Deploy with VS2022 single exe-File for .Net 6 WPF-Application not works

Question

I need a single exe-file on a windows pc executing a.Net WPF program. This file must be signed with a code authentication certificat. With this certificat the exe-file is executed on foreign windows system without system warnings or administration rights after copy deployment by user to a trusted place.

I can do this with VS2019 and.Net 4.7.2. But I want go forward to VS2022 and.Net 6.0. Below a simple sample working with VS2019. You can step over signtool, because in VS 2022 already fails the posibility to create a single exe files. Same happens with VS 2019 and.Net 5.0 already in the past, but I find some post with information that single exe-file with WPF first work in future with.Net 6.0. Now, after release of.Net 6.0 and VS2022 I try it again. More options in deployment assistent for single file are available, but nothing creates a single exe-file!

Working process in VS2019:

• I create WPF-App (.Net Framework) WPF4Test using.Net Framework 4.7.2
• I put code sign command ("C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\bin\10.0.18362.0\x64\signtool.exe" sign /a /n "my company name" /t http://timestamp.comodoca.com/authenticode $(TargetPath)) in postbuild step
• I build release and enter password of certificate during sign process
• bin\Release folder contains 3 files (WPF4Test.exe, WPF4Test.exe.config, WPF4Test.pdb)
• I copy WPF4Test.exe to share folder and application is executable and signed

I test process in VS2022 with.Net 6

• I create WPF-Application WPF6Test using.Net 6.0
• I deploy Application in a folder (in assistant i must select folder twice) (default set configuration Release and destination runtime portable)
• pubxml is created and i publish application
• deployment folder contains 5 files (WPF6Test.deps.json, WPF6Test.dll, WPF6Test.exe, WPF6Test.pdb, WPF6Test.runtimeconfig.json)
• I copy WPF6Test.exe to share folder, but application not start without error message

If I copy the whole folder to share and application run. I can delete WPF6Test.deps.json and WPF6Test.pdb, but i need 3 files (WPF6Test.dll, WPF6Test.exe, WPF6Test.runtimeconfig.json).

I go back to VS2022 and add additional pubxml file with changed profil option (deploment mode independent, create single file, activate compile ready to run). But now I get 7 files (D3DCompiler_47_cor3.dll, PenImc_cor3.dll, PresentationNative_cor3.dll, vcruntime140_cor3.dll, WPF6Test.exe, WPF6Test.pdb, wpfgfx_cor3.dll).

What do I have to do to get a single exe file? How I can sign this exe file during publishing process?

Answer 1

You need to set 'IncludeAllContentForSelfExtract' in the project file or if you using the CLI to build 'IncludeNativeLibrariesForSelfExtract'.

Even if you tick or set single exe if you are producing a self contained exe it will not including the native libraries.

Project File (your-project.csproj)

<IncludeAllContentForSelfExtract>true</IncludeAllContentForSelfExtract>

.Net CLI

dotnet publish -r win-x64 /p:PublishSingleFile=true /p:IncludeNativeLibrariesForSelfExtract=true --self-contained true

Answer 2

Edit your publish profile settings,

• Select Deployment mode as Framework-dependent
• Select the target runtime to something other than Portable (Produce single file is not available for Portable)
• Under File Publish options, select Produce single file

Save the profile settings and try publishing again. This should produce a single exe file.

If you select the Deployment mode as Self-Contained or independent, it will produce 7 files as you mentioned.

Hope this helps for publishing to a single file!

Answer 3

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/core/deploying/single-file

IncludeNativeLibrariesForSelfExtract to true

https://github.com/dotnet/sdk/issues/13731

.NET 5 not compiling to single file executables