I found out a way to make portable apps. I was very rushed when making this, so please post any problems here.
EDIT:Updated to 2.1 Download 2.1 here
New: Kanri (Oct 09, 2024), Platform 29.5.3 (Jun 27, 2024)
1,100+ portable packages, 1.1 billion downloads
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Interesting. I'll Give it a try and see how good it is
your friendly neighbourhood moderator Zach Thibeau
I had never expected to see over 82 downloads!
It would be great if you could also write an example for total noobs like me.
Well it seems pretty straight forward. if you want I see if I can draw up a more detailed tutorial when I test it out.
your friendly neighbourhood moderator Zach Thibeau
I appreciate the time you spent on this, but I have several questions about a few things not described very well...
Step 1. Monitor the installation with InstallRite.
> Does it matter what you name the installation?
Step 2. Export the reg keys to your desktop.
> Which ones? In InstallRite, which option is this exactly? To what format?
Step 3. Export the changed reg files from looking at the changes in
the registry showed in install rite.
> The "changed"? reg files? how are these different from the files above? InstallRite doesn't have an option to save "changed" reg files. When you say "from looking at the changes in the registry..." what exactly does this mean?
> Is it important how the two exports above are named?
Step 4. Make a copy of the exported keys in a new folder...
> So this is two files total and they just go in a separate folder with different names?
Step 5. In the new folder, edit the reg keys so you can put a – after
the [, but before the HKEY.
> Again, this is in two files at this point? You just make these edits and save the (2) files?
Step 6. Extract the icon from the starting exe.
> Do you have to extract it to a special folder or just somewhere you can easily find it?
Step 8. Now open the script file. In the first line rename the file.reg
to your exported key file's name.
> I assume when you say "the script file" you mean the file named "Universel Portable Script.au3" in the root of the "Portable Apps" folder? Should this file be copied anywhere before this is done? When you rename file.reg, what do you rename it to - the first reg file that was exported, the 2nd, the originals or the copies? Do we have to be concerned about paths?
Step 9. In line 2 put the name of the starting exe where it says
appname.
> Is this just the name of the .exe or do we have to be concerned about WHERE the .exe is?
Step 10. In the 4th line, where it says file.reg name it to your exported
key(s) in the new folder.
> But don't I have two exports in this folder? Which one do you mean?
Step 11. In line 3, where is says AnykeylikeHKEY_CURRENT_USER\blah put the name of the exported reg files for example, HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Google
> There are two step 11s. Also, the file that is downloaded as part of the package has line 3 incomplete. Shouldn't this file look more like Twar3Draconis's post on 1/12?
Step 11 (the 2nd one). Now convert the au3 file to exe by going to
\autoitv3.2.2.0\Aut2Exe. Save it to the installation directory.
> Very confusing. You run the executable "Aut2Exe.exe"? Which files do I point it to? Do they have to be in a certain place relative to the program files I copied in Step 7 or any of the other files we've dealt with?
Step 12. Now, UPX everything by copying all the UPX files to the
copied installation directory on your desktop. Click UPX
Mass Compress.exe.
> Again, very confusing. When you say "UPX" everything, do I have to copy files to special places? what exactly am I "UPX-ing"? Be specific, please.
Step 14. Delete the UPX files and the folder that says backup.
> When you say "the UPX files" - what are these? What extensions do they have? What might the names be?
Once again, I appreciate the time you spent creating this tutorial, but it is severely lacking in detail and explanation. Screen shot could be very helpful. If you can get me going here, I'd be happy to overhaul your instructions with screen shots and maybe a bit more detail.
Your help is appreciated.
Thanks,
ET
Im only 12 years old! I don't have a lot of time to spend on this. I will try on work on it, but between chores, school, and portable apping, this tut. is not getting as much time as it should.
That excuse will only work for about 6 more years then!
In the future, when you write something like this keep the beginners in mind. We need love, too!
Now stop reading this and go take out the trash!
Anyone else have some insight they can give?
Nerd,
This is a good start and I think it is what a lot of people are looking for. Step by step instructions with a little detail in each step. Coupled with a template and it would get people on their way. I'm not surprised there are no comments from regulars here on the site.
Keep it up...
I'm just getting into the dev side of portable apps, so this is an easy way for me to ease into it.
t looks like there are 2 routes to portable app development, NSIS and AutoIT. I'm familiar with both, although I'm most comfortable with the former. So, I'll probably investigate that route first.
The more info, the better though IMHO.
