Compile TCL script to exe for Windows

[Jason Guto]

Folks,
I have completed a network utility; however, I will need to compile the script to EXE so I can deployment to machines that will not have TCL installed.

I have tried to follow the following instructions; however, I am not understanding the 'makefile'. In addition, I will be using Visual Studio 2017.

If anyone has done this with VS 2017, and has time to spare - I will like to discuss how I can accomplish my goal.

Thank you
Jason

[Arjen Markus]

The general technique we use for this sort of things is to wrap the scripts into an executable. Freewrap and tclkit are popular facilities.

See the Wiki for more details.

Regards,

Arjen

[Jason Guto]

Thank you for the details. Can you recommend one? Or have you used one before?

[Arjen Markus]

I regularly use tclkit, I have used freewrap in the past, but I find tclkit easy enough for my purposes. I guess it is a matter of taste, more than anything else.

Regards,

Arjen

[Mike Griffiths]

More specifically, take a look at http://wiki.tcl.tk/8900. You need a Tcl executable (I'd suggest either a Tclkit or one of the ActiveState 'basekits', which can be obtained from an ActiveTcl install or teapot), and the sdx.kit utility.

Something to edit/replace both the icons and the file information for the newly-created .exe are also useful (otherwise they show Tcl and Tk/ActiveState defaults); I think sdx can do at least the second of those, but I use the "Resource Hacker" program for both, personally.

[Jason Guto]

Hmmm.... This is a little beyond my current skill set. Can someone explain and walk me through the process in detail? Is this similar concepts as PAR::Packer for Perl or PyInstaller for Python?

Thank you