Question

How can i export or compile a form that i make with code within a running application in VB.NET?

I’m making a simple form making application, i’ve got almost everything covered, with creating the new form and adding controls and stuff.

Example: create a new form with clicking a button:

Private Sub Button1_Click(sender As System.Object, e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
                Dim NewForm As New Form
                NewForm.Name = "Form1"
                NewForm.Text = "Form1"
                NewForm.Width = 300
                NewForm.Height = 300
                NewForm.Show()
        End Sub

How do i export or compile the new form to a standalone exe?

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

Create your own file format (XML?) that describes the contents of the form.
Then, create a separate application that reads these files and display a form based on the file that it read.

If you want to ship single EXEs, you could embed the file as a resource in the launcher application and modify that resource to save custom EXEs.

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Alternatively, you could use Roslyn or Mono Cecil or Expression trees to actually compile that code at runtime into a new EXE; that may be harder.