These applications also work well when run from a fixed hard drive instead of a USB stick (or similar), and it makes it trivial to back up the full application, move it to another machine retaining settings, etc. In my opinion, for these reasons, they're much better than their non-portable equivalents.
You can choose to make the settings private to a single user account by putting the portable app in that users home directory. Disk space is cheap, so having a copy of the app for each user doesn't seem like a big deal. And having an app's settings shared across all users is also easy (stick it in Program Files).
So why aren't all applications "portable"?
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1. It's pretty hard to control who uses the program if it's portable (think about programs that aren't free)
2. Using %APPDATA% is an easy way to store settings for each user, and it provides protection against a casual user changing another's settings.
Vintage!
For 1, if you're talking about preventing unlicensed users from running commercial software installed on a shared machine, then yes I see the point. It's a shame though, and some of the principles of portable software could still be applied (but generally aren't!).
But for 2, if you don't want other users messing with your data can you not just put the portable apps in a folder that only you have access to? (E.g. your home directory.)
Separate instalation the same application for each user even now hardly makes sence. 10 yers ago, when hard drives were smaller (applicatioms also were, but hard drives capacity grew 200 times. Applications-no more than 10 times), it would be often impossible.
"Those people who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do." Asimov
I've found a neat way to "make" (downloaded) apps mobile - if not altogether 'portable':
1) Use the handy "Universal Extractor" (MAN I love that proggy!!! - where has it *been* my whole digital life?...) to unpack executables of the proggy you're interested in to a folder of yer choice...
2) Try running the app - once thusly unpacked - from said folder...
3) If it works fine, you just "made" yourself a brand spankin' new mobile/portable app!!!...
(If it don't work so well - or even, at ALL - well, at least you *tried*...)
UE Homepage:
http://legroom.net/modules.php?op=modload&name=Open_Source&file=index&pa...
DL link:
http://uniextract.c1pher.com/uniextract15_noinst.rar
"I don't hate cats...as long as they stay on the freeway, where they belong."
- Brad Stine
It doesn't make your app more portable, quite often doesn't work (but you can often repair it), just doesn't create any registry entries. Probably will make then as soon as you run it
"Those people who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do." Asimov
@ m2:
doesn't make your app more portable?... I beg to differ:
The alternative is, you run its native install routine, and it litters stuff all over the system's hard drive AND its registry (remember, this is WINDOWS, after all!). Plus, if you want to copy its folder over to your thumbdrive, you likely won't be able to run it at ALL, 'least not on any PC *other than* the one you installed it on...
.
In contrast, by using UE to unpack your app, the app may/may not leave registry entries on the host PC (when you run the proggy), but at least you'll be able to take it on your thumb and use it wherever you please. Also, you're not littering your HDD and C:\ drive with various & sundry files - everything's confined to the folder you tell UE to extract it to. Schweet!
.
I know it often doesn't work, but as I said, at least its worth trying. In my brief experience with UE (a few weeks worth), I'd hafta say that it DOES work more often than it doesn't. And - as you pointed out - you can sometimes "repair" it when it doesn't work.
.
Finally, as to registry entries, I generally couldn't care less. I'm not out to cover my tracks from anyone (I'm a basically honest bloke, after all). I'm merely out to be able to use the apps *I* enjoy using wherever I go, without mucking up someone else's system by installing/uninstalling stuff (and thereby not violating workplace IT policy, in the case of a workplace PC).
"I don't hate cats...as long as they stay on the freeway, where they belong."
- Brad Stine
Show me an app that's more portable when extracted than installed.
"Those people who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do." Asimov
Pretty much any app that UE successfully extracts that will run w/o further tinkering (more than half of the ones I've tried so far...)
"I don't hate cats...as long as they stay on the freeway, where they belong."
- Brad Stine
Why aren't all apps portable? - I did ask that myself a while ago and found the answer. Already said it here https://portableapps.com/node/5492.
Hey, we're talking about apps that are more portable when extracted then installed. If such application is working - ok, it's good. But you can achieve the same with installation - and you have (almost
) warranty that the application will run. To undo unwanted system (registry) changes, you can use RegShot or similar tool. It's still (in most cases) a lower effort.
