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Picasa 3 Launcher

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January 29, 2009 - 11:50pm
#1
horusofoz
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Picasa 3 Launcher

Program: Picasa 3

License: Freeware

Description: Picasa is a free software that helps you to find, edit and share digital photos on your PC. Picasa makes sure your pictures are always organised. Every time you open Picasa, it automatically locates all your pictures (even ones you forgot you had) and sorts them into visual albums organised by date. You can edit and add effects to your photos with a few clicks. You can share your photos with others, arrange your albums. It is fast, easy and free.

Website: http://picasa.google.com/

Note: I am aware this has been requested before. However with the progression of launchers I thought I would re-request this as it is a great and very popular app. I recently requested blueMarine but after reviewing the website a bit more I have come to the conclusion that it is either dead or the dev is taking a break. This is a real pity as the app was looking really good. Anyway I think Picasa would be a great addition just in its launcher form and even better once freeware is ordained to be ok to port officially and we have negotiated with Google to make an official portable version Smile For now however does anyone feel like creating the launcher which would likely be later used to create the official version?

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February 10, 2009 - 6:41pm
horusofoz
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Permissions?

Quick Question: Has anyone asked Google for permission to port Picasa? I know we have the issue with hosting but I dot think we necessarily have to host it ourselves/on Sourceforge. Couldn't we host it on Google servers and just link from our site?

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February 12, 2009 - 8:51pm
horusofoz
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...

As the tumbleweed rolls by, I sit back and wonder, does nobody else want Picasa Portable or a portable image cataloger?

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February 15, 2009 - 8:56am
jammiii
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Picasa 3

I've volunteered to take this challenge. You should have a launcher very soon.

Juan A Melendez

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February 16, 2009 - 12:59am
horusofoz
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Cheers :-)

Just wanted to say thanks for this. I've downloaded the launcher from your Eightminds.com (A link on this site would probably be a good idea) and it itself seems to work fine. Will add the base Picasa tonight when I get home and let you know how it works and post a Regshot.

Thanks again.

EDIT:Won't deny I've not been working as diligently as I should have been all day today. Been waiting to try this out. 45 Minutes to go. Probably end up being 105 minutes then I can test this Smile I recently had a warez reformation where I didn't want to use anything illegal no matter how good so I've deleted Photoshop in favour of Gimp and with Picasa I can get rid of LightRoom. Also I can now sort the pics taken with my new Pentax. Thanks Jammiii

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February 15, 2009 - 6:01pm
jammiii
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Picasa3 Launcher for PortableApps

It's a pleasure being able to help. Please let me know if their is anything not working how you'd expect or preffer so that I can add it right-away before posting "officially".

Juan A Melendez

Juan A Melendez

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February 16, 2009 - 4:07am
horusofoz
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It worked :-)

Was a little too excited to think to do a Regshot. Still works like a charm with and without local version uninstalled. Thanks heaps mate. Now we just need to figure out how to impose relative paths on the catalogue so that when running from a different drive letter it can still find the images.

I know this is a feature of PA Launchers but don't know how to implement it.

Is anyone able to give info how?

Also @ Mods could you please move this to Beta-Testing forum and edit out Request App related stuff and make Op Jammiii (App porter)

Cheers Smile

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February 16, 2009 - 2:28pm
(Reply to #7)
jammiii
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Relative Paths

I should have that portion done by tomorrow evening. I've never used Picasa so I will need to use it alittle to get an idea of exactly how it normally works. lol I'm glad it's working for you so far.

Juan A Melendez

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February 16, 2009 - 5:38pm
horusofoz
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First Bug

Hi Jammiii

Good to hear you have decided to stick around with us Smile
Now to the nitty gritty. I have the first bug in that when I opened up Picasa this morning on my work pc it couldn't remember where my catalogue/pics were and asked me to scan folders as if it were the first run Sad

I'm guessing this means it's leaving info in the registry which directs it to where the it keeps it's goods. Also I noticed theres nothing in the Data folder so doesn't look like it's retaining settings Sad

Could one of the more pro de-buggers like Chris Morgan, Patrick Patience or one of you other guys please test this out and post what you think. Also any help you might be able to give jammiii would be pretty cool too. Evidently with his work on Lazarus he has demonstrated he is very capable however he is new to the PA Format.

Thanks Smile

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February 16, 2009 - 9:24pm
(Reply to #9)
jammiii
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First Bug

Picasa is unusual in that it stores and obtains a number of settings directly from/through the Windows API directly rather-than from a configuration file. These paths appear to be compiled into the binary itself.

