How to make a simple EXE generator in C#

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.NET3.5

I'd like to write a compiler for Windows, since writing a compiler i.e making a programming language from scratch is tough, I'd like to write a simple EXE generator i.e a program that creates EXE's from scratch, no use of C# Code Providers or Windows API's, a program that generates a simple,executable file, maybe a program that print hello world, and that's it.
I am trying to create something similar to a compiler, but would not contain parsing,lexing,Code Converters, Just would create a simple executable that prints Hello World or something like that.

Posted 13-Sep-13 6:23am

sid2x

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3 solutions

Solution 3

Ummm...yeah. I don't know if you know what you're getting into but the terms "simple" and "EXE Generator" do not belong in the same sentence. They are mutually exclusive terms.

Posted 27-Jul-14 11:34am

Dave Kreskowiak

Solution 2

I know, that topic is very very old... but, look my projects...

https://github.com/bencz/CoffLib[^]
https://gist.github.com/bencz/3576dfc8a217a34c05a9[^]
https://gist.github.com/bencz/4414035[^]

Posted 27-Jul-14 10:39am

Alexandre Bencz

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Sergey Alexandrovich Kryukov · Accepted Answer · 2013-09-13T06:36:00

Okay, you can go ahead and do it. You will need to learn the following:

The specifications for the Portable Executable file format:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portable_executable[^],
http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/system/platform/firmware/PECOFF.mspx[^],
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/cc301808.aspx[^],
http://www.ntcore.com/files/dotnetformat.htm[^].
The specification on your CPU instruction set, to be able to write code:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instruction_set[^].
The reference on Windows API, to be able to call anything to display "Hello World!", for example:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/ms645452%28v=vs.85%29.aspx[^],
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/ms682073%28v=vs.85%29.aspx[^].

Let me tell you: I doubt this is a reasonable path to creation of a compiler, but for the purpose of the study this exercise could certainly be useful.

—SA