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Author Topic: Need help with running FARR in portable mode on a USB drive  (Read 17791 times)

apurvarc

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Hi everyone,

I am having some trouble using FARR off a USB stick. I have looked at configdir.in and the comment in the file says that the default mode (all lines commented) the settings are saved in the directory of the application. When I run FARR on my winXP box, (computer 1) all seems fine, when I add a directory to be searched, FARR updates the FindAndRunRobot.ini in the application dir on the USB. But when I plug it into my Vista box (Computer 2), it seems to pick up settings from somewhere else on that computer cuz the settings (directories added to the search list for example ) are different. Is there a way of figuring out which settings ini file is currently being used?

Now when I un-comment the line which says " CONFIGDIR = . " Then both computers use the same settings, however, my History list is completely cleared when I switch computers. While this might be intentional, as the search history may save links to the local applications which might not be available on other computers, But in a portable mode scenario I use FARR to launch only 'Relative' applications (i.e. portable apps in the same drive as FARR) In which case, loosing history every time is quite an issue. It means that FARR is essentially unlearning my most opened apps list every time.

Would really appreciate any pointers on How I can achieve compelte portability mode, and have my history saved across machines

mouser

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Re: Need help with running FARR in portable mode on a USB drive
« Reply #1 on: May 08, 2009, 08:26 AM »
sounds like you figured out the hard part, the configdir file -- as you found out, in vista the default location for options files is the users documents directory, so you need to set the "CONFIGDIR = ." line.  you should also uncomment the new PORTABLE line near the bottom, which will make FARR only save license key info to the current directory.

you're point about the history list is getting cleared is one i didn't think of -- it's because of the drive letter changes confusing FARR.  I can fix this however -- i'll put it on my todo list to make it adjust drive letters of the history list items instead of clearing them.  i should have a new version up by monday.

apurvarc

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Re: Need help with running FARR in portable mode on a USB drive
« Reply #2 on: May 08, 2009, 08:45 AM »
you should also uncomment the new PORTABLE line near the bottom, which will make FARR only save license key info to the current directory.

I didnt quite get that. Which line are you talking about? The last line in the configdir.ini file says "//    "E:\MyCleverSettings" -> "E:\MyCleverSettings\DonationCoder\AppName\""

Am I missing a line in my ini file? Also I'd like to store all settings on my USB not just the license file ...

About the history, would it be possible to store the history of relative applications, relatively? Meaning,  if the app is launched from the FARRDRIVE then could FARR store the history as a \path\app.exe instead of X:\path\app.exe ?

A thing to note as well is that my ENTIRE history is cleared, not just the relative ones. Meaning, say I have Firefox installed on both computers, in exactly the same location (Program Files) and I launch firefox on one computer, and then plugin to my other computer, the history is still cleared.

Thanks for the quick support as usual!  :Thmbsup:

mouser

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Re: Need help with running FARR in portable mode on a USB drive
« Reply #3 on: May 08, 2009, 08:49 AM »
i probably didnt update the configdir.ini with FARR (i will now) but it doesn't really matter -- here is the new bottom of the file:

// NEW:
//  You can now signify that an app should run in portable mode (no files saved to anything but app dir)
//  by specifying the uncommented line:
//   PORTABLE=TRUE

so basically just add to your configdir file anywhere you want:
PORTABLE=TRUE

mouser

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Re: Need help with running FARR in portable mode on a USB drive
« Reply #4 on: May 08, 2009, 08:51 AM »
About the history, would it be possible to store the history of relative applications, relatively? Meaning,  if the app is launched from the FARRDRIVE then could FARR store the history as a \path\app.exe instead of X:\path\app.exe ?

that's not a bad idea -- i'll see if i can do it that way -- the effect should be pretty much the same though.  either way i'll make it so the history doesn't get lost.

mouser

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Re: Need help with running FARR in portable mode on a USB drive
« Reply #5 on: May 15, 2009, 07:50 PM »
History list (and search folder list) now auto-correct when drive letter changes -- good for portable use.
Not uploaded yet -- will be in next update.

