[Done] Option to include image file data within compiled exe

jpuziano · Post by **jpuziano** » Thu Aug 11, 2005 6:50 pm

This would be convenient when building a large script with many dialogs that use images. If the compiler included the image data within the exe, there would be only one file to update on a user's machine when changes are made to the macro and/or images.

It would also be good to be able to specify this separately for each image used by a dialog as in some cases, you may want to point to an image file rather than include it within the exe.

Great to see all the improvements being made to Macro Scheduler!

Update: Thu Nov 23, 2006 - Poll Added
- Please take a moment to Cast your Vote

Update: Tue May 1, 2007 - Poll Retired
- Thanks for Voting and Thank You Marcus for adding this feature

kpassaur · Post by **kpassaur** » Thu Oct 06, 2005 9:59 pm

I agree it would be a nice feature as now my folders are getting filled with images to support the menus. Some of these are utilities and they need no supporting files, you can run them from anywhere, but if I put an image on the menu (logo) I have to place the image in a location that the utility knows.

Since, we are speaking of enhancements. Now that we have images which is great, what about a couple of font sizes? Maybe, standard, large extra large and bold. I realize that now I can create an image with anything I want, but it would make it easier.

CyberCitizen · Post by **CyberCitizen** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 5:07 am

While All Those Ideas Are Good & I Would That Option, You Do Realise That This Will Increse The Size Of Compiled Macros By Quite A Lot.

Compiled Macros Are Getting Bigger & Bigger With More Compex Scripts Being Written & Adding Images Will No Doubt Increase The Size Alot.

mmorrison · Post by **mmorrison** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 6:46 pm

Compiled macro's need to stay trim, although the option to include the graphics might be OK. If considering anything this direction, I'd recommend all graphics be 'compiled' into a separate file, that we can call from within our macro, specifying image by number in sequence (1,2,3 for 1st, 2nd, 3rd) or such.

This would provide the benefits of bundling the graphics so there aren't a bunch of loose files (very hard to manage), and also help keep users from replacing graphics (easily done currently), all without bloating our compiled files.

jpuziano · Post by **jpuziano** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 6:33 pm

Of course we'd all like to keep the size of a compiled macro exe as small as possible... but what is sacrificed in size results in greater ease of use/maintenance for the macro user and developer so I think its worth it.

Option 1
I still see the option of bundling everything into one .exe as the simplest and most foolproof because... once you release your .exe to your users, what if they share it with others? What if only the .exe is passed on? Do you want someone to run your macro only to have it complain that it can't find its graphics file? Or to run but show blanks where the images should be? If everything is in one .exe, it will always work.

Option 2
I see the option of having a separate bundled graphics file as a compromise between what we have now (each image in its own separate file) and Option 1. Option 2 does start to look good though if you have tons of really large images as it keeps the size of the .exe down.

Which is better might depend on how many images you have in your macros but if we could only have one, I'd vote for Option 1. And of course, that we wouldn't loose the ability to specify a separate file for any image, the way it works today. Support has always been good about that though, keeping backward compatibility so that existing macros continue to work with future versions of Macro Scheduler.

Post by **Marcus Tettmar** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 7:10 pm

Option 1
I still see the option of bundling everything into one .exe as the simplest and most foolproof because... once you release your .exe to your users, what if they share it with others? What if only the .exe is passed on? Do you want someone to run your macro only to have it complain that it can't find its graphics file? Or to run but show blanks where the images should be? If everything is in one .exe, it will always work.

Ever heard of an installer? Most applications have several files that need to be bundled with it. To do that you use an installer so you just give the installer to the user, or the user passes the installer on to someone else. The installer compresses all the files into one bundle and controls where they are all installed.

jpuziano · Post by **jpuziano** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 9:25 pm

Hi Marcus,

Ever heard of an installer? Most applications have several files that need to be bundled with it.

I'd rather not use an installer. I'd like to provide a set of compiled .exe macros to a user community but the macros may need frequent updates. If I use an installer, I'm stuck with forcing users to continually install new versions.

To get around this, I'd rather they not have the .exe files on their PCs at all. I'd rather maintain a web page with links to the latest compiled macro .exe files on a server. Users could run the latest macros right from the page and never need to install anything.

If a user doesn't want to go to the web page, they can create a desktop icon that links to a macro on that web page. They can even give it hot key capability by specifying a hot key in the Properties of the desktop icon. I can update the macros on the web page and as long as I don't change the name of the .exe files, the user's links are always going to work.

Now let's say a user decides to download one of these .exe files anyway, maybe they email it to somebody. If it requires custom graphics and they are contained within the exe, its still going to work, a nice bonus.

Post by **Marcus Tettmar** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 9:52 pm

jpuziano wrote:I'd rather not use an installer. I'd like to provide a set of compiled .exe macros to a user community but the macros may need frequent updates. If I use an installer, I'm stuck with forcing users to continually install new versions.

Yeh, isn't that a pain! Every time we update Macro Scheduler we have to update the installers too! Now, if only we could put all the data inside the Macro Scheduler executable ....

kpassaur · Post by **kpassaur** » Sun Aug 13, 2006 9:53 pm

It would be a nice option to have for small compiled scripts. I have a half a dozen that I wrotes where there is just one or two image headers that I use on the Dialog box. Because of this instead of just compiling it I have to use an installer to distribute it. Since they have to be installed I have to create a specific location for the images. If I could comlipe the images in it would be a lot easier.

However, my choice for new feature if I could only have one would be browse to folder and create a file folder.

Post by **Marcus Tettmar** » Mon Apr 23, 2007 2:10 pm

Drum roll please ....

The next release of Macro Scheduler will have the ability to include bitmap data inside script files, for use on images and buttons in dialogs. This will work for regular scripts as well as compiled scripts as the data is held in the script file itself.

We currently have this working in our latest development version. I hope to be able to release this version as 9.1 in May.

jpuziano · Post by **jpuziano** » Mon Apr 23, 2007 2:39 pm

I nearly fell off my chair after reading this enhancement is on its way in version 9.1

Thanks Marcus and everyone who posted their feedback on this thread and especially those that voted.

kpassaur · Post by **kpassaur** » Mon Apr 23, 2007 2:59 pm

This is fantastic, I can't wait. I was at the point where I was considering encrypting the file folder that contains them, unencrypting it when the program was run and then deleting them.

Thank you for this feature.

Keith

thaumaturgy · Post by **thaumaturgy** » Tue Apr 24, 2007 1:53 am

Woo Hoo ! Thank you Marcus, That just put a big ole grin on my face. And thanks jpuziano for suggesting the idea.

jpuziano · Post by **jpuziano** » Mon Apr 30, 2007 8:45 am

Greetings everyone,

I just installed version 9.1.01 and added image data inside an existing script with a dialog using the new feature. It was fast, easy and it worked perfectly.

Thanks Marcus... *much* appreciated.

Rain · Post by **Rain** » Mon Apr 30, 2007 12:45 pm

I found the import bitmap data option but how to use it in a dialog? I can't find an example or explanation in the help file.

Thanks for any help on this.

Rain

[Done] Option to include image file data within compiled exe

Option to include image file data within compiled macro exe

[Done] Option to include image file data within compiled exe

Compiled Images

Compiled Images

This still would be a nice option

Compiled images