PortableApps.com is proud to announce that PortableApps.com Installer 3.0.1 has been released along with the updated PortableApps.com Format Specification 3.0. The PortableApps.com Installer allows you to quickly package your portable apps in an easy-to-use installer without having to write or compile any code. This release adds improved support for large drives, updating branding, file association specification for upcoming platform support, improved online installers, and various other fixes. The updated PortableApps.com Format Specification and installer are available for outside developers to use and can be used freely with free open source and freeware applications. Commercial use is available by contacting PortableApps.com.
Update automatically or install from the portable app store in the PortableApps.com Platform.
3.0.1 Installer Update - The original 3.0 installer had log creation on by default instead of off by default. 3.0.1 fixes this issue. We apologize for any inconvenience.
Features
The PortableApps.com Installer allows you to easily package your portable apps. It features:
- Proven NSIS installer core
- Excellent compression for distribution
- Easy configuration with no coding required
- Multilingual with 71 Languages
- Optional sections
- Automatic integration with the PortableApps.com Platform
- Works from command line and Send To (just pass the portable app's main directory, e.g. X:\PortableApps\FileZillaPortable)
- Interactive mode to assist with missing entries
- Licensed for use with free open source and freeware
- Commercial use by contacting PortableApps.com
What's New in the Format and Installer?
This update to the PortableApps.com Format and Installer features the following changes:
- Online installers now download before performing any action on upgrades allowing for graceful failure when an online resource is blocked or unavailable on both new installs and upgrades.
- Drives with over 2TB of free space are now supported in conjunction with the platform
- USERPROFILE\PortableApps checked as automatic install location
- EULA moved to AppInfo (install wizard will automatically move it)
- RTF EULAs removed (error with suggested change to EULA.txt)
- plugininstaller.ini moved to AppInfo (install wizard will automatically move it)
- License agreement page switched from check box to just clicking I Agree for streamlined manual installs
- Updated PortableApps.com branding and PortableApps.com Installer icon
- Added "Run AppName Portable" to the finish screen for apps
- Visual taskbar indication of installer building within Installer wizard on Windows 7 (useful for devs who build a lot of bigger installers in the background to know when they are done)
- Error on attempting to install to Program Files or Program Files (x86) to prevent issues with some apps working differently and issues with UAC on Windows Vista/7/8.
- Switched to current inetc plugin from our older custom one, fixing some issues with online installers
- Updated to current NSIS unicode build
- Ability to right-click on the taskbar and select "Close Window" to close an installer when finished and the installer wizard when finished
- Ability to specify file associations automatically for integration with an upcoming platform release
For existing apps - This new updater version will automatically update your application to the new 3.0 format.
The PortableApps.com Installer allows software publishers to package their apps using our popular tools. Open source projects can use our installer (and all source is included and licensed under the GPL) and release their own PAF files. Freeware publishers can also use our installer with no special permission needed for no charge. Commercial publishers can contact us for details.
File Associations
While PortableApps.com has supported file associations for years with add-ons like eXpresso and Portable File Assocations, we've decided to integrate more complete file associations into the platform itself. By popular request, the file associations will be handled automatically for all apps as well as allowing advanced users to override and add custom associations. This will help make file associations easier to use for all users instead of requiring manual configuration. Each app will contain the details of the way it handles file associations and be able to advertise it to the platform, so everything Just Works! This 3.0 release of the PortableApps.com Format starts to make it possible, and an upcoming release of the PortableApps.com Platform will let everyone get to use it.
Get Help Packaging for PortableApps.com
If you need help packaging your software in PortableApps.com Format or using the PortableApps.com Installer, just post a note to the Development Forum and we'll help you out.
PortableApps.com Installer / PortableApps.com Format
PortableApps.com Installer is packaged, appropriately, as a PortableApps.com Installer so it will automatically detect an existing PortableApps.com installation when your drive is plugged in. It supports upgrades by installing right over an existing copy, preserving all settings. And it's in PortableApps.com Format, so it automatically works with the PortableApps.com Suite including the Menu and Backup Utility.
