, ResourceFile, ResourceMask

ie -add command has 4 command_parameters.

Wheras in the example you showed, it is being called with 6 parameters

ResHacker.exe -add %out%, %out%, test_1.txt, 10, TEST_TXT_1, 0

Can you plz tell me what is the use of the other two parameters

I think I got it. The last three parameters combined is called the ResourceMask, right?

[Zedna 166]

I think I got it. The last three parameters combined is called the ResourceMask, right?

I don't know what's ResourceMask but:

test_1.txt, 10, TEST_TXT_1, 0

means:

test_1.txt - filename to add to resources

10 - resource type here $RT_RCDATA = 10

TEST_TXT_1 - name of included resource (with this name you can link to it lately when you wantt load it)

0 - resource language here lang_neutral = 0

[JoyceBabu 0]

I don't know what's ResourceMask but:

test_1.txt, 10, TEST_TXT_1, 0

means:

test_1.txt - filename to add to resources

10 - resource type here $RT_RCDATA = 10

TEST_TXT_1 - name of included resource (with this name you can link to it lately when you wantt load it)

0 - resource language here lang_neutral = 0

But I can't use the files from the resource, since they can't be accessed by the XSkin functions. Is it possible to save the files to the temp directory?

[Zedna 166]

But I can't use the files from the resource, since they can't be accessed by the XSkin functions. Is it possible to save the files to the temp directory?

It's good idea. I add it in TODO list for my resources UDF.

It will not be hard (with existing function _ResourceGetAsBytes)

But generally: Recources are primary good for get/use data from there directly in the application.

For store files to TEMP use FileInstal() it's intended exactly for this purpose.

Edited August 31, 2007 by Zedna

[JoyceBabu 0]

It's good idea. I add it in TODO list for my resources UDF.

It will not be hard (with existing function _ResourceGetAsBytes)

But generally: Recources are primary good for get/use data from there directly in the application.

For store files to TEMP use FileInstal() it's intended exactly for this purpose.

Thanks a lot Zedna. FileInstall seems to be the best solution for my problems too.

[Valuater 107]

Thanks a lot Zedna. FileInstall seems to be the best solution for my problems too.

I find FileInstall() my tool of choice for XSkin also!

8)