apurvarc

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Re: Need help with running FARR in portable mode on a USB drive
« Reply #6 on: May 16, 2009, 02:29 AM »
Great stuff! Will surely test and provide feedback. Is it in the 2.59.01 update?

mouser

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Re: Need help with running FARR in portable mode on a USB drive
« Reply #7 on: May 16, 2009, 06:49 AM »
yes.

tomos

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Re: Need help with running FARR in portable mode on a USB drive
« Reply #8 on: June 21, 2009, 11:53 AM »
mouser, I'm trying to set up FARR to run on a usbstick and search only (or at least first) in that drive
OS: XP home

I have activated the "PORTABLE=TRUE" line as mentioned above by removing the \\\ before it.
I've added the current path to USB programmes folder and unticked everything else (for the moment) and it's finding stuff

so I'm wondering is that enough or do I need a relative path to the usbstick programmes folder? (if so can you give example of a relative path - I know the theory but havent actually used them. FARR is in same programme folder)

:) many thanks, tom
Tom

apurvarc

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Re: Need help with running FARR in portable mode on a USB drive
« Reply #9 on: June 22, 2009, 02:54 AM »
mouser, I'm trying to set up FARR to run on a usbstick and search only (or at least first) in that drive
OS: XP home

I have activated the "PORTABLE=TRUE" line as mentioned above by removing the \\\ before it.
I've added the current path to USB programmes folder and unticked everything else (for the moment) and it's finding stuff

so I'm wondering is that enough or do I need a relative path to the usbstick programmes folder? (if so can you give example of a relative path - I know the theory but havent actually used them. FARR is in same programme folder)

:) many thanks, tom

You need to add relative paths for the directories in your portable drive.

E.g. You have FARR installed on X:\Applications\FARR (X being your USB drive)  and you need to index the folder X:\Documents\SomeFolder So to relatively add the folder just add the path as \Documents\SomeFolder (Without the Drive letter X:) FARR will always consider a \folder to be in the root of the drive that itself is installed to.

Hope this helps

mouser

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Re: Need help with running FARR in portable mode on a USB drive
« Reply #10 on: June 22, 2009, 05:04 AM »
you can also use:
%APPDRIVE%\Applications\...

to refer to the drive that farr is installed on.

in general though, farr will try to fixup drive letters on start if it is on a usb stick that has been moved.

tomos

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Re: Need help with running FARR in portable mode on a USB drive
« Reply #11 on: June 22, 2009, 03:23 PM »
 :up:  :up:  thanks people :)
Tom

tomos

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Re: Need help with running FARR in portable mode on a USB drive
« Reply #12 on: November 27, 2009, 08:11 AM »
I'm going travelling next week so having another go at this

~ I put a clean install on a USB stick
~ Corrected the ini file to PORTABLE=TRUE  (moved it to start of the line)
~ added %APPDRIVE%\Applications\... to "Search folders" in options (with score of 1000)
~ also added %APPDRIVE%\Programs\... as that's the name of programme folder  (with score of 1000)
~ also added %APPDRIVE%\ so it would hopefully search the whole drive  (with score of 1000)

unfortunately it cant find anything on the drive
Could it be using the ini file of my usual install - which is a default (here) C:\Program Files\FindAndRunRobot or am I doing something very wrong somewhere!
Tom

joby_toss

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Re: Need help with running FARR in portable mode on a USB drive
« Reply #13 on: November 27, 2009, 08:39 AM »
v2.80.02 works ok for me as far as I could test it.
My .ini file looks like this:
CONFIGDIR=.
PORTABLE=TRUE
I am a 3D body trapping a single dimension soul.

tomos

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Re: Need help with running FARR in portable mode on a USB drive
« Reply #14 on: November 27, 2009, 08:42 AM »
v2.80.02 works ok for me as far as I could test it.
My .ini file looks like this:
CONFIGDIR=.
PORTABLE=TRUE
-
mine the same...
I noticed when I started it that I didnt have to add license key so I think it might be still getting settings from my C install
Tom

joby_toss

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Re: Need help with running FARR in portable mode on a USB drive
« Reply #15 on: November 27, 2009, 08:56 AM »
I only have "%APPDRIVE%\" checkbox ticked (so I could search only the flash drive) and it even works when using FARR from a TrueCrypt container.
Mine also doesn't ask for the license key but this is saved in the same folder as the executable so this is normal.
What can I do to help?

