Application: eXpresso
Category: Utilities
Description: While active, eXpresso allows the user to associate files to applications on a portable device such as a USB flash drive or an iPod in disk mode, with a standard double click. No modifications will be made to the host system, all monitoring of file launches, all settings and all dependencies are contained in the eXpresso directory.
Source Code: https://github.com/gluxon/eXpresso
Mirror 1 (MultiUpload.com) eXpresso 1.3.1 [2.32 MB MB download / 4.60 MB installed]
(MD5: 535d73f977fd893a3d36a31d5a0e5828)
Mirror 2 (gluxon) eXpresso 1.3.1 [2.32 MB download / 4.60 MB installed]
(MD5: 535d73f977fd893a3d36a31d5a0e5828)
Mirror 3 (OliverK) eXpresso 1.3.1 [2.32 MB download / 4.60 MB installed]
(MD5: 535d73f977fd893a3d36a31d5a0e5828)
Quick update, I seemed to have gotten too caught up in creating the array to store the .lnk files that I forgot to add the driver letter updating code I worked so hard on. Fixed in 1.3.1
To use the SendTo Convey feature, just open up the folder in Data\Links and drop any .lnk files you want to show up on the Right Click -> Send to sub menu. I'll add this in the help.html file in the next version.
Thanks again to OliverK for the mirror. 
Release Notes
1.3.1 (3-17-11)
- Added drive letter update for Data\Link
- Updated documentation
1.3 (3-13-11)
- SendTo Convey Complete
- Associate only on Drive Implanted
- Fixed Internal Information Viewer
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Thanks - the basic functionality seems to work fine on Win7 x64 and is a really useful addition. Thanks to everyone involved.
Is there any documentation about Convey/Reconvey for this app? I see references to it in the forum about 4 years ago. Is it built-in or does it require an additional download in order for it to work with expresso? Any information about convey/reconvey in relation to expresso would be useful as I'd like to try to test this out if possible.
Thanks
Glad to see this comeback
Mirrored: http://soliloquyforthefallen.net/downloads/expresso/eXpresso_1.3.paf.exe
And I've got plenty of band width
Too many lonely hearts in the real world
Too many bridges you can burn
Too many tables you can't turn
Don't wanna live my life in the real world
Thanks
Not a problem
Too many lonely hearts in the real world
Too many bridges you can burn
Too many tables you can't turn
Don't wanna live my life in the real world
First, I want to say that this is a much-needed utility. I was concerned that apps like this would stop developing with the promise of adding file associations to the platform (which I don't expect to realistically happen any time soon).
That being said, I think that the various preferences windows are too disconnected to be practical. To open a preferences window takes one right-click and two left clicks, and then to switch to a different one, all that again. There are hotkeys, but I won't use this often enough to learn them by heart.
I suggest a single user interface window that you can open from the first menu level. You wouldn't need to do much modding of the individual preferences windows, just size them the same and put them as tabs in a single window. This would really make this app SO much easier to work with.
I'm not sure I like the use of the double-click on every file to invoke eXpresso. For myself, there are many times when it's OK to use the host computer's associations; and generally, I know the types of files that I want my PortableApps to open. Perhaps if you could have a "discover" mode, that would behave like the current way - handy for the initial setup of eXpresso - and a "normal" mode, that would accept the system's default associations for file types not already set up in eXpresso.
Also, the Help (Instructions) needs more work, and there should be some information on every function somewhere, even if only on your web page. I'm not sure of the advantage of Type and Run, and like the englishman, I have no clue what Convey is.
Finally - while I know this is a beta - it would be good to have an About window, showing the version number and the name of the publisher/developer.
Thanks again for this app.
I made this half-pony, half-monkey monster to please you.
eXpresso already has the "normal" mode you mentioned. You just have to check "Auto Associate New To Host" in Preferences -> Association Config.
I agree with the idea of the Single Window Interface, and I'll see if I can't get it in 1.4.
And the documentation does need work.
I saw that option, but honestly I didn't understand it. I thought it was something that would automatically make changes to the host, so I didn't want to experiment with it. Thanks for the clarification, and I look forward to the ongoing development of this app!
I made this half-pony, half-monkey monster to please you.
