Author Topic: What's the dfference between using portable installaions vs PortableApps? (Read 16602 times)

superboyac · « **on:** April 19, 2009, 08:32 PM »

I don't quite understand the purpose of something like PortableApps, so maybe we can discuss that here.
I want to setup a USB stick to carry a bunch of programs around with me for convenience. Now, a lot of programs these days come with portable installations. So, that means I can just run it fine off the stick. In that case, what's the point of something like PortableApps? Is it just a tool to launch these things? Because if that's the case, I'd rather use something like portable FARR or another program like that.

Also, there's been a lot of talk lately of portable file associations in programs like Total Commander and XYplorer. I can also see myself using the file manager as my portable OS. meaning, I insert the stick in the computer, then I open the file manager, and using the portable file associations configured there, i run things off my stick as if the file manager was the central OS.

Essentially, i want to create a situation where once I stick my stick in, the computer I'm using is centered around whatever I have on the stick, not on the original computer.

Ehtyar · « **Reply #1 on:** April 20, 2009, 12:29 AM »

PortableApps has several apps available that are not portable by nature. The apps you see there that available as portable by the original authors are there for their integration with the PortableApps menu system.

Personally, I get any portable apps I can from the author, and go to PortableApps where they aren't available. You'll often find that the modifications made by John Haller in his PortableApps can be made without the use of the PortableApps loader, except where the registry is used without option.

Ehtyar.

kartal · « **Reply #2 on:** April 20, 2009, 12:33 AM »

I always have hardtime understanding the logic behind a "portable app" "installer". Why cannot they provide a simple zip file containing what is needed to run the damn thing?

If someone wants to provide a menu application that is fine but however an installer does not make life easier. I think that the best way would be a menu builder that scans the pointed drive for exe, bat, jar etc then it creates the menu based on those apps on a drive or in folders.

Josh · « **Reply #3 on:** April 20, 2009, 01:36 AM »

All of the portable app "installers" I have seen do simply one thing, extract the files to a user defined path. This makes it easier for your average user as they do not have to rely on extracting a zip file and then wondering "Where did I put that?". Simply put, most of these installers DO NOT require admin rights and are designed for ease of use rather than just running in the portableapps shell application. The .paf.exe function just provides an easy way for the menu system to use and install the file into it's shell.

superboyac · « **Reply #4 on:** April 20, 2009, 01:52 AM »

Ehtyar, thanks for the explanation. That cleared things up for me. So it sounds like i would probably use a combination of my regular portable programs, and for ones that aren't portable, hopefully they are on portableApp...like Firefox.

Ehtyar · « **Reply #5 on:** April 20, 2009, 02:01 AM »

Ehtyar, thanks for the explanation. That cleared things up for me. So it sounds like i would probably use a combination of my regular portable programs, and for ones that aren't portable, hopefully they are on portableApp...like Firefox.
-superboyac (April 20, 2009, 01:52 AM)

Yep. There are also a lot of instructions on the PortableApps forums for apps that aren't actually built as portable. You can also usually search for an app with "portable" appended (like "FARR portable") and you will find instructions for it.

Ehtyar.

tinjaw · « **Reply #6 on:** April 20, 2009, 09:04 AM »

If someone wants to provide a menu application that is fine but however an installer does not make life easier. I think that the best way would be a menu builder that scans the pointed drive for exe, bat, jar etc then it creates the menu based on those apps on a drive or in folders.
-kartal (April 20, 2009, 12:33 AM)

Check out Pegtop PStart. It does that and works very well in general.

superboyac · « **Reply #7 on:** April 20, 2009, 10:50 AM »

If someone wants to provide a menu application that is fine but however an installer does not make life easier. I think that the best way would be a menu builder that scans the pointed drive for exe, bat, jar etc then it creates the menu based on those apps on a drive or in folders.
-kartal (April 20, 2009, 12:33 AM)

Check out Pegtop PStart. It does that and works very well in general.
-tinjaw (April 20, 2009, 09:04 AM)

i've been meaning to try that. It looks cool. Although it would be better if FARR and LBC works from the USB...which i think it does.

mouser · « **Reply #8 on:** April 20, 2009, 11:03 AM »

Although it would be better if FARR and LBC works from the USB...which i think it does.

all of my programs (except url snooper which needs the winpcap drivers installed) can be run portably.

superboyac · « **Reply #9 on:** April 20, 2009, 11:16 AM »

Although it would be better if FARR and LBC works from the USB...which i think it does.

all of my programs (except url snooper which needs the winpcap drivers installed) can be run portably.
-mouser (April 20, 2009, 11:03 AM)

Well...what can I say? Awesome! I will have to make a portable launchbar with LBC. How do I define shortcuts with relative paths? because my USB drive will be different letters on different computers.

wraith808 · « **Reply #10 on:** April 20, 2009, 12:17 PM »

I always have hardtime understanding the logic behind a "portable app" "installer". Why cannot they provide a simple zip file containing what is needed to run the damn thing?

If someone wants to provide a menu application that is fine but however an installer does not make life easier. I think that the best way would be a menu builder that scans the pointed drive for exe, bat, jar etc then it creates the menu based on those apps on a drive or in folders.

