Free GUI framework to create a single exe? [closed]

Question

I'm looking for free and easy GUI framework that let me create single exe without dependency (like .Net framework) and to be not GPL

as a side note .. im using Qt and its great but i have to be LGPL to use it that means lots of fat dlls . is there any alternative?

p.s how did the Dropbox client made of? i know its python but how did they build it? py2exe?

Answer 1

I'm looking for free and easy GUI framework that let me create single exe without dependency (like .Net framework) and to be not GPL

There is no such thing. Three most popular frameworks Qt, GTKmm, wxWidgets are LGPL.

However you can link statically and provide full source code that allows user to replace/update the LGPL part you can do this as it confirms to LGPL requirements (I'm not a lawyer - don't see this as legal advice).

Now .Net - has lots of dependencies they are just pre-installed.

Now I used to distribute programs with Qt, it was very simple, you need very few dll's. In my case there were: QtCore4.dll, QtGUI4.dll and mingwm10.dll (that is just part of mingw and not Qt). It is not such big problem, so even it is not a single exe but it is simple enough.

Otherwise... Use Win32API -- good luck :-)!

Edit: as it was correctly commented by @vitaut you may even provide compiled objects letting user link the code and replace the Qt version to keep with LGPL requirements.

Answer 2

LGPL != GPL. You don't have to make your code LGPL or even make it open to use the library that is covered by this license. It is clarified in this post.

So if LGPL is suitable, then I recommend gtkmm. AFAIK you can link statically with it.

Another options is wxWidgets which has slightly more liberal license. As stated here you can create "an .exe application that will run on any Windows platform with no external dependencies that need to be supplied by the developer" with it.

Also to let you know that from January 14, 2009, Qt version 4.5 is available under LGPL in addition to GPL and commercial license (see here).

Answer 3

What about Win32++?

• http://win32-framework.sourceforge.net/index.htm

• http://www.codeproject.com/KB/winsdk/framework.aspx

Or WTL?

I found another topic that might interest you

Answer 4

Or use http://smartwin.sourceforge.net/

Answer 5

Not specifically C++, but:

AutoIt scripts can be compiled to self-contained executables.

Also consider Free Pascal and the Lazarus IDE which appears to offer the same end-goal.