ConfuserEx With Visual Studio Installer Setup Project, Obfuscation not working properly?

Question

I have created single layer windows form application and added one Visual Studio Install Setup Project to create the installation wizard using Visual Studio 2013.

So my application contains one .exe file and number of .dll files (SQLite, EntitiyFramework, etc) and other publish items. I am trying to Obfuscate my code using ConfuserEx.

1. For that, first I have created the publish build using my Visual Studio 2013.
2. Using ConfuserEx , obfuscated my publish .exe file. This step was working fine. I tried to decompile the obfuscated .exe file and got the unreadable code files. So that means, the process works fine.
3. Then I have replaced the obfuscated exe file with release exe file (..\\bin\\Release\\appName.exe).
4. Then, rebuilt the installer setup project to generate the setup.exe file.
5. Then I have installed the software using setup.exe. Installation was success.
6. Decompiled the installed application exe using .NET Reflector 9
7. Decompiler shows the exact source of my project. So that means something is wrong in the obfuscation process.

Anyone know how to fix this issue?

Answer 1

I find the issue.

I was replacing the ..bin\\Release\\AppName.exe file instead of ..obj\\Release\\Appname.exe

Now it is working fine.

Thanks.

Answer 2

I have tried your way, it worked for one time only. I found better and easier way to solve this issue as such:

1. In the VS installer choose the primary output folder, right click.
2. Choose exclude filter. form exclude filter window, Choose add filter.
3. Write down your program.exe.
4. Now select your VS installer project, right click.
5. Choose add File.. Browse toward your confused exe.
6. After building this, the confused exe will be installed.

It work well with me

Answer 3

I have tried your way, it worked for one time only. I found better and easier way to solve this issue as such:

1. In the VS installer choose the primary output folder, right click.
2. Choose exclude filter.
3. form exclude filter window, Choose add filter.
4. Write down your program.exe.
5. Now select your VS installer project, right click.
6. Choose add File..
7. Browse toward your confused exe.

After building this, the confused exe will be installed.

Answer 4

Tried and tested all above ways, Failed -> Now look at this way: (A Smaller one)

1. In the VS installer choose the primary output folder, double click.
2. Choose your program.exe and remove it. (YES remove it)
3. Now select your VS installer project, right click.
4. Choose add File..
5. Browse toward your confused/obfuscated exe . -> Select it.

After building this, the confused/obfuscated exe will be installed.

the issue in above similar solutions is: When you exclude the exe it will not include the executable file at all.

So you simply need to remove the exe generated from the project output and replace it with your obfuscated exe.

Thanks.