-kartal (April 20, 2009, 12:33 AM)

Actually, the portable apps menu (and by extension geek.menu) allow you to do this. There is a directory where your portable apps are installed, and if you install/unzip a new .exe there, then refresh the menu, it automagically picks up any apps directly in subdirectories under the PortableApps directory.

Ehtyar · « **Reply #11 on:** April 20, 2009, 03:43 PM »

+1 for PStart.

Ehtyar.

superboyac · « **Reply #12 on:** April 21, 2009, 12:08 PM »

One thing I need help understanding: How do all these portable applications deal with the the different drive letters as the USB is plugged into different computers?
For example, in FARR, LBC, XYPlorer, there are places to define shortcuts to files. But I'm setting them up on one computer with drive letter "D" for the USB. But what happens when I put the stick in another computer and the drive is now "F"? Do all these shortcuts and settings automatically change to "F"? How?

mouser · « **Reply #13 on:** April 21, 2009, 12:11 PM »

some programs like Launchbar commander will autodetect the drive change.
most programs (launchbar commander included, and farr), will let you specify relative paths, or paths using a special variable like %APPDRIVE% or %APPDIR%.

superboyac · « **Reply #14 on:** April 21, 2009, 12:21 PM »

some programs like Launchbar commander will autodetect the drive change.
most programs (launchbar commander included, and farr), will let you specify relative paths, or paths using a special variable like %APPDRIVE% or %APPDIR%.
-mouser (April 21, 2009, 12:11 PM)

I see, so it's not like something built into windows OS. I almost was thinking that the OS somehow miraculously adjusts shortcuts automatically.

mouser · « **Reply #15 on:** April 21, 2009, 03:44 PM »

Because FARR and LBC are both well suited to act as front-ends to a portable USB drive and other applications, i wonder if it might make sense to release a preconfigured non-install version of FARR+LBC that work together like a front end for a usb drive. It would be preconfigured to show applications found just like portable apps launcher does.

superboyac · « **Reply #16 on:** April 21, 2009, 04:24 PM »

Because FARR and LBC are both well suited to act as front-ends to a portable USB drive and other applications, i wonder if it might make sense to release a preconfigured non-install version of FARR+LBC that work together like a front end for a usb drive. It would be preconfigured to show applications found just like portable apps launcher does.

-mouser (April 21, 2009, 03:44 PM)

Oh...hell...yeah!

superboyac · « **Reply #17 on:** April 21, 2009, 04:26 PM »

That program Pstart is cool, but nowhere near as polished and sophisticated as FARR and LBC. You've been meaning to combine the two anyway, if i remember correctly.

tomos · « **Reply #18 on:** April 22, 2009, 07:19 AM »

Because FARR and LBC are both well suited to act as front-ends to a portable USB drive and other applications, i wonder if it might make sense to release a preconfigured non-install version of FARR+LBC that work together like a front end for a usb drive. It would be preconfigured to show applications found just like portable apps launcher does.
-mouser (April 21, 2009, 03:44 PM)
Oh...hell...yeah!
-superboyac (April 21, 2009, 04:24 PM)

that would be really nice mouser

cyberdiva · « **Reply #19 on:** April 22, 2009, 08:29 AM »

Just wanted to mention that yesterday's Daily Tech Treats (part of Gizmo's Freeware site) featured lists of portable apps, plus a link to a guide to portable apps. And the comments offered other lists of PAs.

fenixproductions · « **Reply #20 on:** April 22, 2009, 08:52 AM »

Sorry for my ignorance for this thread BUT if someone wants to get some info about making applications portable, he will find nice DB here:
http://portablefreeware.com/

Dormouse · « **Reply #21 on:** April 22, 2009, 11:54 AM »

It would be preconfigured to show applications found just like portable apps launcher does.
-mouser (April 21, 2009, 03:44 PM)

I've not seen PortableApps launcher do this. For me, it only finds the Portable Apps progs, not all the portable progs on the stick. Finding all the apps would be good.

Of course, it isn't really a problem to get these progs added to the launcher.

wraith808 · « **Reply #22 on:** April 22, 2009, 03:17 PM »

If you click on options, then refresh menu, it will pick up all executables in the subdirectories directly under the PortableApps directory. This can be bad of course... which is why I like geek.Menu better since it allows you to hide extra executables, and also to rename the ones that are found to something more recognizeable.

ewemoa · « **Reply #23 on:** April 26, 2009, 08:00 AM »

all of my programs (except url snooper which needs the winpcap drivers installed) can be run portably.
-mouser (April 20, 2009, 11:03 AM)

On a side note, I noticed the other day that the portable version of wireshark appears to install (and even offers to uninstall on exit) winpcap. Is it worth considering this sort of behavior for url snooper?

lanux128 · « **Reply #24 on:** April 27, 2009, 09:44 PM »

Downloadsquad.com posted about a portable app launcher called CodySafe.. guess there is more to Cody than meets the eye..

• CodySafe app launcher gives PortableApps suite some competition