No, you don't need to, it is just one option. Again, what exactly do you want? I'm not sure if you don't want to see perl's console window or the batch file's console.

Again, if you control the computers it is run on, right-click on your compiled script, go to "properties", and change the Run: field to "minimized" instead of "Normal Window". It's not a perl way of doing it, but aside from the  --gui option provided by perlapp, I can't think of another solution. I know that by adding Tk you'll increase your executable size by about 800 Kb, but if size isn't a concern for you, it is an aesthetic way of handling the issue. In fact, although I've never tried it, I don't think you have to use Tk to use the  --gui option at all, it just won't have a console.

Alternatively, have you looked at perltray within the PerlDevKit? I haven't used it, but it looks like a different way of accomplishing the task you're looking for, but I can only imagine that it will also add ~1 MB to your executable.

- - arden.