Thread: Embedding a file within another file

I need to keep users from directly accessing an exe file (call it my.exe). To do so, I am told to embed this file within a new file, which is to be built using C++ (lets call it new.exe). This new file does the following upon execution:

1) reads the IP add of the computer. if the IP does not match 1.2.3.4 then terminates
2) asks the user for username/password
3) connects to a PostgreSQL database to authenticate the user
4) if successful, then it would execute the embedded file my.exe
5) when the user is done with my.exe and terminates it, a window with a text box and a SEND button pops up and asks the user to fill it out
6) the content of the box is sent to the SQL database when SEND is pressed
7) new.exe terminates

I could also ask my questions in the following way:
- how to embed my.exe within new.exe
- how to do step (1)
- how to connect to SQL databases in C++ (I think I need API to do so, right?)
- how to do step (5)

I am very short on time and need to manage the above as soon as possible. By the way, I would consider my level of knowledge of C++ low.

Any help is greatly appreciated. Have a happy new year.

In Windows environment:

Embedding an executable (the executable is embedded in a resource file):

Create a resource file with the following:

Code:

#define IDR_MYNEW 		1000

IDR_MYNEW             MYNEW_EXE DISCARDABLE     "C:\\temp\\new.exe"

Compile the resource file: RC myRC.RC

Then: cl my.cpp myRC.res ws2_32.lib

In your my.exe execute the following functions to extract the embedded excecutable:

FindResource (find embedded executable in resource file)
LoadResource
LockResource
//Now copy embedded executable to hard drive
CreateFile
WriteFile

Code for IP address:

Code:

#include <stdio.h>
#include <WinSock.h>

int main(void)
{
    WORD wVersionRequested;
    WSADATA wsaData;
    char hostname[255] = {0};
    int iCount = 0;
    PHOSTENT hostinfo;
    wVersionRequested = MAKEWORD( 1, 1 );
    char *ipaddress = NULL;
    if ( WSAStartup( wVersionRequested, &wsaData ) == 0 )
        if( gethostname ( hostname, sizeof(hostname)) == 0)
        {
            printf("hostname: %s\n", hostname);
            if((hostinfo = gethostbyname(hostname)) != NULL)
            {
                while(hostinfo->h_addr_list[iCount])
                {
                    ipaddress = inet_ntoa(*(struct in_addr *)hostinfo->h_addr_list[iCount]);
                    printf("ipaddress #%d: %s\n", ++iCount, ipaddress);
                }
            }
        }
    return 0;
}

Thanks Bob for your help. For the following command:
cl my.cpp myRC.res ws2_32.lib
what is my.cpp supposed to be? When I run it I get an error saying that my.cpp does not exist.

Also for the following:

In your my.exe execute the following functions to extract the embedded excecutable:

FindResource (find embedded executable in resource file)
LoadResource
LockResource
//Now copy embedded executable to hard drive
CreateFile
WriteFile

Can you give some more in-depth info? Or an example demonstrating the usage of those commands? Moreover by "my.exe" did you mean "new.exe"? Because my.exe is supposed to be the original file and new.exe is the resource file.

my.cpp is your C Plus Plus file (your Source Code file) Good luck with your program, sounds really cool!