Edit: I've noticed in the original "ConfigDir.ini" file that the line "// CONFIGDIR = ." has spaces in it. I am using it without spaces (after removing "// "). Do these spaces matter or not?
I am a 3D body trapping a single dimension soul.
« Last Edit: November 27, 2009, 09:36 AM by joby_toss »

tomos

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Re: Need help with running FARR in portable mode on a USB drive
« Reply #16 on: November 27, 2009, 09:11 AM »
I only have "%APPDRIVE%\" checkbox ticked (so I could search only the flash drive) and it even works when using FARR from a TrueCrypt container.
Mine also doesn't ask for the license key but this is saved in the same folder as the executable so this is normal.
What can I do to help?

thanks for your generous offer Joby
answer though is - I dont know  :(
I tried unticking all other search folders and it cant find anything at all so it's completely ignoring it's current drive
When I leave Farr scripts ticked it can find the correct aliases (i.e. on usb stick)

I dont have time to mess with it more today- maybe tomorrow I'll start from scratch again & report my steps exactly so they can hopefully be reproduced or I'll find some mistake I've made...
Tom

tomos

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Re: Need help with running FARR in portable mode on a USB drive
« Reply #17 on: November 27, 2009, 10:10 AM »
I did it from scratch again and it works :-* - I still have the non-working one so will try compare them and see what went wrong -
this time I changed the ini file before starting FARR but dont see why that should make a difference (will report back later or soon)
Tom

tomos

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Re: Need help with running FARR in portable mode on a USB drive
« Reply #18 on: November 27, 2009, 12:09 PM »
I only have "%APPDRIVE%\"
this was what worked

originally I had copied this (but exactly):

you can also use:
%APPDRIVE%\Applications\...
-
I suspect I was meant to fill in my own path instead of the path followed by dots? well I copied & pasted it & left the dots and that's why it didnt work (to create the  %APPDRIVE%\   I removed "Applications" & ended up with %APPDRIVE%\... which also didnt work)
Tom

joby_toss

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Re: Need help with running FARR in portable mode on a USB drive
« Reply #19 on: November 27, 2009, 12:36 PM »
Glad to see you found the "bug"! :)
I am a 3D body trapping a single dimension soul.

shift3r

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Re: Need help with running FARR in portable mode on a USB drive
« Reply #20 on: May 03, 2010, 08:53 AM »
thanks mouser and your FARR buddies :D

i've just downloaded v2.86.01 and extracted it into an empty FARR directory.

i expected to get an ini once i ran the FindAndRunRobot.exe but it found my old settings. what else do i have to do to set it up so i can run it on a UFD?

i keep my favourite utilities and other portable things in a directory on my desktop that i sync with my UFD to use everywhere else.

i use win7 and XP on a desktop and a netbook.

mouser

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Re: Need help with running FARR in portable mode on a USB drive
« Reply #21 on: May 03, 2010, 10:19 AM »
i expected to get an ini once i ran the FindAndRunRobot.exe but it found my old settings. what else do i have to do to set it up so i can run it on a UFD?


Great question.

By default on winXP FARR should use the directory it is running from to store it's settings files.  But on Windows Vista and Windows 7, by default FARR will use your documents and settings directory.  So it sounds like you ran the program on windows 7 and it found your existing settings file.

So what you want to do is change the directory where FARR stores it's settings -- you do that in FARR the same way you do it in all of my applications, by editing the configdir.ini file in your FARR directory.

If you just add the line: PORTABLE=TRUE
to the top of the configdir.ini file, that will solve the problem and tell FARR to save all of its settings files in the current directory where FARR is run from.  You could also use the line: CONFIGDIR = .

shift3r

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Re: Need help with running FARR in portable mode on a USB drive
« Reply #22 on: May 03, 2010, 12:16 PM »
thanks mouser.

sorry, i didn't mean to ask a question that had the answer several times, in the very thread i asked it, but i wondered if the info was old and read about some complications.