Sic semper tyrannosauro.
-------------------
Sic semper tyrannosauro.
I wasn't sure if i could post the examples because the apps i make are non open source. Perhaps i could just post the launcher? EDIT: It hit over 170 downloads. EDIT2: Im gonna have to change my file hoster. Any one know good file hosting services where you can upload and create an account for free.
I think he knows something about hosting stuff.
Arent you, Ryan?
"What about Love?" - "Overrated. Biochemically no different than eating large quantities of chocolate." - Al Pacino in The Devils Advocate
I think Simeon mean I host stuff.
Yes, send it to my email cubegames[at]gmail.com
----
Ryan McCue
Person 1: Oh my god. You will never believe what just happened.
Person 2: What?
Person 1: I can't remember, I've forgotten.
"If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate."
Im from swizerland, so somtimes my english doesnt make sense.
*stumbles on toooo complicated phrase and hits head hard on table "booom"*
"What about Love?" - "Overrated. Biochemically no different than eating large quantities of chocolate." - Al Pacino in The Devils Advocate
I sorta figured, since it's on your profile
That reminds me of when I used to bash my head against the wall. Good times
----
Ryan McCue
Person 1: Oh my god. You will never believe what just happened.
Person 2: What?
Person 1: I can't remember, I've forgotten.
"If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate."
Where's Linky? :lol:
Vintage!
Click on a poster's user name to see their profile (QL: https://portableapps.com/user/10927 )
----
Ryan McCue
Person 1: Oh my god. You will never believe what just happened.
Person 2: What?
Person 1: I can't remember, I've forgotten.
"If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate."
Well, I see a good future for this, provided that a method to extract keys from the registry and saving them to the registry file that is used in the first line of the script.
http://www.mediafire.com/?8ntj4uatu4d
Well, the instructions and links are updated, but the script is pretty much the same.
http://www.mediafire.com/?9ncdqntqrfz
Better format for the instructions, yes. And a funny tidbit at the end, but was that really necessary for an update?
People were complaining to me that it wasn't simple enough in another forum.
What's the purpose of the initial run command? It's opening the app 2 times.
I've found a better bit of code to do this, it even backs up your settings from the registry.
RunWait("regedit.exe /s filename.reg", @ScriptDir) RunWait("App\appname.exe") RunWait('regedit.exe /s /e "' & @ScriptDir & '\filename.reg" "AnykeylikeHKEY_CURRENT_USER\blah"') RunWait("regedit.exe /s filename2.reg", @ScriptDir)[Moderator RM note: Please use <pre> for code blocks instead of <code>]
Ill try it out and if its good, ill jack up the release to 2.0 for the hell of it. Instructions change I change the second number. Script change i jack up the release.
Dose anybody know of a good place to host my site? I tried freewebs and some other place.
I'll host it!
cubegames[at]gmail.com
----
Ryan McCue
Person 1: Oh my god. You will never believe what just happened.
Person 2: What?
Person 1: I can't remember, I've forgotten.
"If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate."
But im using googlepages with http://www.mediafire.com/. Thanks for the offer
Mind you, I don't like Google Pages.
----
Ryan McCue
Person 1: Oh my god. You will never believe what just happened.
Person 2: What?
Person 1: I can't remember, I've forgotten.
"If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate."
Come? I've always wanted a Google address. then i figured out how to do it without a mobile phone.
----
Ryan McCue
Person 1: Oh my god. You will never believe what just happened.
Person 2: What?
Person 1: I can't remember, I've forgotten.
"If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate."
1.2 has over 153 dl's! Im still working on 2.0. Twar3Draconis, whats the significance in the HKEY thing, to back up the key? For example HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Adobe would back up that key?
Yeah, it backs up the registry key. Quite handy, so that you don't have to modify any settings everytime.
http://www.mediafire.com/?9nzmljldjdd
Nerd, the guy in the other forum named Sam asked you to match the numbers with the letters as shown here http://xs.to/xs.php?h=xs411&d=07025&f=Port3.png purposely.
)
You are using the words "Export the reg keys", "The changed reg keys" and "Make a copy of the exported keys", now that might look familiar to you but not to me at all.
You should have answered etelford's post above in the first place as it's exactly the problem a lot of us are facing.
Please, don't take this amiss but the way you're writing the tutorial is just confusing ( just the registry part! )
Would appreciate a simple example, please name the registry keys you're talking about properly ( use letters or numbers
Thanks in advance.
