Converting PowerShell script into an Executable/Application

It’s very often need to convert a PowerShell script into an Executable/Application to hand over to third party without disclosing the source of your scripts.

 

Here are few simple steps that lets you have this done:

• Download PS2EXE script from CodePlex project here.
• Have your script ready which you would like to convert into a standalone Executable/Application
• Run PS2EXE to have your script converted into an Executable/Application

 

Example:

Say you create a one line script that launches Notepad as shown below:

C:Temp>echo Invoke-Item “C:Windowssystem32notepad.exe” >> Invoke-Notepad.ps1

C:Temp>type Invoke-Notepad.ps1
Invoke-Item “C:Windowssystem32notepad.exe”

C:Temp>

PS C:Temp> .callPS2EXE.bat “.Invoke-Notepad.ps1” “.Invoke-Notepad.exe” -x86 -noconsole
PS2EXE; v0.3.0.0 by Ingo Karstein (http://blog.karstein-consulting.com)

You are using PowerShell 3.0.

winexe
Reading input file C:TempInvoke-Notepad.ps1

Compiling file…

Output file C:TempInvoke-Notepad.exe written
Config file for EXE created.
PS C:Temp>

PS C:Temp> gci Invoke-*

Directory: C:Temp

Mode                LastWriteTime     Length Name
—-                ————-     —— —-
-a—          6/4/2013   8:25 PM      28672 Invoke-Notepad.exe
-a—          6/4/2013   8:25 PM        161 Invoke-Notepad.exe.config
-a—          6/4/2013   8:23 PM         48 Invoke-Notepad.ps1

PS C:Temp> invoke-item Invoke-Notepad.exe
PS C:Temp>

 

 

PS2EXE Usage:

Call  the script with this parameters:

-inputFile	PowerShell script file
-outputFile	file name (with path) for the destination EXE file
-debug	(switch) generate debug info in the destination EXE file. The dynamically generated .CS file will stored beside the output EXE file. Furthermore a .PDB file will be generated for the EXE file
-verbose	(switch) shows also verbose informations – if any.
-x86	(switch) compile EXE to run as 32 bit application
-x64	(switch) compile EXE to run as 64 bit application
-runtime20	(switch) force running the EXE in PowerShell 2.0 using .NET 2.0
-runtime30	(switch) force running the EXE in PowerShell 3.0 using .NET 4.0
-lcid	specify language ID for threads
-sta	run PowerShell environment in Single Thread Apartment mode
-mta	run PowerShell environment in Multithread Apartment mode
-noconsole	compile PS script as Windows application

 

 

References:

http://ps2exe.codeplex.com/