I want to run an executable on my website. When I load it onto the website and I go to 'http://www.BLAH.com/NAME.exe' my computer thinks I am trying to download the file, as opposed to running it on the site. I know that you can run a .swf on the site, but I don't have the funds to buy Flash, and if I did, I wouldn't know how to use it. I know if you go to 'http://www.BLAH.com/video.mpeg' it will load a web page that has nothing on it except the movie. That is also the case with pictures and downloads. I would like to know how to do that with a .exe. Is there some type of converter that will change my .exe's into java files or something? I don't care what it takes; I want to have the file playing on the site. Please help.

To put it simply, you can't. If you want to run an application, which is what a compiled exe generally is, you will have to build that application as a WEB application. That usually means AJAX or Java or more complex things like ASP or PHP.

What is it that you want to run ? There may be another solution.

Well, My website is one that sells games that my company makes. We have made some small games just to tide our fans over until we finish our 'big project. Right now the small games are set up as a download, and I think it would be better if we ran them straight on the site, so people can play them without downloading anything. I have noticed that the games that are run off of websites are all played with the mouse, our games mostly include the keyboard as well. You can see what the games are like at the site http://www.AXiStudios.com/downloads.htm , don't worry they are free. If we have to recreate the games on Java, that is fine. I would just like to know all of the possibilities.

It is actually possible to run executeables on a web server, but in your case, it would be no good. Usually, web EXEs are written for the sole purpose of being placed on a web server. This is what ISAPI is (Internet Server Application Programming Interface). Requests are sent to the EXE, and the output is sent to the response stream. Exploiting some bugs in old versions of IIS, it's possible to run a command prompt over the web through cmd.exe.

In your case, you will need to re-write the code to something that's meant for that purpose - JAVA or Flash being the two main possibilities. Although there's no way to just run them through a converter, you may be able to re-use some of the code.

Originally Posted by Mejedin

Well, My website is one that sells games that my company makes. We have made some small games just to tide our fans over until we finish our 'big project. Right now the small games are set up as a download, and I think it would be better if we ran them straight on the site, so people can play them without downloading anything. I have noticed that the games that are run off of websites are all played with the mouse, our games mostly include the keyboard as well. You can see what the games are like at the site http://www.AXiStudios.com/downloads.htm , don't worry they are free. If we have to recreate the games on Java, that is fine. I would just like to know all of the possibilities.

You can run it as executable, but could fine a lot of troubles doing it. It all depends on the way the executable was coded.

You need to run it as a CGI and run windows server (.exe is a window format)

Did you tried Ruby? Is very nice, very easy and awesome and some servers have Ruby (not Ruby on Rails, just Ruby) ready.

But if you want your .exe to run, then search about running it as CGI

Another possibility is .NET

Linux servers can also run CGI now I do it on mine.

I remember seeing this post on another site. All the responses are correct - you simply cannot have .exe files load on your web pages - web servers only treat .exe files as downloadables for a lot of reasons. One of them being they can include malicious code, another being is that .exe files work within the Windows family of operating systems, and not on other OS's/Distributions such as Linux/Unix/AIX/Solaris, etc.

HTH

Can you just explain what these games are like, Interactive Fiction (text-based), 2D or 3D, etc. I don't really have time to look at them.

As for running executables from a website, it has been possible ever since the introduction of CGI, just most prefer using PERL for this, in my case, it is easier to work with and doesn't require the program to be compiled.

The chances however of being able to run your game does depend on the code itself, you must rewrite it to work in a web environment, meaning output would most likely be in HTML. The chances of having 2D/3D library working, is a problem because again, that must be rewritten to work in a web environment or if possible try to make use of graphic libraries already available through other languages.

I'm not saying it's impossible to get your games running in a web environment, but it would take far longer than trying to learn Flash in my opinion (have you looked at Swish?), because you're having to think about what the web is providing you, and what you can make use of from that to get what you need.

The reason that your mpeg is asked to be downloaded, is dependant on how you link it, if you embed it in your code or as a stream, then User Agents with the available plugin to play it within their site would be loaded, though it's possible their own players (not a plugin) will play it, which is similar to just downloading it and playing it.

Rewriting it to JAVA could be a possibility though I have no experience with JAVA or JAVA Applets.

Cheers,

MC

Files with .exe on very site you shouldn't click it. because it can store virus.