4 ms·

> C compiler is installed It's a great idea but that part is a big ask for any Windows user who doesn't develop desktop applications.

modeless 6y ago
True. I'm imagining this as useful mostly for build scripts or other developer tools. To the extent that it's useful at all.
- terminalcommand 6y ago
  It is actually pretty useful. If you’re given a locked down machine (for example in your company), you can write code in notepad, compile it with csc.exe and run it. As it is generated on the local machine, you may get to be able to execute it. (I tried this once when I was super bored at an intership, and a hello world program compiled and ran.)
int_19h 6y ago
On Windows, though, there's C# compiler out of the box on every OS since Vista. And C# has a bunch of rarely-used syntax for things like raw pointers, that can work on more or less the same level as C, and even look pretty similar. It might be possible to do something with that.
- SyneRyder 6y ago
  Huh, I never knew this. For anyone else who didn't know, it's in the C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework64\ folders, it's the CSC.exe file included with each version of the .NET framework. Edit: Good grief, there's even vbc.exe, which is a command line Visual Basic 2012 compiler. Also JSC.exe for Jscript, aspnet_compiler.exe for ASP and MSBuild. Kinda embarrassed that I didn't know this.
  - scruffyherder 6y ago
    It’s been my go to toolset for ages. It’s the #1 reason to learn c# as it’s everywhere. Also if we are talking exploit vectors, uuencode is great for people that let you have a clipboard. Get uudecode in c#, and paste in your arbitrary binaries and you’ll be in business In no time!
  - int_19h 6y ago
    In case you're wondering why - it's because every version of Windows since Vista comes with .NET Framework, and .NET Framework has this API: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/api/system.codedom https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/api/system.codedom If you look at the functionality provided there, it includes ability to compile generated code. This is implemented using those command-line compilers.

modeless 6y ago

True. I'm imagining this as useful mostly for build scripts or other developer tools. To the extent that it's useful at all.

terminalcommand 6y ago
It is actually pretty useful. If you’re given a locked down machine (for example in your company), you can write code in notepad, compile it with csc.exe and run it. As it is generated on the local machine, you may get to be able to execute it. (I tried this once when I was super bored at an intership, and a hello world program compiled and ran.)

int_19h 6y ago

On Windows, though, there's C# compiler out of the box on every OS since Vista. And C# has a bunch of rarely-used syntax for things like raw pointers, that can work on more or less the same level as C, and even look pretty similar. It might be possible to do something with that.

SyneRyder 6y ago
Huh, I never knew this. For anyone else who didn't know, it's in the C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework64\ folders, it's the CSC.exe file included with each version of the .NET framework. Edit: Good grief, there's even vbc.exe, which is a command line Visual Basic 2012 compiler. Also JSC.exe for Jscript, aspnet_compiler.exe for ASP and MSBuild. Kinda embarrassed that I didn't know this.
- scruffyherder 6y ago
  It’s been my go to toolset for ages. It’s the #1 reason to learn c# as it’s everywhere. Also if we are talking exploit vectors, uuencode is great for people that let you have a clipboard. Get uudecode in c#, and paste in your arbitrary binaries and you’ll be in business In no time!
- int_19h 6y ago
  In case you're wondering why - it's because every version of Windows since Vista comes with .NET Framework, and .NET Framework has this API: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/api/system.codedom https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/api/system.codedom If you look at the functionality provided there, it includes ability to compile generated code. This is implemented using those command-line compilers.