I agree with the others, it is a *much* needed addition to the growing portableapps library. One of the main criticisms I hear from my friends when I try to turn them onto the idea of portableapps is that they just want to be able to double-click on a file and have it open up. This could help that.
I hope to test this more later this week as I only got to do a minuscule testing this morning. Will let you know what I find out but I am certainly thankful for you offering this up thus far.
Mirrored the new version
http://soliloquyforthefallen.net/downloads/expresso/eXpresso_1.3.1.paf.exe
Too many lonely hearts in the real world
Too many bridges you can burn
Too many tables you can't turn
Don't wanna live my life in the real world
See subject
Are there any commandline parameters or switches for eXpresso?
I noticed that previously there was an -exit switch to Convey to close and remove the temporary shortcuts, but as far as I can see this doesn't seem to work with eXpresso.
I tend to use a batch script to close everything down on the host machine but Expresso doesn't seem to obey WM_CLOSE messages. So I end up having to kill it, which then leaves the sendto shortcuts on the host machine.
Other than this, it seems to work well (Windows 7 64 bit)
Thanks
Yes, but eXpresso uses the forward slash instead of the hyphen.
"eXpresso.exe /exit" should work
... /exit works fine.
Following your instructions above, I opened the Send To folder from eXPresso, and dropped an lnk file into it.
I assumed that, as a PortableApp, this change to the User folder would be valid only while eXPresso was running, and that it would be automatically removed when eXPresso was closed.
However, the Convey feature seems to create a permanent change in the Send To of the host.
Is this expected, or is something not working right?
Running Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
I made this half-pony, half-monkey monster to please you.
It's just basic Send To conveying. I've tested it on my machine, and it works great. The only way the Send To .lnk files could have remained in the Send To folder was if eXpresso wasn't shut down correctly.
I was confused by the two options to Open the Send To Folder and Open the Links Folder. I was putting the lnk files into the Send To folder. Once I re-read the instructions, I realized where I made my mistake.
I'm not sure why you need have a menu item to open the Send To folder; but maybe with the next release, could you clarify that users should not put lnks directly into the Send To folder?
Now that I am putting my links into X:\PortableApps\eXpresso\Data\Links, it works correctly.
I made this half-pony, half-monkey monster to please you.
feedback:
works with W7 64bit. This app should be part of the portableapps suite. Its nearly perfect!
bugs:
If you choose "german" some of the options are missing.
suggestions:
1.) some of the options I really don't understand or are useless in my mind:
- associate only on drive (which one?!)
- monitored window configuration (for what is it good for?)
- type and run (for what is it good for compared to the cmd.exe?)
- edit configuration file (shouldn't be part of the release version as a pro user is able to open the file manually)
- themes (no benefit I think)
- convey (for what is it good for?)
- double-click settings (for what is it good for compared to the system setting or is THIS the trick why expresso is called before the system opens the file?)
2.) Maybe you should realize a seperate setting window so the user doesn't need to click through the menu every time again.
3.) If you are able to upgrade it, so it is able to "overwrite" the default browser setting, too, I would marry you
I want that for http/https hyperlinks that are opened by email clients, messengers, documents and so on and its nearly impossible to find such apps with the ability to ignore the default browser setting as I wrote here:
https://portableapps.com/node/27378
I'll try and see what I can do about setting something for http and https. It'll probably require setting eXpresso as the default browser though.
While it is apparent that this is the actively developing build, there's still a thread out there that is confusing people:
https://portableapps.com/node/22677
On THAT thread, it lists 1.5 alpha 2, with 2 dead links, but makes no reference to this thread; people keep posting there asking what's wrong.
Also, if you go to the Development Test Releases page, it links to that 1.5 alpha 2 thread.
Both that thread and this were originally posted by gluxon.
Of course, THIS thread uses the version number 1.3.1, adding to the confusion.
@gluxon, can you fix these discrepancies?
I made this half-pony, half-monkey monster to please you.
Whoops
I updated the Test Releases page to point to here, and added a note at the top of the 1.5a2 thread. Thanks.
