To create an executable

#1 After you have compiled the TGE engine, do not run it from the compiler. Run it from the directory it was compiled to. Meaning, go to the directory your compiler saved it into and do not run it from Visual Studio.

#2 Thanks Warren, but what i was looking for is making an executable which i can run on any system even on those where torque's not installed.....

#3 Torque cannot be compiled into a single file (not that I'm aware of at least, but certainly with heavy engine modification and a solid understanding of C++ it may be possible, although not the smartest way to do it). You will have to distribute the .exe with all of the in-tact file and directory structure.

#4 So how do I go about making a stand-alone executable. Any suggestions, any helpful links..... I need to make one, am not an expert with C++ but relatively good. Also if there's a procedure to do so, is it possible to make executables for both windows and mac following just one procedure or do you have to folow 2 different procedures.

Thanks

#5 To distribute your game, you distribute the executable in your TorqueInstallation/example folder. You'll also need to distribute all of the .dll files in the example directory, and the starter.fps and common folders.

#6 So how do I go about making a stand-alone executable. Any suggestions, any helpful links..... I need to make one, am not an expert with C++ but relatively good. Also if there's a procedure to do so, is it possible to make executables for both windows and mac following just one procedure or do you have to folow 2 different procedures.

Thanks

#7 Again, Torque is designed to be distributed using a specific file structure. Distribution via an installer is the proper route to go (this will provide the single .exe for distribution). If you need to file to remain as a single executable even after instalation, then you will want to look into packers, which will not only cause performance issues, potential additional licensing costs, but also will likely require modifcation to the file handling in the engine code to recover the data it needs from the packed .exe.

If you have not modified the engine code and your game is entirely script, then you won't need to compile binaries for distribution, you can use the binaries supplied with the engine. You'll have to do a different distribution for Mac and Windows.

#8 Note that with he Mac version, you CAN have something that looks like a single file with everything. With Windows, the best you can do is to make an installer. I prefer InnoSetup, GG likes BitRock and masochists use InstallShield.

#9 Thanks guys...will give it a shot and see how it goes.

#10 There was some program... called Mole, I believe? (Hopefully with the some bump someone who knows it can link) That would encrypt all of a programs data into one .exe file, and I read some people who use Torque have used it. Not too sure about the specifics, and I doubt it's as simple as buy the program and compress, but thought I could bring it up.

#11 Yes, MoleBox is one. I haven't tested it (trials of the two versions exist), but the pro version can bundle DLLs. There is also VMWare's Thinstall, which is unbelievably expensive. MoleBox is a bargain in comparison. As we all know, software like this never gets cheaper over time.

To make standalone apps with Thinstall, you scan the registry before and after installing a program. I'd guess MoleBox is the same, unless it's powered by magic.