I have a game executable file, and other supporting files for it in the same folder. The game does not need to be installed and plays as long as the supporting data files are in the same folder. Is there a way in which I can combine the game exe and the supporting files into a single exe, so that the game runs only off the exe itself without needing me to move a bunch of related files around if i copy the game from one machine to another? In other words, I need to combine the multiple data files, and the exe into a single exe, so that the game will play when I click the exe (without needing installation). The easier and faster the solution, the better. Hope someone can help.

Edited September 11, 200916 yr by indianarchie

Look into Winrar's archiving options

Good luck!

Wont the Winrar archive create a rar/zip file? What I am looking for is to create an .exe file that includes the supporting files within it.

(I dont mean a self-executing archive - since that would mean I first need to unzip/extract the files, and then play. That still leaves us with needing multiple data files and a separate exe, after extraction. I just mean a single .exe file that I can play just by double-clicking on it. Something like integrating the supporting data files into the game's exe, so I only need to click the exe to start and play the game.)

Edited September 11, 200916 yr by indianarchie

Application Virtualization software like App-V and ThinApp can do this.

Not sure of anything simpler though, maybe a WIM archive?

You might be able to do something keen with autoit. Like my symantec example sort of

fileinstall (".\sav\Symantec Antivirus.msi" , "d:\Tier1\Hotfix\13.01.01\")
fileinstall (".\sav\0x0409.ini" , "d:\Tier1\Hotfix\13.01.01\")
fileinstall (".\sav\instmsiw.exe" , "d:\Tier1\Hotfix\13.01.01\")
fileinstall (".\sav\Setup.exe" , "d:\Tier1\Hotfix\13.01.01\")
fileinstall (".\sav\Data1.cab" , "d:\Tier1\Hotfix\13.01.01\")
fileinstall (".\sav\LUSETUP.EXE" , "d:\Tier1\Hotfix\13.01.01\")
fileinstall (".\sav\Setup.ini" , "d:\Tier1\Hotfix\13.01.01\")
fileinstall (".\sav\VDefHub.zip" , "d:\Tier1\Hotfix\13.01.01\")

runwait ("msiexec /i d:\Tier1\Hotfix\13.01.01\install_flash_player.msi /qn")

exit

Except that you would want yours to fileinstall to maybe c:\temp, and then run the .exe (rather than install the .msi in my example).