I know writing the changes to the host registry goes against everything PortableApps.com stands for, but is there a chance that such a feature could be added? I run a bunch of portable apps at home, and it's kinda rough after a reinstallation of Windows when some files open in the default apps; in that case I own the host registry. It's not such a big deal for some apps, but XnView and VLC must have two dozen filetypes between them.
I suppose what I really need to do is learn how to write Windows Registry .reg files, and make one big file that adds all the associations I want to the Registry at once. Even if I had that, I could still use eXpresso on machines I don't own.
I originally wanted to add a feature to switch eXpresso's method of association, but then I thought, why? The PortableApps.com Platform 2.0 is suppose to be coming out with that ability, and the PortableFileAssociator already exists for that purpose as well.
try exporting a hive of your registry. Alternately, why don't you setup a fresh install of windows and configure it how you like, then simple image the machine so you can reimage the computer whenever you like?
Too many lonely hearts in the real world
Too many bridges you can burn
Too many tables you can't turn
Don't wanna live my life in the real world
@gluxon -- What is the difference between the two?
Also, portable file associations, like categories, are practically on Valve time. We shouldn't count on them. "The new version" has been promised for a very long time. (That's not cynicism... hasn't been for about 2-3 years now.)
@OliverK -- I never learned imaging.
Acronis is REALLY easy. Plus you can get a free copy if you use Western Digital drives.
Also, use the portable file associator utility. eXpresso works on explorer hooks. Its not supposed to be based on registry manipulation.
Too many lonely hearts in the real world
Too many bridges you can burn
Too many tables you can't turn
Don't wanna live my life in the real world
Also very easy, and available free online.
I made this half-pony, half-monkey monster to please you.
I have two internal drives, 750GB and 2TB, both WD.
So I pretty much just install Windows, let it update, and associate all my apps and whatnot, and just let it make an image of the C drive? Then restoring it's just as easy?
Aside from the time it takes to install all the updates, versus the time to reinstall Windows, how long does restoring the image take?
Good information; thanks for sharing!
Yep. Restoring the image directly can be done in 20 minutes? I'm redoing a windows xp machine tomorrow so I will let you know.
Too many lonely hearts in the real world
Too many bridges you can burn
Too many tables you can't turn
Don't wanna live my life in the real world
Is there a pre-configured file association .ini for the PortableApps.com Suite™?
Meaning all the programs in the PortableApps.com Suite™ file types already added to Expresso's .ini file? Would be a nice addition to the platform if not.
It's in App\DefaultData\eXpresso.ini, just copy it to Data\eXpresso.ini. The file is made from the associations in Xenon Portable.
That's just what I'm looking for.
I did a search and replace in NotepadPortable++ to replace OpenOfficePortable with LibreOfficePortable.
works like a charm now.
how do we add send to 7-zip archive in context menu using the convey option in expresso?
Right click on 7-ZipPortable.exe (in X:\PortableApps\7-ZipPortable) and hit "Create Shortcut". Rename it to whatever you would like it to be called, and copy it into X:\PortableApps\eXpresso\Data\Links. Then restart eXpresso, or hit "ReConvey".
So I have a truecrypt container with a set of software for viewing things, winrar, vlc, and such.
I would like to be able to get it setup and then have express switch extensions but not ask about new ones all the time?
Any idea how to do that?
Eventually it will be like download this 100mb file, add launch.bat to start up and bam now you don't need to install anything to open pdfs/rar/.... on your pc.
Thanks guys!
*ohhhh just found out i can compile the entire thing with TC container into 1 exe AWSOME easiest pc setup ever!
Hi,
I wish to set the mailto: application, too. Maybe its possible to change the registration key after starting expresso?!
Here you can find the registration keys (vista / w7 is the same):
http://blog.bn.ee/2008/09/04/make-mailto-links-open-in-gmail-in-google-c...
regards
I don't see a clear reason why you would want to do this. You do know Firefox Portable allows you to define a mailto: application, right?
I'm not using Firefox. I use Chrome and some other browsers aren't able to change the mailto:-setting, too.
Try this Chrome extension. It works for Gmail, Ymail, AOL mail, Fastmail and Zoho mail.
Don't Panic
Well behaved program. Does what is expected. I regard this program as essential for portable apps. Others have mentioned the documentation issues and I'm sure that will be taken care of eventually.
Well done!
