Making PhotoScape Portable

jliddil - September 5, 2010 - 6:37pm

I am a Newbie
I am trying to make a portable version of Photoscape for personal use.

I am using the PAL

The launcher gets created but it he log I get a bunch of code and this:

2 warnings:
!include: could not find: "C:\Program Files\PhotoScape\Other\Source\PortableApps.comLauncherCustom.nsh" (Segments.nsh:122)
!include: could not find: "C:\Program Files\PhotoScape\Other\Source\PortableApps.comLauncherDebug.nsh" (Debug.nsh:87)

I am completely lost

( categories:

Portable App Development

)

Don't worry

Chris Morgan

(Homepage) - September 5, 2010 - 7:20pm

You don't need to worry about those two warnings. They just indicate that you haven't got any custom code or debugging code - both of which are advanced features of PAL. Go ahead and work with your launcher configuration and it should all work fine.

Also it's a bad idea to ever work in C:\Program Files; on Vista/7 it's a restricted directory with UAC stuff and it causes trouble for most portable apps.

I am a Christian and a developer and moderator here.

“A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” – Proverbs 15:1

re:making Photoscape Portable

jliddil - September 5, 2010 - 8:26pm

I am on Windows XP SP3

I try to run it I get:

Photoscape Portable Cannot be started. You may wish to re-install to fix this issue. (ERROR: App\PhotoScape\Photoscape.exe could not be found

appinfo.ini
[Format]
Type=PortableApps.comFormat
Version=2.0

[Details]
Name=PhotoScape Portable
AppID=PhotoScapePortable

[Control]
Icons=1
Start=PhotoScapePortable.exe

PhotoScapePortable.ini
[Launch]
ProgramExecutable=PhotoScape\PhotoScape.exe

Missing or wrong path

Chris Morgan

(Homepage) - September 5, 2010 - 11:16pm

That error message is exactly what it says: the file App\PhotoScape\Photoscape.exe doesn't exist. Either you've got the wrong path or you haven't got the PhotoScape files in there.

Also be aware that just putting in [Launch]:ProgramExecutable doesn't make an app portable; the onus of making the app portable is still on you (as the developer), to find out what needs doing and set the appropriate options.

I am a Christian and a developer and moderator here.

“A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” – Proverbs 15:1

I'm Hopeless

jliddil - September 6, 2010 - 10:31am

So I created the following

C:\PhotoScape Portable
App
AppInfo
Launcher
Photoscape (This directory now contains the photoscape.exe and other files.

In the Launcher directory I have appicon.ico and appinfo.ini
[Format]
Type=PortableApps.comFormat
Version=2.0

[Details]
Name=PhotoScape Portable
AppID=PhotoScapePortable

[Control]
Icons=1
Start=PhotoScapePortable.exe

The PhotoScapePortable.ini is:

[Launch]
ProgramExecutable=App\PhotoScape\PhotoScape.exe

So now when I attempt to run the program I get:

(ERROR: C:PhotoScape Portable\App\PhotoScape\App\AppInfo\appinof.ini could not be found)

OK so why is it now looking here? I am TOTALLY confused by what path to use and how to set it.

Logic ?

Tim Clark

- September 6, 2010 - 11:29am

Please note that I am not a dev [or a devwannbe] but it seems to me logically that this does not make sense:

You said you created:
"C:\PhotoScape Portable"
and:
"In the Launcher directory I have appicon.ico and appinfo.ini"

Logically "C:\PhotoScape Portable" is the launcher directory.

[note below I believe "appinof.ini is a typo for "appinfo.ini if not, that itself could be the problem]
BUT the error says:
ERROR: C:PhotoScape Portable\App\PhotoScape\App\AppInfo\appinof.ini could not be found

So the app is looking for appinof.ini in:
C:\PhotoScape Portable\App\PhotoScape\App\AppInfo\
NOT
C:\PhotoScape Portable\

Does that make sense?

Therefore:
appinfo.ini should be in:
C:\PhotoScape Portable\App\PhotoScape\App\AppInfo\
and I believe appicon.ico as well.

Note: I am not sure this is Really the correct place for those files to be, but it is where the Launcher is looking for them.

I believe, but am not sure, that:
C:\PhotoScape Portable\App\AppInfo\
might be what you really want, but, again that is not where the launcher is looking.

Tim

[edit: The replies form solanus and sar3th below don't really make a lot of sense to me but they are more accomplished at this than I am]

Things have got to get better, they can't get worse, or can they?

Looks like the path in your PhotoScapePortable.ini is the issue.

solanus (Homepage) - September 6, 2010 - 2:21pm

According to the manual, the variable should be relative to the App folder, so you shouldn't include that in your path.
So,

[Launch]
ProgramExecutable=PhotoScape\PhotoScape.exe

When I find myself in times of trouble Mother Mary comes to me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be.
And in my hour of darkness she is standing right in front of me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be. Whisper words of wisdom, let it be.

Check out the correct Format Specs

solanus (Homepage) - September 6, 2010 - 12:14pm

http://portableapps.com/development/portableapps.com_format
says that the correct file structure is

PhotoScapePortable
+ App
  + AppInfo
     - appinfo.ini 
     - appicon.ico
  + PhotoScape
  + DefaultData
+ Data
+ Other
  + Help
    + Images
  + Source

If you are using the PortableApps Launcher, then the Launcher files are also in AppInfo.

You shouldn't have to put the Launcher or Portable Apps ini files into the PhotoScape folder.

