Compile perl in Windows

Q. How do I compile my perl script under Windows?

A. The simplest thing is to download and install Strawberry Perl (it is free).

Once installed, get run the following:

perl -MCPAN -e "install PAR::Packer" 

and install Packer. Once installed, you can compile a simple script into one big exe file:

pp -o ProgramName.exe MyPerlScript.pl

If you want to compile a GUI (without the command screen in the background), you can run this command:

pp --gui -o sample.exe sample.pl

You can do all kinds of fancy things, such as versioning and custom icon. Use this template as a sample (I have not tested the script below, but the code above worked for simple compilation):

:: file:compile-morphus.1.2.3.dev.ysg.cmd v1.0.0
:: disable the echo
@echo off
:: this is part of the name of the file - not used
set _Action=run
:: the name of the Product next_line_is_templatized
set _ProductName=morphus
:: the version of the current Product next_line_is_templatized
set _ProductVersion=1.2.3
:: could be dev , test , dev , prod next_line_is_templatized
set _ProductType=dev
:: who owns this Product / environment next_line_is_templatized
set _ProductOwner=ysg
:: identifies an instance of the tool ( new instance for this version could be created by simply changing the owner ) 
set _EnvironmentName=%_ProductName%.%_ProductVersion%.%_ProductType%.%_ProductOwner%
:: go the run dir
cd %~dp0
:: do 4 times going up
for /L %%i in (1,1,5) do pushd ..
:: The BaseDir is 4 dirs up than the run dir
set _ProductBaseDir=%CD%
:: debug echo BEFORE _ProductBaseDir is %_ProductBaseDir%
:: remove the trailing \
IF %_ProductBaseDir:~-1%==\ SET _ProductBaseDir=%_ProductBaseDir:~0,-1%
:: debug echo AFTER _ProductBaseDir is %_ProductBaseDir%
:: debug pause

:: The version directory of the Product 
set _ProductVersionDir=%_ProductBaseDir%\%_ProductName%\%_EnvironmentName%
:: the dir under which all the perl scripts are placed
set _ProductVersionPerlDir=%_ProductVersionDir%\sfw\perl
:: The Perl script performing all the tasks
set _PerlScript=%_ProductVersionPerlDir%\%_Action%_%_ProductName%.pl
:: where the log events are stored 
set _RunLog=%_ProductVersionDir%\data\log\compile-%_ProductName%.cmd.log
:: define a favorite editor 
set _MyEditor=textpad
ECHO Check the variables 
set _
:: debug PAUSE
:: truncate the run log
echo date is %date% time is %time% > %_RunLog%

:: uncomment this to debug all the vars 
:: debug set>> %_RunLog%
:: for each perl pm and or pl file to check syntax and with output to logs
for /f %%i in ('dir %_ProductVersionPerlDir%\*.pl /s /b /a-d' ) do echo %%i >> %_RunLog%&perl -wc %%i | tee -a%_RunLog% 2>&1

:: for each perl pm and or pl file to check syntax and with output to logs
for /f %%i in ('dir %_ProductVersionPerlDir%\*.pm /s /b /a-d' ) do echo %%i >> %_RunLog%&perl -wc %%i | tee -a%_RunLog% 2>&1
:: now open the run log
cmd /c start /max %_MyEditor% %_RunLog%

:: this is the call without debugging
:: old 
echo CFPoint1OK The run cmd script %0 is executed >> %_RunLog%
echo CFPoint2OKcompile the exe fileSTDOUT and STDERRto a single _RunLog file >> %_RunLog%
cd %_ProductVersionPerlDir%
pp -o %_Action%_%_ProductName%.exe %_PerlScript% | tee -a %_RunLog% 2>&1 
:: open the run log
cmd /c start /max %_MyEditor% %_RunLog%
:: uncomment this line to wait for 5 seconds
:: ping localhost -n 5
:: uncomment this line to see what is happening 
:: PAUSE
::
:::::::
:: Purpose: 
:: To compile every *.pl file into *.exe file under a folder 
:::::::
:: Requirements : 
:: perl , pp , win gnu utils tee 
:: perl -MCPAN -e "install PAR::Packer" 
:: text editor supporting <> <> cmd call syntax 
::::::: 
:: VersionHistory 
:: 1.0.0 --- 2012-06-23 12:05:45 --- ysg --- Initial creation from run_morphus.cmd 
::::::: 
:: eof file:compile-morphus.1.2.3.dev.ysg.cmd v1.0.0