Thank you. Very few people take the time to thank free software creators for their work. I appreciate it
And not just the one in Starbucks drinks. Best app... EVAR.
This plus autostart equals portable awesome. Glad you made this, man. Many thanks are in order.
You know what, I've been thinking. When life gives you lemons, don't make lemonade. Make life TAKE THE LEMONS BACK! Get mad!! I don't want your lemons; what am I supposed to do with THESE!?
First, I want to thank you for this nice tool. In particular, the Send To Convey feature is good.
Unfortunately lacking some feature in the German translation:
What exactly is the meaning of "Enable Glass"? See also this screenshot.
Also, I've noticed the following problem. I have inserted the portable version of PDF-XChange Viewer into the PortableApps.com Menu. In eXpresso I added a file association to the appropriate app (PDFXCview.exe). Immediately after the start of my computer and the activation of eXpresso a PDF file is opened using Adobe Reader X. Only after the closure of Adobe Reader X and again opening a PDF file the app PDF-XChange Viewer is used. Is there a solution for this problem?
hi guys,
eXpresso is so far the best portable file associator I've discovered, but has a big negative - the way it handles files doesn't allow me to use it within total commander (even these days, still one of the best file managers). When I open any file (by double-clicking or via Enter button) eXpresso is ignored and host associated program is used.
That's why I have to stay with feature-lacking and a bit more cumbersome "PortableFileAssociator"
any chance of supporting total commander in a near future?
Even with the use of FreeCommander Portable I have found that despite activation of eXpresso when double-click a file the previous program was used on host computer. Insofar, eXpresso seems in dealing with file managers to have problems.
I have the same issue with DevProject Manager it using the host computers file associations, I assume this is because it is looking to the registry for the associated program to open a file with, so not sure if this is a portable problem or just the way eXpresso works?.
Cheers
Do the file managers work with PortableFileAssociator? I'm afraid the only way to get third-party file managers to work with eXpresso is to use the registry.
How do i get the software to open a link from my googletalk portable into my google chrome portable ?
I have *.txt to open in notepad++.exe
when attempting to open mutiple files it attempts to launch notepad++ twice. and not into the current notepad++.exe process.
Perhaps you have Notepad++ set to open a new window, rather than a new tab upon opening new files?
And are you associating Notepad++Portable.exe, or notepad++.exe? You should be using the first one.
I have *.sql to open with SQLDBX.
When i open one file and it open the program and then attempt to open another file of the same type it opens with the windows associated program.
I don't understand this question. Isn't that suppose to happen?
Unfortunately you can't with eXpresso, you might be able to with PFA, but I'm not sure.
https://portableapps.com/node/15583
Is it possible to change the icon of an app? ex: .txt files have the Notepad++ icon
Don't Panic
Not currently, but it's a planned feature.
I intend to file a report with Norton from home.
Norton report follows:
Full Path: g:\downloads\portable apps\expresso_1.3.1.paf.exe
____________________________
____________________________
On computers as of:
9/15/2011 at 1:23:50 PM
Last Used:
9/15/2011 at 1:25:57 PM
Startup Item:
No
Launched:
No
____________________________
____________________________
Few Users
Fewer than 50 users in the Norton Community have used this file.
____________________________
Medium
This file risk is medium.
____________________________
Threat Details
Threat type: Insight Network Threat. There are many indications that this file is untrustworthy and therefore not safe
____________________________
Origin
Downloaded from http://gluxon.com/files/apps/eXpresso/eXpresso_1.3.1.paf.exe
http://gluxon.com/files/apps/eXpresso/eXpresso_1.3.1.paf.exe Downloaded File expresso_1.3.1.paf.exe
(WS.Reputation.1) from: gluxon.com
Source: External Media
expresso_1.3.1.paf.exe
____________________________
File Actions
File: g:\downloads\portable apps\expresso_1.3.1.paf.exe
Removed
____________________________
File Thumbprint - SHA:
503ec9468244091679478a281ea5fbdfb1758dfc235a74518aa9ae0a2619608e
____________________________
File Thumbprint - MD5:
535d73f977fd893a3d36a31d5a0e5828
____________________________
----------
=^..^=
When I use it (WindowsXP Professional SP2) it wont let me open certain files on the C drive but it will on the E drive and it is the same with the folders. I always have to right click to open them on the c drive.