Also, the typical convention is to NOT use spaces in the folder names. So make it "PhotoScapePortable", not "PhotoScape Portable". This won't affect the display in the menu - that's controlled by the "Name" variable in the appinfo.ini file, and there you can use spaces. Also don't use spaces in the "AppID" variable.

Final Version

sar3th (Homepage) - September 6, 2010 - 12:26pm

In Addition to that, create a subdirectory under AppInfo, name it "Launcher" and put your PhotoScapePortable.ini there.
It should contain this (note, it's different from what you had):
[Launch] ProgramExecutable=PhotoScape\PhotoScape.exe
In the end, your directory structure looks as follows:
In Addition to that, create a subdirectory under AppInfo, name it "Launcher" and put your PhotoScapePortable.ini there.
It should contain this (note, it's different from what you had):
[Launch] ProgramExecutable=PhotoScape\PhotoScape.exe
In the end, your directory structure looks as follows:

PhotoScapePortable
  - PhotoScapePortable.exe
  + App
    + AppInfo
      - appinfo.ini 
      - appicon.ico
      + Launcher
        - PhotoScapePortable.ini
    + PhotoScape
      - PhotoScape.exe

[This reply was modified, as below, per sar3th, by Mod Tim]

ONe more time

jliddil - September 6, 2010 - 12:57pm

I have this
PhotoScapePortable
+ App
+ AppInfo
- appicon.ico
- appinfo.ini
+ Launcher
- PhotoScapePortable.ini
+ PhotoScape
- Photoscape.exe
- PhotoScapePortable.exe

Which now gives me PortableApps.com Launcher cannot be started. You May wish to reinstall to fix this issue. (ERROR: C:PhotoScapePortable\App\App\AppInfo\appinfo.ini could not be found

Here is the current appinfo.ini

[Format]
Type=PortableApps.comFormat
Version=2.0

[Details]
Name=PhotoScape Portable
AppID=PhotoScapePortable

[Control]
Icons=1
Start=PhotoScapePortable.exe

PhotoScapePortable.ini

[Launch]
ProgramExecutable=PhotoScape\PhotoScape.exe

Sorry, i had an error

sar3th (Homepage) - September 6, 2010 - 1:11pm

Due to a wrong spacing, my directory structure suggested a wrong place for PhotoScapePortable.exe. The right place is in \PhotoScapePortable\, not in \PhotoScapePortable\App. Sorry

Did That

jliddil - September 6, 2010 - 1:12pm

Error: C:\PhotoScapePortable\App\PhotoScape\App\Appinfo.ini could not be found

This Error-Message suggests

sar3th (Homepage) - September 6, 2010 - 1:43pm

This Error-Message suggests that your PhotoScapePortable.exe is still located at PhotoScapePortable\App\PhotoScape\PhotoScapePortable.exe and not in PhotoScapePortable\PhotoScapePortable.exe
Please verify that PhotoScape.exe is located at PhotoScapePortable\PhotoScapePortable.exe

Confirmed

jliddil - September 6, 2010 - 1:46pm

C:\PhotoScapePortable\PhotoScapePortable.exe

Thanks. I'm sorry if I

sar3th (Homepage) - September 6, 2010 - 1:55pm

Thanks. I'm sorry if I sounded a bit harsh in my last reply, but I wanted to make absolutely sure we are on the same train.
Can you also verify that your appinfo.ini and PhotoScapePortable.ini are in the right places?
PhotoScapePortable\App\AppInfo\appinfo.ini
PhotoScapePortable\App\AppInfo\Launcher\PhotoScapePortable.ini
Thanks

Not offended

jliddil - September 6, 2010 - 2:00pm

No big deal. I'll take all the help I can get:

C:\PhotoScapePortable\App\AppInfo\Launcher\PhotoScapePortable.ini
C:\PhotoScapePortable\App\AppInfo\appinfo.ini

OK I feel really dumb

jliddil - September 6, 2010 - 2:16pm

It helps to run the application once BEFORE you try to make it portable. Now it works. Thanks for all the help from everyone. Doh. Bang head against desk

No problem. So your problems

sar3th (Homepage) - September 6, 2010 - 2:21pm

No problem. So your problems are all fixed now and it works fine?

seems to work

jliddil - September 6, 2010 - 3:37pm

copied it over to my usb drive and it seems to work as expected

On one computer only?

Darkbee (Homepage) - September 7, 2010 - 12:33pm

I don't want to muddy the waters but it sounds like all you did was run the original program which then created registry entries, enabling your "portable" version to then run. Chances are if you now try your portable version on a different computer it won't work. Doesn't sound like you have a very portable application to me. I think one of the mods said in an early post that you have to know where the original writes its settings to (in the registry) in order to simulate that behavior for the portable version.

You are correct

jliddil - September 7, 2010 - 2:01pm

From what I can find it does not write to the registry but it does create two .cfg files in C:\Documents and Setting\User\Application Data\Photoscape

So yes still some work to do, but it basically works on any machine I've tested it on at home and work

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Making PhotoScape Portable

Don't worry

re:making Photoscape Portable

Missing or wrong path

I'm Hopeless

Logic ?

Looks like the path in your PhotoScapePortable.ini is the issue.

Check out the correct Format Specs

Final Version

ONe more time

Sorry, i had an error

Did That

This Error-Message suggests

Confirmed

Thanks. I'm sorry if I

Not offended

OK I feel really dumb

No problem. So your problems

seems to work

On one computer only?

You are correct