Subject: 7-Zip SFX, RunProgram Not Working, Windows Deployment, Silent Install

1. Problem Statement

When creating a self-extracting archive (EXE), the RunProgramdirective in the config file is ignored. The EXE either pops up an "Extract to" dialog or does nothing.

2. Root Cause Analysis

The failure is caused by using the wrong SFX module (Stub). 7-Zip has two incompatible types:

Conclusion: 7z.sfxdoes not have the logic to execute programs. It will always ignore RunProgram.

3. Solution: Standard Implementation

Step 1: Prepare the Stub

Obtain 7zSD.sfx​ from the official LZMA SDK. Do not use any random .exefile.

Step 2: Define Configuration

Create config.txt. Encoding must be UTF-8 without BOM.

;!@Install@!UTF-8!
Title="Deployment Tool"
; Extract to current directory
InstallPath=".\\ "
; Command to run after extraction
RunProgram="scripts\\entry.bat"
;!@InstallEnd@!

Step 3: Build Command (PowerShell)

Concatenate the files in binary mode.

# Create 7z archive
& "7za.exe" a -t7z "archive.7z" "source_folder" -mx=9

# Combine Stub + Config + Archive
$output = [System.IO.File]::ReadAllBytes("7zSD.sfx") +
          [System.IO.File]::ReadAllBytes("config.txt") +
          [System.IO.File]::ReadAllBytes("archive.7z")

[System.IO.File]::WriteAllBytes("installer.exe", $output)

4. Troubleshooting Checklist

If the issue persists, verify the following:

5. Verification

Test the stub with a minimal config:

;!@Install@!UTF-8!
RunProgram="cmd.exe"
;!@InstallEnd@!

• Success: A CMD window opens.

• Failure: An "Extract to" dialog appears (Stub is wrong).

6. Technical Constraints

• ZIP Format: Not supported. 7zSD.sfxonly reads 7z format.

• Windows Native: Cannot be extracted by Windows Explorer (requires 7-Zip/WinRAR).