"Those people who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do." Asimov
@m2:
Um, no, "lower effort" is when you don't hafta go thru UN-necessary steps - such as, using Regshot or other such tools.
Here's what I mean:
My routine:
----------------------------
1) Invoke UE
2) Use same to extract the app I'm interested in.
(UE closes *itself* once extraction is done, so no need to manually close it myself - thus avoiding an *additional* step.)
3) Run app to test if it runs OK
4) Copy over app (folder & all) to my thumbdrive. Satisfaction ensues.
Your routine:
---------------------------------
0)* Possibly invoke RegShot to monitor upcoming install
1) Run install routine of the app in question
2) Run app to test if it runs OK
2a)* Possibly manually close RegShot
3) Copy over app (folder & all) to my thumbdrive
4) Then invoke RegShot to erase unwanted system (registry) changes
4a)* If step 2a was needed, then repeat same here
5)* Possibly scratch head wondering what random files/folders were strewn about my filesystem - likely the C: drive - during step 1 (ones that RegShot didn't address - since you only spoke of RS addressing the registry, and not addressing file/folder creation...).
5a)* If step 5 applies, then systematically go about searching for and destroying said files/folders manually, or else with some other "search and destroy" type of tool...
Mathematical analysis of the above concludes that your routine may lead to more than TWICE as many steps as mine.
Now I've obviously not used RS, but every sort of uninstall proggy I *have* ever used over the years follows the path I've given above for RS - therefore, RS's mileage *may* vary. Nonetheless, at best your routine *equals* the number of steps as mine.
...And, since 'tis generally more desirable to not create a mess in the *first* place than to clean up *after* one, my routine could be said to be preferable.
"I don't hate cats...as long as they stay on the freeway, where they belong."
- Brad Stine
The continuous arguing and trying to prove each other wrong is really unnecessary...Preacher, your method does work in many cases, the other method will work as well. For those that don't care if files or registry traces are left behind on whatever computer the app is being run on, Preacher's method is much more time efficient. For people that have the issue of needing registry entries or some files removed after running, the additional effort of finding what reg keys and files are created, then writing a launcher to clean them up may be the better choice.
The developer formerly known as ZGitRDun8705
I still don't agree that it's faster (because usually you have to rename some files), Preacher probably will also won't get convinced. ZGitRDun8705, you're right. EOOT
"Those people who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do." Asimov
@ ZGitRDun8705:
Hmmm, I wasn't aware we were arguing...not all disagreements constitute 'argument', you know.
Arguments are generally much more hostile, and I have no hostility towards m2.
For those that don't care if files or registry traces are left behind on whatever computer the app is being run on?... Well, the first method leaves fewer of these behind in the first place (esp. files), ergo less cleanup to do afterwards if one is inclined to do any...
------------------
@m2:
Usually you have to rename some files?...
I'm not following you, since I can't think of any filenames I've had to change - can U give an example?...
Preacher don't need convincing. Preacher needs folks to realize that there's a nifty little method to "make" stuff portable for those who - like himself - care more about messy hard drives than about registry traces...
Um, what does "EOOT" stand for?...
/curious
"I don't hate cats...as long as they stay on the freeway, where they belong."
- Brad Stine
Actually, if they use Java, they don't really work.
Um, which "they" are you referring to?...
If you R referring to the apps we'd like to be portable, that's cool with me, since I don't want anything that's java-enabled/dependent anyway.
"I don't hate cats...as long as they stay on the freeway, where they belong."
- Brad Stine
EOOT == End Of Off Topic
All Inno Setup installers that install different versions of one file depending on users choice (i.e. language files) use names: "file,0" "file,1",...
In such case to make it work, you need to compare these files, choose, which you want to use and remove ",x"
Let's finish this discussion, it's not so vital whether to install or unpack, just a matter of preferences and possible traces..on one machine. (For me - always my own one)
EDIT: It seems I'm tired, I wrote NSIS instead of Inno Setup.
"Those people who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do." Asimov
installrite might be better:
http://www.epsilonsquared.com/
or if you want to pay:
http://www.ashampoo.com/frontend/products/php/product.php?session_langid...