Hi,
I have to create few forms and give it as direct EXE (instead of installer, which installs .NET framework, which the end user is not happy, they want something they can directly open and work).
I know it can be done as web, but am looking for winforms?
Please suggest which tool/technology can handle this?
Thanks, Karthick
You aren't going to be able to write any .NET windows application without the .NET framework installed on the client machine.
So your options would be to change to a language that does not compile to an intermediate language. Perhaps C++ or C or something of that sort.
Of course most, if not all, windows machines already have some form of the .NET Framework installed on them by default. So you might not have to install anything extra if it is already on the machines you are deploying too. If the framework is already there then you can do a copy and paste deployment if you really want to. Just run the exe and it will work.
I think the thing you really need to do here is find out exactly why they don't want frameworks installed with the application. Then see if you can work around or resolve the problem.
A web app is still probably the best option for this type of requirement though.
You want to use .Net without installing .Net?
Your best bet is probably writing MFC code in C++, though be warned that that is significantly more complex and painful (there is no designer, for one).
If you want an Windows forms application with no dependencies C++ is probably your best option, since it allows you to statically link any dependencies into your EXE or just include the DLLs in the same directory.
VB6 and Delphi may also be possibilities if you can include their runtime DLLs with your app without "installing" them - I'm not sure whether that can be made to work, you'd have to test it.
As the command already says, though, most machines have .NET installed. I believe Windows XP SP2 came with .NET framework (though the original XP installation only included it in "Additional Components").
@Karthick, If you want an Windows application without dependencies Delphi is an excellent choice. they have an very fast compiler, very good IDE and very powerfull language, you can produce fastest windows native applications in a few minutes. also you can use thousands of third party components (commercial and free) for extend you application, and interact with an amazing, active and very collaborative community.
You can see applications made with delphi in this link
Another examples are
Bye.
You should also consider the Windows Template Library (WTL). It's a template-based C++ framework that builds on ATL and allows you to create small, light executables with few (if any, depending on the app) dependencies at all. I use it all the time and cannot recommend it highly enough.