Download
The PortableApps.com Installer is available for immediate download from the PortableApps.com Installer homepage. Get it today!
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Comments
App Updates Beginning
We'll now begin updating all our apps beginning with the out of date ones that were held for several days so users wouldn't be stuck downloading twice. As we have hundreds of apps, this process will take a few weeks to complete. All apps will be updated to the latest format, have support for the upcoming file associations in the platform added, have the branding updated, etc. And then we'll be rolling out platform releases that take advantage of the new app features. Please bear with us as the dust settles.
PAI's installer has debug
PAI's installer has debug logging enabled. :o
huh?
How do you mean? All installers show details and can save a log now.
Automatic
PortableApps.comInstaller_3.0.paf.exe.log created automatically:
Confirmed
I'm building a fixed 3.0.1 version now and will post shortly.
Great!!!
Great Work There's even a file type associations now.
Yup, Platform Soon
The ability for the apps to 'know' what file types they support debuts today. Once all our apps are updated, we'll be updating the platform to support it and it will all 'Just Work' together.
3.0.1 Update
The original 3.0 release accidentally had installer debug log creation on by default, so it would create an AppNamePortable_1.0.paf.exe.log file for each run. This has been fixed in 3.0.1. We apologize for the error.
Wow! That was quick...
Holy cow! I just noticed the logging issue a second ago, and was going to report it, only to see it reported and fixed.
Have I ever said that PA.com and crew is awesome??? Thanks for all the hard work. Peace..
7 MB
That's a whole lotta coding.
Good to see 3.0, though.
Now I gotta restart my tutorial videos all over again...
Not sure if bug or by design
Used installer to create app, worked perfectly. However when app is installed on the last page of installer there is an option to launch the app (checkbox) when I checked it the app launched but without the splash screen. If I run app from app launcher splash screen appears as it normally would. Is this by design?
Environment Variables
All it could be would be environment variables. If you ran the installer from the platform and have splashes disabled, that var would be passed onto the app. If you then run it directly from explorer, it wouldn't be. Nothing unusual happens in the installer, it just straight runs it.
Ok
Maybe I did not explain it correctly let me try one more time?
I created an installer for amarokPortable, the installer ran great. I then ran the amarokPortable.paf.exe it installed app as expected, when that was through installing and I click boxed to run amarokportable then clicked finished on the installer window amarok portable launched but with out its spalsh screen
So it was not the PA Installer I am asking about but the installer created by the PA installer
Aware
I'm aware. And that's what I answered. The end of the installer does nothing special at all. It just runs the app. No options, no nothing. It will pass on any environment variables passed in by the installer, though. So if, theoretically, you have your platform set not to show splash screens. And then you launch the PA.c Installer from the platform. You use it to create the amorak Portable installer and at the end of creation, you check the box to run the installer. That runs the amorak Portable installer and at the end of that, you check the box to run amorak Portable. If you do that, the environment variable from the platform to hide splashes would be passed that whole length of runs and the splash would be hidden. If you then ran the installer by itself and had it launch amorak, it should have the splash.
Again, the finish screen of the PA.c Installer you created for the app that has the "Run amorak Portable" in it does nothing special at all other than run the app. No commandline options, no additional environment variables other than what was passed in.
I just tested the installer with Thunderbird Portable and running it on finish of the installer it shows the splash. The code to hide the splash is the same in its launcher and in PAL.
If you are encountering anything else, please post a report in the support forums and explain in detail.
ok
Guess it was just an anomaly on my end. I thought this was the page for to post things, did not realize that I would have to post it somewhere else. I also thought I was quite clear in my description other than screenshots not sure what else was needed....I shall go back to my corner of my round room.
BTW
That is what I did and did not get the splash screen.....never mind not important
Support
The support forum is always the place to discuss anomolies, bugs, etc. This is a news story. Common mistake.
"I shall go back to my corner of my round room". That really needs to stop.
That was a joke
no harm intended was just joking. It will not be said again