Although their is a path ascii file, it seems Picasa ignores it until it's built-up and initialized a set of database files.

I'm working on code that temporarily modifies Window's Environment Variables. I hope to have this resolved very shortly.

I will also post the Windows Process Monitor files of the install and the initial-run of this app by morning in case someone else has a better idea. Additionally, I'll post the list of files involved.

My concern is that modifying Windows Environment files may cause undesireable effects and make the system unstable.

Juan A Melendez

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February 16, 2009 - 9:43pm
(Reply to #10)
horusofoz
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I would say that likely

I would say that likely write. Couldn't your redirect like how Chris Morgan made the AppData Redirect script?

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February 16, 2009 - 11:47pm
(Reply to #11)
jammiii
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Script

I'd have to see the script to know if it would work.

The problem is that Picasa is fetching the current %HOMEPATH% from windows' environment variables and going with it. You'd have to intercept the response or change it.

Notice that when it's run the first time, it only gives you two options? The entire disk, or the My Documents etc.

Unless what you want the PortableApps version to do is mirror your MyDocuments folder images??

UPDATE:

I found Chris Morgan's Script. I see it's an object based language but what scripting language is it in? I'm not familiar with the reserved words.

Juan A Melendez

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February 17, 2009 - 12:16am
(Reply to #12)
horusofoz
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Chris?

Chris could you please lend your expertise here.

Also at a Mod could you please move this to the beta testing Forum. If you will not please state so we can create a new thread in the beta testing forum.

Thanks

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February 17, 2009 - 8:32am
(Reply to #13)
jammiii
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NSIS

OH... this is a NSIS script. Just picked up the documentation and wrote my first hello world on it. It's like DOS batch + pascal + VB on drugs lol.

Would like help from the master of this script (Chris) if he's available. Chris... will your script modify the windows environment variables to all programs? Is it temporary?

I'm just learning NSIS and it may be a few days before I catch up.

Thanks.

Juan A Melendez

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February 17, 2009 - 9:13am
(Reply to #14)
jammiii
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Script for redirection

Just finished reading the script. It is not what I'm looking for however the Kernel32::SetEnvironmentVariableA system call is EXACTLY what I need. This only affects the current process and it's child processes.

YAY!

Thanks for leading me in the right direction. I'll get to work on this when I get home. This will be my first use of NSIS so please be patient.

Juan A Melendez

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February 17, 2009 - 5:03pm
(Reply to #15)
horusofoz
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Happy to know I was able to

Happy to know I was able to help Smile

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February 18, 2009 - 8:40am
(Reply to #16)
jammiii
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Chris Morgan's APPDATA Relocation Script

I take that back! Yes, Chris Morgan has already solved this. I came full circle and ended-up with the same settings lol.

Great work Chris!

Thanks again horusofoz for leading me to Chris' script. I will add to Picasa3 Portable (and to Lazarus Portable since it's useful there too!). This issue should be resolved tonight or tomorrow the latest.

Juan A Melendez

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February 19, 2009 - 6:19pm
horusofoz
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Could a mod please move this

Could a mod please move this thread to the beta testing forum.

@jammiii - Thanks again for all your work on this Smile

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February 22, 2009 - 1:18am
horusofoz
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Hi Jammiii Any change on

Hi Jammiii

Any change on this?

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February 22, 2009 - 3:32am
(Reply to #19)
jammiii
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Update

Yes, actually. I plan to update the fixed version today after a few more tests. My day-job has had me very busy.

Juan A Melendez

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February 22, 2009 - 4:26am
(Reply to #20)
horusofoz
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Thanks :-) Sorry if I sounded

Thanks Smile

Sorry if I sounded impatient. I too work in a busy office, currently at a university, so I understand. No need to rush just meant to check if you were still developing it.

Anyway thanks again for your continuing work on this Smile

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February 22, 2009 - 5:10am
(Reply to #21)
jammiii
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Update

No worries Jeffrey. I'm axious to get this out too. I am simultaneously releasing an update for Lazarus Portable.

Juan A Melendez

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February 22, 2009 - 8:10pm
(Reply to #22)
jammiii
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Delay

I need to delay the update for Picasa3 Portable. Under some cases, Picasa still ignores the Environment settings. >:( This seems to support my suspicion that Picasa's file-paths are at least partially hard-coded. Hopefully this is not the case because if it is, it would mean that it will not be a truly portable application. I will update as I progress.

Juan A Melendez

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December 4, 2010 - 3:05am
tonibony
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PicasaStarter

see also this tool: Picasa starter http://sites.google.com/site/picasastartersite/

Stoyan Ivanov

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