Converting .bat to .exe with no additional external software (Create SFX)

Question

Following the same steps as this guide. I am trying to convert from bat to exe without installing any new software such as Bat to Exe Converter. The reason I am using this method is because all machines in my workplace already have 7zip installed and can use it, however I am not allowed to make the script work using external software not present on the main server to be compatible on any machine in the company.

I have the following TEST.bat:

ECHO This is a Test bat to exe
pause

and the config.txt:

;!@Install@!UTF-8! 
RunProgram="TEST.bat" 
;!@InstallEnd@! 

then I call the following command line (in another .bat):

COPY /B "%PathTo7Zip%\7zCon.sfx" + %Config% + %Source7ZFile% %OutputFile%

%PathTo7Zip% is the directory to 7zCon.sfx %Config% is the config.txt file above %Source7ZFile% is my .7z archive and %OutputFile% is my output TEST.exe file which should supposedly run the bat file when I call it according to the author of the guide. However calling TEST.exe triggers unzipping the .7z archive (which is expected) and then exits without running TEST.bat.

However the author explains:

Conclusion:

It is important to note that while the resulting file runs exactly the same as the source BAT file, this is not a true batch to executable conversion. The resulting file is an EXE, however it is intended to be used for self-extracting installers. When you execute the resulting EXE file, the process goes something like this:

1. The contents of the EXE file are extracted to the temp directory.
2. The config file generated by the script is read.
3. The batch file contained in the EXE file is executed in a new command window.
4. Once finished, the temp files are removed.

Solution 1

Refer to this How can a .bat file be 'converted' to .exe without third party tools?

The original script accepts two arguments - the .bat file you want to convert and the target executable.

I made a little modification to accept one argument : Just the .bat file you want to convert.

So in this case, you can drag and drop your batch file over this script bat2exeIEXP.bat and it will be converted to exe file with the same name as the batch file.

;@echo off
;Title Converting batch scripts to file.exe with iexpress
;Mode 75,3 & color 0A
;Rem Original Script https://github.com/npocmaka/batch.scripts/edit/master/hybrids/iexpress/bat2exeIEXP.bat
;echo(
;if "%~1" equ "" (
    ;echo  Usage : Drag and Drop your batch file over this script:"%~nx0"  
    ;Timeout /T 5 /nobreak>nul & Exit
;)
;set "target.exe=%__cd__%%~n1.exe"
;set "batch_file=%~f1"
;set "bat_name=%~nx1"
;set "bat_dir=%~dp1"
;Set "sed=%temp%\2exe.sed"
;echo              Please  wait a while ...  Creating "%~n1.exe" ...
;copy /y "%~f0" "%sed%" >nul
;(
    ;(echo()
    ;(echo(AppLaunched=cmd /c "%bat_name%")
    ;(echo(TargetName=%target.exe%)
    ;(echo(FILE0="%bat_name%")
    ;(echo([SourceFiles])
    ;(echo(SourceFiles0=%bat_dir%)
    ;(echo([SourceFiles0])
    ;(echo(%%FILE0%%=)
;)>>"%sed%"

;iexpress /n /q /m %sed%
;del /q /f "%sed%"
;exit /b 0

[Version]
Class=IEXPRESS
SEDVersion=3
[Options]
PackagePurpose=InstallApp
ShowInstallProgramWindow=0
HideExtractAnimation=1
UseLongFileName=1
InsideCompressed=0
CAB_FixedSize=0
CAB_ResvCodeSigning=0
RebootMode=N
InstallPrompt=%InstallPrompt%
DisplayLicense=%DisplayLicense%
FinishMessage=%FinishMessage%
TargetName=%TargetName%
FriendlyName=%FriendlyName%
AppLaunched=%AppLaunched%
PostInstallCmd=%PostInstallCmd%
AdminQuietInstCmd=%AdminQuietInstCmd%
UserQuietInstCmd=%UserQuietInstCmd%
SourceFiles=SourceFiles

[Strings]
InstallPrompt=
DisplayLicense=
FinishMessage=
FriendlyName=-
PostInstallCmd=<None>
AdminQuietInstCmd=

Solution 2

All windows machines with .NET installed come with files called vbc.exe, csc.exe & jsc.exe, at %windir%\Microsoft.NET\Framework (for 32bits) or Framework64 (for 64 bits), in a folder name starting with "v".

Guide on C# compiler:
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/csharp/language-reference/compiler-options/command-line-building-with-csc-exe

Guide on Visual Basic compiler:
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/visual-basic/reference/command-line-compiler/index
Sample commands:
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/visual-basic/reference/command-line-compiler/sample-compilation-command-lines

A Jscripting guide:
http://www.phpied.com/make-your-javascript-a-windows-exe/

A simple walkthrough from @Itchy to bundle a batch file to exe file with csc.exe:
How can a .bat file be 'converted' to .exe without third party tools?

In the same folder, a file called ngen.exe may also be found, which "generates native code so the application does not need to go through the just-in-time compilation process at runtime".
See:
https://books.google.com.au/books?id=iZM1jyqiyakC&pg=PA453&lpg=PA453&dq=guide++vbc.exe&source=bl&ots=UB041mSfni&sig=ACfU3U0xtmS8X9p0eDKD-u6bt-WvOVCbmQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjshc6589_lAhXXXSsKHcTaBlUQ6AEwD3oECAYQAQ#v=onepage&q=guide%20%20vbc.exe&f=false

Comments

[Philip]

How to set custom icon to this output setup.exe ?

[Zimba]

@Philip: Icons in shortcuts can be changed from the File Properties dialog. Icons in the target executable (.exe file) can be changed by Binary File Editors like Resource Hacker or GConvert. Some others are listed at: listoffreeware.com/free-software-change-program-icon

[Serob_b]

How to handle relative paths in bat script then?

[IonicMan]

how to make application start silently in the background? cause it still shows the black cmd box

[Justas]

@IonicMan change ShowInstallProgramWindow=1

[Felix Jassler]

Does the resulting exe work with command line arguments? I tried "compiling" ECHO you said %1, which works in the bash script, but with the generated exe I get a syntax error

[RixTheTyrunt]

No more unsafe .EXE installs!