Download 2.1 here
I just used this to make a portable Google earth launcher. Thanks
PORTABLE GOOGLE EARTH LAUNCHER:
https://portableapps.com/node/4917
Test it out. Tell me what you think
I'm going to test it out. I made a launcher for Google earth pro.....
EDIT: Very nice splash! How did ya make it? I'm not familer with auto it.
regshot!
It does the job so quickly, I'm impressed.
Ill try your tut this evening...
THX
"What about Love?" - "Overrated. Biochemically no different than eating large quantities of chocolate." - Al Pacino in The Devils Advocate
Link not work ^^
Link
New Link Dosen't work.
Know
I would like to get a copy of this guide, however, whenI try and download the latest version it says there is a problem, can someone email the guide to me? Or is there another guide / download
Thanks
joos
joos
A better solution would be a guide on how to use Portable NSIS and the ApplicationPortableTemplate both available on this site.
I just recently started playing with both, and it is really quite simple.
No more difficult that changing a batch file and compiling with some tool.
I unfortunately don't have the time or the experience with NSIS to write a guide.
SmithTech
"Because they stand on a wall and say, 'Nothing is going to hurt you tonight. Not on my watch.'" (A Few Good Men)
Coincidence is God's way of remaining anonymous.(Albert Einstein)
Link Download 2.1 here
I am making a Portable App, I edited your script so that it makes a backup of current settings.
RunWait('regedit.exe /s /e "' & @ScriptDir & '\Backup.reg" "HKEY_USERS\SOFTWARE\HELLO_WORLD"') RunWait("regedit.exe /s Portable.reg", @ScriptDir) RunWait("App\Program.exe") RunWait('regedit.exe /s /e "' & @ScriptDir & '\Portable.reg" "HKEY_USERS\SOFTWARE\HELLO_WORLD"') RunWait("regedit.exe /s Portable2.reg", @ScriptDir) RunWait("regedit.exe /s Backup.reg", @ScriptDir)I have 3 questions, first I'd like to move the .reg files to sub-folder, so it looks like this.
{root} Startscript.exe Readme.txt {App} Program.exe program.dll {Data} Portable.reg Portable2.reg Backup.regMy second question is, how can you make it backup multiple reg keys, basically combining the following.
RunWait('regedit.exe /s /e "' & @ScriptDir & '\Backup.reg" "HKEY_USERS\SOFTWARE\HELLO_WORLD"') RunWait('regedit.exe /s /e "' & @ScriptDir & '\Backup2.reg" "HKEY_USERS\SOFTWARE\GOODBYE_WORLD"')My last questions is, I'd like clear/remove the backup once I'm done, so I don't take any host information with me.
Thanks,
Mark
I have no clue
Ryan can help when he will be back (He is good at NSIS...)
"What about Love?" - "Overrated. Biochemically no different than eating large quantities of chocolate." - Al Pacino in The Devils Advocate
that's AutoIt, not NSIS.
----
Ryan McCue
Person 1: Oh my god. You will never believe what just happened.
Person 2: What?
Person 1: I can't remember, I've forgotten.
"If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate."
You can use AutoIt's Registry Delete functions, else you can run a registry file with a - before the HKEY. Ex:
instead of
Portable Apps Creation Master 1.0
A big one... And I guess that many portable apps also have it.
At startup you backup existing files (keys etc.) in a special directory on your app's drive. But what happens when you have not enough free space? You destroy existing settings. Sb. lends you his computer and you totally change his highly customized settings? And you won't even be warned... I think it's definitely inacceptable.
Workaround: I would by default try to store backups in temp. Why?
- It's usually located on the same partition as %APPDATA%, so moving it would be really faster. Even if not, USB 1.1 port is always a bottleneck, an old pendrive, even connected to USB 2, would also be slower than 2 local hard drives.
- You can run even w/out enough space on your portable.
- If you disconnect a pendrive before closing the application, you'll lose only the recent changes to YOUR application.
- Less write cycles on your drive.
If it fails (insufficient rights, no space, ...), portable app should try in it's directory. If this is also impossible - it should refuse to start or ask for a temporary place. Usually it can also try to store it in memory.
"Those people who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do." Asimov
Link does not seem to work - gives an error "bandwidth exceeded .....
Thanks
Steve
Thanks
Steve
Use Portable Apps Creation Master 1.2 (search for it)
if you want a new place to file host try mediamax.com
usually they will give you a folder to host stuff
Weeee!
...MediaMax is great.
Morality, Ha, That's classically humourous.