Self-Extract EXE to Temp and Auto-Run Setup Program

Download: Chilkat .NET Assemblies

How to create a self-extracting EXE that extracts to a temp directory and auto-runs a setup program after extracting.

Dim zip As New Chilkat.Zip()

Dim success As Boolean

'  Any string unlocks the component for the 1st 30-days.
success = zip.UnlockComponent("Anything for 30-day trial")
If (success <> true) Then
    MsgBox(zip.LastErrorText)
    Exit Sub
End If


'  Initialize the zip object.  Because we're creating
'  a self-extracting EXE in this example, the filename
'  passed to NewZip will never actually be created.
success = zip.NewZip("notUsed.zip")
If (success <> true) Then
    MsgBox(zip.LastErrorText)
    Exit Sub
End If


'  Append a directory tree.  The AppendFiles does
'  not read the file contents or append them to the zip
'  object in memory.  It simply appends references
'  to the files so that when WriteExe (or WriteZipAndClose,
'  or WriteZip, etc.) is called, the files are compressed
'  and added to the archive.
Dim recurse As Boolean
recurse = true
zip.AppendFiles("c:/temp/a/*",recurse)

'  Indicate that when the EXE is run, it should automatically
'  extract to a temp directory.
zip.AutoTemp = true

'  If you want the EXE to self-extract with no user-interface,
'  add this:
zip.ExeNoInterface = true
zip.ExeSilentProgress = true
zip.ExeWaitForSetup = false

'  Indicate that after extracting, a setup program should be run:
zip.AutoRun = "setup.exe"

'  Pass these command line params to the AutoRun program:
zip.AutoRunParams = "-a -b -c"

'  Write "mySfx.exe"

success = zip.WriteExe("mySfx.exe")
If (success <> true) Then
    MsgBox(zip.LastErrorText)
    Exit Sub
End If


MsgBox("EXE Created!")