Top 5 Features of ILMerge-GUI for Faster .NET Builds
1. One-click assembly merging
- What: Merge multiple .NET assemblies (EXEs/DLLs) into a single output file with a single button.
- Benefit: Eliminates manual ILMerge CLI commands—saves time and reduces build errors.
2. Visual configuration of merge options
- What: GUI fields and checkboxes for common ILMerge parameters (target platform, internalize, keyfile, log, union, copyattrs).
- Benefit: Makes experimenting with options faster and avoids syntax mistakes in command-line usage.
3. Preset profiles and project integration
- What: Save reusable profiles (e.g., Debug/Release, platform-specific) and integrate profiles into build scripts or MSBuild targets.
- Benefit: Speeds repeated builds and ensures consistent settings across environments.
4. Dependency resolution and preview
- What: Automatically analyzes referenced assemblies, shows dependency trees, and previews which assemblies will be included or excluded.
- Benefit: Prevents accidental omission of required DLLs and helps identify redundant or conflicting references before merging.
5. Error reporting and fix suggestions
- What: Parses ILMerge errors and warnings, presenting readable messages and suggested fixes (e.g., missing public key token, conflicting types, strong-name issues).
- Benefit: Reduces debugging time by translating cryptic CLI errors into actionable steps.
If you want, I can expand any feature into a how-to with screenshots or provide an MSBuild example that runs ILMerge-GUI profiles automatically.
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