Visual Basic Code Snippet - Compile C# or VB source code run-time

Visual Basic Code Snippet - Compile C# or VB source code run-time

This .Net Visual Basic code snippet compile C# or VB source code runtime from a text string or external text file and build the executable. To use this function simply provide language (C#/VB) provider, source code in text string or as a file, output executable file name (optional), output assembly name (optional), resource files (optional), reference string to get errors.

The .NET Framework exposes classes that allow you to programmatically access the C# and VB language compilers. This might be useful if you want to write your own code-compiling utilities. This code snippet provides sample code that enables you to compile code from a text string or external text file. The code snippet allows you to build the executable. Any errors that occur during the compilation process are return as a string.

''' <summary>
''' Function to compile .Net C#/VB source codes at runtime
''' </summary>
''' <param name="_CodeProvider">Base class for compiler provider</param>
''' <param name="_SourceCode">C# or VB source code as a string</param>
''' <param name="_SourceFile">External file containing C# or VB source code</param>
''' <param name="_ExeFile">File path to create external executable file</param>
''' <param name="_AssemblyName">File path to create external assembly file</param>
''' <param name="_ResourceFiles">Required resource files to compile the code</param>
''' <param name="_Errors">String variable to store any errors occurred during the process</param>
''' <returns>Return TRUE if successfully compiled the code, else return FALSE</returns>
Private Function CompileCode(ByVal _CodeProvider As System.CodeDom.Compiler.CodeDomProvider, ByVal _SourceCode As String, ByVal _SourceFile As String, ByVal _ExeFile As String, ByVal _AssemblyName As String, ByVal _ResourceFiles() As String, ByRef _Errors As String) As Boolean
    ' set interface for compilation
    Dim _CodeCompiler As System.CodeDom.Compiler.ICodeCompiler = _CodeProvider.CreateCompiler()

    ' Define parameters to invoke a compiler
    Dim _CompilerParameters As New System.CodeDom.Compiler.CompilerParameters()

    If _ExeFile IsNot Nothing Then
        ' Set the assembly file name to generate.
        _CompilerParameters.OutputAssembly = _ExeFile

        ' Generate an executable instead of a class library.
        _CompilerParameters.GenerateExecutable = True
        _CompilerParameters.GenerateInMemory = False
    ElseIf _AssemblyName IsNot Nothing Then
        ' Set the assembly file name to generate.
        _CompilerParameters.OutputAssembly = _AssemblyName

        ' Generate an executable instead of a class library.
        _CompilerParameters.GenerateExecutable = False
        _CompilerParameters.GenerateInMemory = False
    Else
        ' Generate an executable instead of a class library.
        _CompilerParameters.GenerateExecutable = False
        _CompilerParameters.GenerateInMemory = True
    End If


    ' Generate debug information.
    '_CompilerParameters.IncludeDebugInformation = true;

    ' Set the level at which the compiler 
    ' should start displaying warnings.
    _CompilerParameters.WarningLevel = 3

    ' Set whether to treat all warnings as errors.
    _CompilerParameters.TreatWarningsAsErrors = False

    ' Set compiler argument to optimize output.
    _CompilerParameters.CompilerOptions = "/optimize"

    ' Set a temporary files collection.
    ' The TempFileCollection stores the temporary files
    ' generated during a build in the current directory,
    ' and does not delete them after compilation.
    _CompilerParameters.TempFiles = New System.CodeDom.Compiler.TempFileCollection(".", True)

    If _ResourceFiles IsNot Nothing AndAlso _ResourceFiles.Length > 0 Then
        For Each _ResourceFile As String In _ResourceFiles
            ' Set the embedded resource file of the assembly.
            _CompilerParameters.EmbeddedResources.Add(_ResourceFile)
        Next _ResourceFile
    End If


    Try
        ' Invoke compilation
        Dim _CompilerResults As System.CodeDom.Compiler.CompilerResults = Nothing

        If _SourceFile IsNot Nothing AndAlso System.IO.File.Exists(_SourceFile) Then
            ' soruce code in external file
            _CompilerResults = _CodeCompiler.CompileAssemblyFromFile(_CompilerParameters, _SourceFile)
        Else
            ' source code pass as a string
            _CompilerResults = _CodeCompiler.CompileAssemblyFromSource(_CompilerParameters, _SourceCode)
        End If

        If _CompilerResults.Errors.Count > 0 Then
            ' Return compilation errors
            _Errors = ""
            For Each CompErr As System.CodeDom.Compiler.CompilerError In _CompilerResults.Errors
                _Errors &= "Line number " & CompErr.Line & ", Error Number: " & CompErr.ErrorNumber & ", '" & CompErr.ErrorText & ";" & Constants.vbCrLf & Constants.vbCrLf
            Next CompErr

            ' Return the results of compilation - Failed
            Return False
        Else
            ' no compile errors
            _Errors = Nothing
        End If
    Catch _Exception As Exception
        ' Error occurred when trying to compile the code
        _Errors = _Exception.Message
        Return False
    End Try

    ' Return the results of compilation - Success
    Return True
End Function

Here is a simple example shows how to use above function (CompileCode) to compile a C# (C-Sharp) source code pass as a string, resulting executable file will be saved as C:\temp\ C-Sharp-test.exe

Dim _Errors As String = ""

