Advanced Build Options¶

Compress EXE Stub with UPX or MPRESS if Available¶

Paquet Builder generates package EXE files with small overhead (under 256 KB, sometimes even less than 100 KB). To further reduce this overhead, you can compress it with an executable packer like UPX (for 32-bit packages) or MPRESS (for 64-bit packages):

With UPX¶

UPX is a free executable packer available at http://upx.sourceforge.net.
If enabled, Paquet Builder can automatically call UPX to compress the EXE file.
The compilation log will display the result of UPX compression.

With MPRESS¶

MPRESS is a free executable packer available at http://www.matcode.com/mpress.htm.
If enabled, Paquet Builder can automatically call MPRESS to compress the EXE file.
The compilation log will display the result of MPRESS compression.

Info

UPX and MPRESS are not shipped with Paquet Builder for legal reasons. You can download them manually from their respective websites or use the Web Update utility included in Paquet Builder to add them:
- For UPX: Place the extracted files in the Compiler\UPX subfolder (e.g., C:\Program Files\Paquet Builder 2020\Compiler\UPX).
- For MPRESS: Place the extracted files in the Compiler\MPRESS subfolder (e.g., C:\Program Files\Paquet Builder 2020\Compiler\MPRESS).

Warning

Some antivirus programs may flag compressed EXE files as potential threats. Code signing the EXE file often resolves this issue. You can also test your package with VirusTotal.

Root Folder for Temporary Bin Output Folder¶

During compilation, Paquet Builder stores intermediate files in a temporary "Bin" folder, usually located in the Package Output Directory. However, if the output directory is a shared network folder, compilation may fail.

To prevent this, specify a local folder for the temporary Bin subfolder using this option. The Bin subfolder will be deleted after compilation.

Do Not Remove the Temporary "Bin" Subfolder After Build¶

By default, the temporary "Bin" folder is deleted after compilation.
Enable this option to retain the folder for debugging purposes.

Note

Keeping the Bin folder does not speed up compilation and is only intended for advanced troubleshooting.

Use Local Folder Instead of User Temporary Folder for Temporary Resources¶

When a package initializes, it extracts temporary resources to the end user's system in a dedicated temporary folder. If you prefer these resources to remain in the same directory as the package (e.g., on a USB stick or shared network), enable this option.

Warning

Ensure the directory is writable; otherwise, the package will fail.
The path to this folder is stored in the %PBSFXPATH% variable.

Loader Temporary Resources¶

This option allows advanced users to include additional temporary files in the package's loader.
These files are compressed and stored in the EXE overhead and extracted to the temporary folder at startup (accessible via %PBSFXPATH% variable).

Use this feature to include custom DLL files or other resources required by custom actions.