Thank you very much!
Gluxon,
Thanks for all your hard work. I use eXpresso all the time. It's great at work and with other peoples' computers. I haven't had any problems using it with WinXP, Win7 x32, or Win7 x64.
----------
=^..^=
I too noticed eXpresso doesn't work with file managers like FreeCommander... which is too bad! FC purportedly has a file association tool but it doesn't work on my Win7-64 machine, and I had hoped eXpresso would be the solution. (Maybe there's a way to join forces?? eXpresso works so beautifully otherwise!)
So, I either get to use FC to work with files the way I'd been accustomed for so long, or go back to using Windows Explorer so my eXpresso file associations work.
Cheers!
---Fox
For usage with non-Explorer file managers, I would recommend you use the PortableFileAssociator instead. Rather than hooking double clicks, PFA modifys the registry which the Platform will soon do as well.
PFA seems like it would be the right way to go.
However, the file (version 2.2.1.8 ) that I downloaded from that page won't run. It's asking for a password. Should it?
EDIT -- Never mind, I didn't see the entire file name on the zip file.
Cheers!
---Fox
Is it technically possible to add a feature to eXpresso that would allow to open a file online in Zoho or Google Docs instead of a portable editor (LibreOffice portable, etc.)?
Talking of Zoho I mean the Zoho API that allows to store documents locally but open them online in Zoho Writer, Sheet, etc. See https://apihelp.wiki.zoho.com/
First off, awesome app! As others have said, definitely a key and useful feature for the platform! Thanks for putting in the work on this.
(I am using Windows 7 64-bit, btw).
A couple preguntas:
When I try to add Console2 to the Monitored Window Configuration via the Ahk Class "ahk_class Console_2_Main", it causes the character 'c' to be added to the console every time I hit ENTER. When I remove the entry from the Monitored Window Configuration, this stopped happening.
It also doesn't seem to work with opening files from the command line in Console2. What causes certain applications to work and others not to work, and would it be possible to indicate this in the app? It might be nice to mention something about this in the help file or in the Monitoring Window Configuration window.
It might be nice to have the Monitored Window Configuration update on hitting "OK" instead of when hitting "Close". (It took me a couple times to figure that out.) I think I saw something similar in the ToDo.txt, but not sure if this is related.
It would be good to have an "About" somewhere with a version number. I tried to find a version number to post here, but I can't find one. I might just be dense.
Also, I have a suspicion that the above bug I saw with Console2 may have been also causing my PortableApps Menu to insert non-standard characters into the PortableApps search bar. When I hit CTRL-ALT-SPACE, and then typed an application name, the first character I typed would not be shown but instead a strange character, depending on what key I typed. (I remember typing g as the first character displayed a dot like the dot product symbol. I believe typing 'F' may have displayed some sort of line conjunction symbol thing.) It is not occurring anymore and I believe it is because I removed all my Managed Window entries. I have not been able to reproduce it, however, and I'm not sure what the Ahk_class entries I had were.
Overall, awesome app! This is a no-brainer for the platform IMHO though it hasn't been added (yet
). I love being able to click on a .txt file and use gVimPortable wherever I am!!
And after I had thought of it,
I said, "I will, then, be a toad."
Nope, this is a known bug in the Platform. See here for a list of all known bugs. If you scroll through that list, you'll see it listed as follows: "Find-as-you-type doesn't handle unicode characters or key modifiers (Shift-1 isn't !) for 1st letter. Some other characters may get switched"
Thanks,
I just saw that it was occurring without eXpresso and was checking back to retract that part.
And after I had thought of it,
I said, "I will, then, be a toad."
Hello, I use eXpresso at work to open some filetypes (.jpg the most) using a different application. I have eXpresso set to autostart w/ the platform.
Today while using my computer at work, the mouse suddenly froze and I was suddenly unable to copy or paste. eXpresso threw "unable to open clipboard to write." error. So did my clipboard monitoring program, Quick Cliq. (I use QC to paste my signature into emails rather than type it over and over.)
