Xojo 2017 - Single File EXE - 64 bit Application Packers

Targets Windows
21

I have not done so yet but it’s a good idea.

I am in contact with the BoxedApp folks - they have a debug log option in their apps so they have more information than I do. If they can’t/won’t then I will try to report this myself.

22

[quote=369749:@Joost Rongen]@Michael Diehr - as said earlier in this thread, I knocked off with BoxedApp since all kind of issues kept me away from developing a business application , which is more important I guess.
Seeing you going the same direction.[/quote]

So far, I’m only seeing a problem on 1 machine (which is running Betas of Windows 10) - the other 9 I’ve tested on work fine. I’m not sure if this is a big or little problem so far.

23

Update - the BoxedApp folks are able to reproduce the bug, but also only on an Insider Preview build of Windows 10 (17074). They believe it’s something they can fix on their end.

24

that is good news.

25

You can try Enigma Virtual Box
http://enigmaprotector.com/en/downloads.html
It’s free.

BR

26

[quote=372168:@fabio stranieri]You can try Enigma Virtual Box
http://enigmaprotector.com/en/downloads.html
It’s free.

BR[/quote]

Looks good, thanks! Do you know if it will work with a helper app also? The site mentions DLLs and a bunch of other types, but not additional *.exe executables.

27

BoxedApp has the official update out which fixes the problem with 64 bit Plugins on 64 bit Windows 10 Insider preview builds: boxedapp.com/boxedapppacker/download_now.html

28

Does this work with Window 8 too? No issues at all?

29

Looks impressive Michael, but testing with my current Xojo project gives me a dj vu.
Issues with entrypoints in runtime dll’s.

30

[quote=372427:@Joost Rongen]Looks impressive Michael, but testing with my current Xojo project gives me a déjà vu.
Issues with entrypoints in runtime dll’s.[/quote]

Can you say more? 32 bit or 64? Which DLLs - Framework, Xojo Plugins, or 3rd party plugins?

How are you including the plugins? As mentioned here <https://xojo.com/issue/51040> Xojo Plugins must reside in a subfolder with a specific name - they can’t be next to the app.

Here is what my BoxedApp settings look like:

[ ] override command line
[?] Run packed exe in virtual environment

Files:
 Application Directory:
   MyApp.exe
   MyApp Libs/   (Type=Embedded)
       Browser Pluginx64.dll (Type=Embedded)
        [... other Xojo plugins would go here ... ]
   msvcp120.dll
   msvcp140.dll
   msvcr120.dll
   vccorlib140.dll
   vcruntime140.dll
   XojoGuiFramework64.dll


All other options are set to defaults.
31

My first test on Windows 8.1 x64 failed:

The program can't start because api-ms-win-crt-heap-l1-1-0.dll is missing from your computer.

This is probably because my Windows 8.1 VM hasn’t been updated in months – see: http://developer.xojo.com/windows-universal-runtime

I’m running windows update on this VM and will report back.

32

After fully updating Windows 8.1 x64, the BoxedApp packed Xojo 2017R3 6r bit test app works fine.

33

Yesterday I did a quick test with a Win32 (xojo 2017R3) project on Windows 7.
Boxedapp seems to compile with no issues, but running the build exe fails.

It says that it cannot find the entrypoint ucrt.terminate in a runtim dll. When I click Ok, I get several messages like this with other runtime dll’s.

Btw: due to some xojo matters I cannot compile my project 64-bit at the moment.
My conclusion, it can / will work in some occasions with Xojo project, but you must be willing to solve problems like this, which takes time and effort I need for the business logic itself rather than the tooling around it.

34

yep, seems really easier on the mac os side …

35

“Grass is always greener” effect. We have Translocation, Quarantine, and your app won’t even launch unless it’s signed (default settings). Thank $DIETY that we have @Sam Rowlands

36

I was only talking about the “single app executable” problem :wink:

37

[quote=372559:@Joost Rongen]Yesterday I did a quick test with a Win32 (xojo 2017R3) project on Windows 7.
[/quote]

Joost, that first error you see looks like the problem with any 64-bit Xojo app running on an old, un-updated Windows system – the same problem I had testing on my (un-patched) Windows 8.1 system.

The solution is to either fully update the system, or you can manually include the missing files. See http://developer.xojo.com/windows-universal-runtime I don’t think that has anything to do with BoxedApp per se - in other words, if you try to run the regular 64 bit EXE (without using BoxedApp) you will see the same problem.

38

[quote=372168:@fabio stranieri]You can try Enigma Virtual Box
http://enigmaprotector.com/en/downloads.html
[/quote]

Now that I have a nice test project, I’ll give that one a try too.

39

My Xojo testapp was 32-bit compiled.

As an application builder, I can mostly not force the customers’ sysop to upgrade his workstations. Perhaps he has a good reason not to do so.
The question about packing files together is if it’s worth the trouble at all.

40

This thread is about 64 bit apps, but the instructions here: http://developer.xojo.com/windows-universal-runtime apply to both 32 and 64 bit apps. Please read them carefully, as it really sounds like you don’t understand what’s happening or how to fix it.

In that case, you need to follow the instructions and include the runtime files in your app delivery : http://developer.xojo.com/windows-universal-runtime

Agreed, but it’s not helpful to confuse the two issues, and you keep saying “Packed apps don’t work” but you seem to be running into a different, unrelated issue. Why don’t you solve that one first, and then do your Packing tests afterwards?