' C# source code pass as a string
Dim _CSharpSourceCode As String = "using System;" & _
                    ControlChars.CrLf & ControlChars.CrLf & _
                    "namespace test" & ControlChars.CrLf & "{" & _
                    ControlChars.CrLf & "class Program" & _
                    ControlChars.CrLf & "{" & _
                    ControlChars.CrLf & "static void Main(string[] args)" & _
                    ControlChars.CrLf & "{" & ControlChars.CrLf & _
                    "Console.WriteLine(""Press ENTER key to start ..."");" & _
                    ControlChars.CrLf & "Console.ReadLine();" & _
                    ControlChars.CrLf & "for (int c=0; c<=100; c++)" & _
                    ControlChars.CrLf & "Console.WriteLine(c.ToString());" & _
                    ControlChars.CrLf & "}" & ControlChars.CrLf & _
                    "}" & ControlChars.CrLf & "}"

' Compile C-Sharp code
If CompileCode(New Microsoft.CSharp.CSharpCodeProvider(), _CSharpSourceCode, Nothing, "c:\temp\C-Sharp-test.exe", Nothing, Nothing, _Errors) Then
    Console.WriteLine("Code compiled successfully")
Else
    Console.WriteLine("Error occurred during compilation : " & Constants.vbCrLf & _Errors)
End If

This example shows how to use above function (CompileCode) to compile a VB (Visual Basic) source code pass as a string, resulting executable file will be saved as C:\temp\ C-Sharp-test.exe

Dim _Errors As String = ""

' VB source code pass as a string
Dim _VBSourceCode As String = "Imports System" & _
                    ControlChars.CrLf & ControlChars.CrLf & _
                    "Namespace test" & ControlChars.CrLf & _
                    "Friend Class Program" & ControlChars.CrLf & _
                    "Shared Sub Main(ByVal args() As String)" & _
                    ControlChars.CrLf & _
                    "Console.WriteLine(""Press ENTER key to start ..."")" & _
                    ControlChars.CrLf & "Console.ReadLine()" & _
                    ControlChars.CrLf & "For c As Integer = 0 To 100" & _
                    ControlChars.CrLf & "Console.WriteLine(c.ToString())" & _
                    ControlChars.CrLf & "Next c" & ControlChars.CrLf & _
                    "End Sub" & ControlChars.CrLf & _
                    "End Class" & ControlChars.CrLf & _
                    "End Namespace"

' compile visual basic code
If CompileCode(New Microsoft.VisualBasic.VBCodeProvider(), _VBSourceCode, Nothing, "c:\temp\VB-test.exe", Nothing, Nothing, _Errors) Then
    Console.WriteLine("Code compiled successfully")
Else
    Console.WriteLine("Error occurred during compilation : " & Constants.vbCrLf & _Errors)
End If

This example shows how to use above function (CompileCode) to compile a C# and VB source code from external files C#:c:\temp\test.cs and VB:c:\temp\test.vb, resulting executable files will be saved as C#:C:\temp\C-Sharp-test.exe and VB:C:\temp\VB-test.exe, and also shows how to run the executable after creating it using Process.Start.

' Compile C-Sharp code
If CompileCode(New Microsoft.CSharp.CSharpCodeProvider(), Nothing, "c:\temp\test.cs", "c:\temp\C-Sharp-test.exe", Nothing, Nothing, _Errors) Then
    Console.WriteLine("Code compiled successfully")
    ' lets run the program
    System.Diagnostics.Process.Start("c:\temp\C-Sharp-test.exe")
Else
    Console.WriteLine("Error occurred during compilation : " & Constants.vbCrLf & _Errors)
End If


' compile visual basic code
If CompileCode(New Microsoft.VisualBasic.VBCodeProvider(), Nothing, "c:\temp\test.vb", "c:\temp\VB-test.exe", Nothing, Nothing, _Errors) Then
    Console.WriteLine("Code compiled successfully")
Else
    Console.WriteLine("Error occurred during compilation : " & Constants.vbCrLf & _Errors)
End If

VB Keywords Used:

• System.CodeDom.Compiler
• CodeDomProvider
• CompilerResults
• CompilerParameters
• CompilerOptions
• Exception

Code Snippet Information:

• Applies To: Visual Studio, .Net, CLI, VB, Visual Basic, Compiler, Microsoft.CSharp, Microsoft.VisualBasic, System.CodeDom.Compiler, Programmatically compile code, Run-Time Code Generation
• Programming Language : VB (Visual Basic)

External Resources:

• System.CodeDom.Compiler Namespace
• CodeDomProvider Class
• CompilerResults Class
• CompilerParameters Properties
• CompilerParameters.GenerateInMemory Property
• How to programmatically compile code using C# compiler
• Run-Time Code Generation II: Invoke Methods using System.Reflection
• Run-Time Code Generation I: Compile C#-Code using Microsoft.CSharp and System.CodeCom.Compiler

francisco perez :: May 31-2010 :: 08:59 PM

Hi
I'm looking the way to create an VB app which I can set the folder at the time I'm running it

like  for example      My app(vb program)   "c:\music" (parameter)   this will run the My application  and it will take  c:\music as the current folder

And or  create my (vb app) the add  it to the right click of my mouse the when I run it it will run on the folder that  I'm pointing with the mouse at that specific moment.

Do you have any idea how I can  do it

Thanks

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