I shutdown everything using the keyboard and rebooted (Win 7 Home Prem. 64 bit). When I started the platform again, it started eXpresso again and the cycle started over. However, this time I opened Task Manager and killed eXpresso, the mouse was able to move again and the clipboard issue ceased a minute or so later.
I have not previously had any problems with eXpresso. No recent hardware or software updates. . . Well, NAV updated yesterday.
Anyway, That's what happened. I suppose it's also possible that it was some kind of Windows glitch.
AZ Lynx
----------
=^..^=
AVG recently flagged up the eXpresso process to be infected and sent it to quaratine.
"11/10/2012, 15:04:35";"NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM";"IDP";"Process expresso.exe was quarantined."
False positive?
As the app hasn't been updated in over a year and AVG suddenly started flagging it, it's a false positive. AVG has quite a few issues with them. Unless, of course, you had it installed on your drive and got it infected from another PC.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
Thanks for reporting that. I don't have a copy of AVG on hand though, could you send in a false positive report? Thanks again.
When I double click on directories it started editing. it is not opening.
for other files and applications it is working fine.
Let me know what to do?
Simha
Please provide/update interface for accepting more than 2 (many) applications for single extension.
for example for pdf ( it has to show a popup of available programs like ,foxitreader,sumatra,any other programs etc) then it will be too good.
for example you can combine the following application capability with expresso
www.deuxcode.com/downloads/open-with
open-with with works only for one type of extension.
I already posted in another thread no reply.
hi gluxon
Is any email id for you i can contact for u?
Simha
Hello there. Does anyone still have a working mirror for eXpresso 1.3.1? It seems the ones posted above are long dead and burried.
Hello,
I found a new link to download eXpresso: http://www.lupopensuite.com/db/expresso.htm
I got it from the developer of SyMenu in their forum. The post also talks about combining it with SyMenu. The same can be done with any portable menu system I suspect. Very useful: http://www.ugmfree.it/Forum/messages.aspx?TopicID=51
Hey there,
since the people at Lupo PenSuite added some of their files to the package, I cleaned up the PAF directories and updated the appinfo.ini, installer.ini and help.html. In the end I repackaged everything with our PA Installer.
eXpresso_1.3.1.paf.exe (MD5: edab632af567a6b3e6de3077a1d758ea)
Cheers
My contributions, enjoy!
HelloNzb
MediaMonkey
Please avoid the file hosted on Lupo PenSuite. I downloaded a version of eXpresso after reading this comment and after running it my computer froze and then froze again on startup. I had to boot into safe mode to try to eliminate the threat. Initially I suspected the file could be a threat and I had scanned the file with AVG before running it but a virus was not detected. I should have known better than to run it however, as the icon was suspicious (a 7Zip icon displayed).
I'm still cleaning up the mess made by this download.
I have removed your duplicate posts, please refrain from multi-posting in that manner.
Also, note that we are not affiliated in any with Lupo, nor can we vouch for either the apps available on their site or in beta testing here.
Why no more mirrors
and why not put this app on official page
https://portableapps.com/apps
eXpresso seems to have the following quite strange bugs:
(1) If you operate within a folder with a name which contains the strings ".com" or ".exe" while eXpresso is running, it seems that the double leftklick on files there in does not work anymore at all, neither opening with OS associations, nor opening with eXpresso associations.
(2) If you double leftklick shortcuts (I mean these items with the hidden .lnk Extension) leading to cmd batch files, while eXpresso is running, the console window always pops up, even if you have chosen the option "Start: Minimized" for that shortcut.
1.3.1 appears to work well for what I'm doing (Limited PortApps on a RamDrive) on a ZBOX AD-02 and 60GB SSD I found. The software has a link to a french site that has a version of CAFE at 1.6.7, can this install be updated? I could not figure out the 1 for 1 files that eXpresso uses vs CAFE. Such a shame that development stopped and or this never made it to the main APPS section as this this appears to work brilliantly on Windows 7 with my limited testing so far!
EDIT: Hoping Gluxon sees this as his icon shows 10 months since last log-in
I wanted to try eXpresso. The download links are all dead. So I used Wayback Machine to resurrect the link. https://web.archive.org/web/20120201095343/http://gluxon.com/files/apps/eXpresso/eXpresso_1.3.1.paf.exe