Hello!
I'm new to PortableApps - I've been using it for less than two weeks - and, after browsing/searching the forums, I didn't find the answer to my "problem".
I want to remove the Music, Pictures and Videos icons from the PortableApps menu.
I've deleted these folders from the Documents folder and PortableApps didn't recreated them after restarting, but the icons remain in the PortableApps menu. If I choose one of these icons, PortableApps does nothing.
There is just one reason why I don't like these folders - I don't organize my documents in this "dictatorship" way. I say "dictatorship" because I find it annoying that some one tells me how to organize my files. These "dictatorship" is worse on every OS that put a Documents folder at the same level as a Music, Pictures and Videos folders - as far as I know, Windows 7, MacOS X and GNU+Linux with desktop managers, all force these folders on users. To me, the photos I've made are as important as other documents that I've written, e.g., my (La)TeX, Maxima, Octave, C and Lisp/Scheme files. Moreover, if I choose the Pictures folder to store my photos, should I use this folder to store Maxima generated pictures that I use on my classes, PhD thesis or articles?
I've been using Unix since 1986 and back then I had a clean home directory to organize my files the way I want - no one "forced" me to use some directories. Well, the home directory still exists but it is now cluttered with unwanted trash such as these directories.
Best regards from Portugal!
--
Taenia Solium
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The point of having pre-defined folders isn't dictatorship, it's so apps can easily find stuff. The Documents directory can be easily used by OpenOffice.org. The Music directory can be easily used by your music player. The Pictures directory can be easily used by your photo editor or slideshow app. In the PA.c Platform as in Windows, it's not just the folder, it's the environment variable associated and where it points that matters. You can customize this in Windows.
You'll be able to customize them in the PA.c Platform in 2.0 final. Removing and adding as you wish. However, you will still need to define a location for Documents, Pictures, Music and Videos for use by apps that would like to point to them. Where you choose to locate these and what you wish to call them is up to you. But, when an app asks the platform "Where would the user like to store documents (or pictures, videos, music)?", it needs to provide an answer.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
John, are you saying that the PortableApps Menu uses its own environment variables for Documents, Pictures, Music and Video?
It sounds like you are saying that the platform is required by apps in order to define their default save locations for specific file types.
I was under the impression that use of the PortableApps Menu was optional, and not required for the full functionality of an app.
I'm assuming that when you say "when an app asks the platform" you are referring to an interaction between the portable app and the PortableApps Menu.
I made this half-pony, half-monkey monster to please you.
All apps currently available will work without the platform (this obviously excludes the PortableApps.com Updater and PortableApps.com Backup utilities which are part of the platform). But they won't let you define custom default directories. Those will be defined by the platform and can be customized within the platform options. Some apps will have the ability to redefine this independent of the platform but most will not. Apps won't automatically switch to your preferred language without the platform either. Some will change to the OS language if the platform is not present, but most will require you to go in and change the language for each app individually.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
If an app natively has the ability to define its custom default directory, will that functionality be retained, or removed by the platform?
Personally I'm not a fan of having the menu being responsible for this type of thing.
OK, if a user wants to just use what the platform defines, but I much prefer to have granular control over these things. If I have Music files that I want to play in MusicBee, I'll want them separate from the ones I'm editing in Audacity; or if I have videos I want to play in VLC, I want them separate from the ones I'm editing in AVIdemux.
I'd like see Chris Morgan build this into PAL - so that I can choose default folders on an app-by-app basis if I want to.
Full Disclosure: I'd also rather not have certain functionality (such as File Association, Fonts, and possibly the Updater) integrated into the platform; instead I think they should remain separate apps.
I made this half-pony, half-monkey monster to please you.
PAL will probably be kept as simple as possible. We have no plans for custom Data and App paths in INIs, so custom default directories is doubtful. The launchers use a fallback approach of trying %PortableApps.comMusic% then X:\Documents\Music then X:\Documents then just X:\ if they don't exist, in the case of music, for example. Apps that remember their last used will just use whatever you used last from then on. Apps that have the ability to customize it in their options, that should continue to work (provided it has been portablized). For most apps, it's just a first-run thing, anyway, though a couple will use it on every launch unless you tell it otherwise.
The updater is part of the platform and gets language selection and directory locations from it; it will not be available independently. File associations and portable fonts will also be integrated into the platform. There's really no need for 5 separate portable apps that a user has to worry about installing independently just to get what's going to be our standard functionality. Of course, the "I want to do it myself with complete control" folks can feel free to (1) use the platform and disable fonts and/or file associations and use independent 3rd party apps for that; and even disable the updater if they don't want it or (2) use a 3rd party menu and 3rd party apps for fonts and file associations. But we won't be custom-developing and supporting independent tools to work with other menus. All the tools are actually all one single program EXE, with the exception of the updater, at the moment. Though the updater will also become a part of the platform EXE at a later point in time.
It's about efficient development and the best usage of resources. Of course, people are free to grab some of the features and make independent apps based on them (one of the joys of the GPL), but we won't be supporting that in the overall PortableApps.com universe. The goal is to make an easy-to-use, all-in-one package that handles all your portable software needs without a lot of endless mucking about with it. Granted, we'll be adding advanced bits for people to muck with, should they be so inclined as well... kinda like how Firefox does all the standard stuff right but also has the about:config for additional tweaks... and also adding in a basic extensions/plugins system post-2.0.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
and that's how I was viewing the idea of those functionalities that I wanted to keep separate.
I don't see problem with more than one choice for these functions, and I see freedom of choice as a benefit. The platform has a Backup program - but we also have Toucan.
The platform will someday have file associations - but we should still have eXpresso. And that's a good thing, I think, because it promotes innovation.
I understand that you've got limited resources, so I don't know how adding everything into the central exe (as opposed to having other developers work in parallel on these functions as separate apps or plugins) makes your life any easier.
But that's just my opinion...
I made this half-pony, half-monkey monster to please you.
Hello!
When I wrote dictatorship, I did it inside double quotes and I didn't intend to be disrespectful.
Let me start by answering the the question at the end of your message. The first time a program is executed, it may ask where the files it manipulates are stored. The user will then point the program to the directory he/she wishes - this makes sense in programs such as music players or photo editors. Otherwise the program, by default, will point the home directory of the user - this makes sense in program such as OpenOffice.org. This way the user defines how he/she stores his/her files.
Anyhow, I'm glad to know that I'll be able to customize the environment variables pointing to these directories in PortableApps.com 2.0.
Finally, I've noticed that you are a developer of PortableApps.com. To you and all other developers, thank you!
Best regards from Portugal!
--
Taenia Solium
John T. Haller is the originator of PortableApps.com, not just a developer.
I made this half-pony, half-monkey monster to please you.
I didn't know... I guess double thanks are in order
Now for real, thank you John for starting PortableApps.com. The same goes to all other developers.
Best regards from Portugal!
--
Taenia Solium
In portable software world, the Documents directory is essentially your home directory in some respects.... though not in terms of where apps store their data, since each app stores the data within itself. So, realistically, there is no home in portable software world... just documents, music, etc.
Apps won't ask on first run where you want things placed, they'll use the PA.c Environment variable first (PortableApps.comDocuments in this case). If that doesn't exist, they'll look for the default directory next (X:\Documents). If that doesn't exist, it'll just use X:\.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!