I have some apps in .... zip/7z/tar format and want to create paf installer. How can be done. Is there any easy way to do it ?
New: NAPS2 (Feb 24, 2025), Platform 29.5.3 (Jun 27, 2024)
1,100+ portable packages, 1.1 billion downloads
No Ads!, Please donate today
Visit the Community page
Join our forums
Subscribe to our email newsletter
Subscribe with RSS
Follow us on BlueSky
Follow us on Facebook
Follow us on LinkedIn
Follow us on Mastodon
Follow us on Twitter
Zipped apps are all over the map in terms of file layouts and where they keep stuff (most aren't even fully portable). PAF is for apps in PortableApps.com Format. So, it needs to be in that format and layout first, then you can do an installer for it.
https://portableapps.com/development/portableapps.com_format
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
If what you REALLY want is a self extracting exe, you can use 7zip Portable or the Zip2EXE found in NSIS Portable (launch it and then choose "Installer based on Zip File".
Both are self-extracting EXEs. The PAF installer is for PortableApps only; technically, it's a special type of self-extracting archive that is for PortableApps.
(Just to keep you from going off the deep end: if you use the converters to make a PortableApp, 90% of the time it would be illegal. Always check with the guy who made it.;))
Insert original signature here with Greasemonkey Script.
Thanks both of you for comments and advices.
Yeah, I´d like to do self-extracting archive to do, but rather a *.PAF.
Bacouse EXE or MSI is often blocked/freezed by firewalls and antiviruses. Moreover, its need to use Admin-privilegies to install them.
If I use PortabbleApps.com (The PA.com Suite) on my portable devices, is easy to use paf format for installing
....
I didnt understand clearly - Make some free software portable is piracy ??
Is it also same in the case to do that for own personal using only ?
.paf files are actually *.paf.exe files, so it is still an exe...
It is just that they do not try and install to normal locations that would require admins rights.
(assuming I have understood correctly how it all works ;))
Some software vendors will not allow ANY modification of their software, even if it is free. You will either have to read the licensing info, or contact the company
-Scott-
“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
OK, actually I do that, thanks
Some portable apps (ex. JkDefrag) do require admin rights - they install special drivers or whatever that needs the rights. Also, PAF exe's do write to the Registry and whatever else a normal app does - the PAF launchers just clean up after the apps finish.
Some launchers are a little (or a lot) more involved than that - i.e. redirecting the PATH or whatever - but that's what a basic PAF launcher does...
"The question I would like to know, is the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe and Everything. All we know about it is that the Answer is Forty-two, which is a little aggravating."