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Turning any application into a portable app

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kailynleto
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Turning any application into a portable app

I'm between computer user and computer nerd (I mean that in the best way possible), so pardon me if this sounds stupid, but can I turn any application into something that doesn't necessitate using system files?

Simeon
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No

Here on this site, we are particularly interested in making Opensource Programs portable. But naturally. other proggys can be portabalised as well. But some big Programs like MS-Word/Excel etc are tied very closely into the system.(i. e. Windows wont work without InternetExplorer...) so they are very hard to do because of the many changes they make and the tons of registry entries they leave.

"There is a computer disease that anybody who works with computers knows about. It's a very serious disease and it interferes completely with the work. The trouble with computers is that you 'play' with them!" - Richard Feynman

"What about Love?" - "Overrated. Biochemically no different than eating large quantities of chocolate." - Al Pacino in The Devils Advocate

Bobvark
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MS Office

Well someone has made MS Office Portable. They used a program called Thinstall. This site is for opensource only so i won't post links or anything to it. But, there is a way to make it portable.

Preacher
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Official answer: "Sorta"

...Meaning, you CAN turn some apps portable (esp. by using Universal Extractor and such apps), but not all of them. Therefore, not "all".

Likewise, "any", is highly dependent on the individual app - YMMV applies here (Your Mileage May Vary).

My success rate w/ Univ.Extractor is between 67%-75% thus far, since I started keeping track.

"I don't hate cats...as long as they stay on the freeway, where they belong."
- Brad Stine

Bobvark
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yes

it looks like any app can be made portable (unless it requires a driver) using Thinstall

http://www.thinstall.com/

anyone got a few thousand dollars...

arqbrulo
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Leaves stuff behind

I once downloaded something made with thinstall and it left a whole bunch of stuff behind in appdata, program files and registry.
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Bobvark
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It all depends on how it

It all depends on how it gets packed up. Since I mostly use Portable apps so I don't have to install stuff, I don't care about leaving stuff behind, and that is the way I pack them up.

But you can pack them put to be portable...

Preacher
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I hear ya...

RE: "Since I mostly use Portable apps so I don't have to install stuff, I don't care about leaving stuff behind"

I'm witcha here, bruh...

"I don't hate cats...as long as they stay on the freeway, where they belong."
- Brad Stine

m2
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LOL, maybe sb. should write

LOL, maybe sb. should write "Thinstall Portable".

"Those people who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do." Asimov

nakedparrot
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Portable Apps

Because the subject is being discussed here, I would like to point out, for anyone who might be interested, that anyone who registers the excellent program EditPad Pro can get a portable copy of the program from the author's web site at no extra cost.

I recently did just that and am extremely pleased to have, on my PortableApps USB key, the very excellent EditPad Pro. For those who might be more inclined to a U3 USB key, registered users of EditPad Pro also have the option to download a U3 version of the program at no extra cost.

I have approached several other software authors about the idea of following the policy regarding portable apps as established by Jan Goyvaerts of JGsoft, makers of EditPad Pro. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they will see the obvious benefits of adopting such a policy.

- -
nakedparrot

tlchost
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EditpadPro

Just a bit of background. Before the most recent version of EditPadPro, while the registered version would create a portable version on your usb drive, it would not do so if you had a portable hard drive, connected via USB,

I emailed Jan, explaining the problem, and now the program lets you specifiy the drive letter where you want to create a portable version.

Thom

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