I was thinking that it would be nice to have a portable skype, and I saw a post somewhere about someone asking about using itunes for podcasting while traveling (portable itunes), but these programs are not open sourced so we can't do that, right. So I thought what if we could make a program that treated any application like it was portable, so if you had room you could install skype or itunes on a usb key. What do you think? Is this possible?
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Might be.
I would suggest a system that makes a "portable registry" and that auto-compresses files. IDK if the Portable Registry is even possible, but it might work. I've seen a few batch files out there that seem to do the job; here's one:
http://osx.soc.uh.edu/~jdavis/blog/2005/12/making-applications-portable-...
@echo offif not exist j_pmail.reg goto end
if exist %windir%\system32\reg.exe (set regapp=%windir%\system32\reg.exe) else (set regapp=reg.exe)
%regapp% export "HKCU\Software\Pegasus Mail" pmail-original.reg
%regapp% delete "HKCU\Software\Pegasus Mail" /f
%regapp% import j_pmail.reg
start /max /wait winpm-32.exe
%regapp% export "HKCU\Software\Pegasus Mail" pmail.reg
%regapp% delete "HKCU\Software\Pegasus Mail" /f
if exist pmail-original.reg %regapp% import pmail-original.reg
del pmail-original.reg >nul
set regapp=
:end
echo Done.
This is for an app called Pegasus Mail. You can get the basic idea and change it from there. Look and see what Registry entries are made, then back them up into Settings_AppName.reg. Then adjust this.
I'll post a modified version of this later, if I have time. It'll let you modify variables at the top of the code, instead of messing with everything. It shouldn't be too hard to port something like this to NSIS (I think JH already has a plan like this in the works), so somebody who can code in NSIS (http://nsis.sf.net) could work on this.
Cheers!
--nm35
Hello. By chance, I stumbled upon this, my own batch file. I admit, I'm pretty fond of this method. It's not foolproof (e.g., for programs that write all over the place or rely too much on various Registry entries, it's no good), but it works well for the programs I use it for. Thanks for the mention, nm35. JTH has expressed interest in creating just such a make-apps-portable program, but it's tricky stuff that will take time.
-- J44xm (http://j44xm.notlong.com)
It's a pity not more people use XML files to store settings.
Since JTH has been able to configure his portable apps to use a different folder for the userprofile, couldn't something similar be done with the Registry?
Some of the applications are open-source; we could suggest that an XML settings file be used. The good folks who made FileZilla (http://filezilla.sf.net) already use this system.
Personally, I would love a system that actually lets you lug your computer settings around. I have a custom theme (Royale) for WinXP that I wish I could use on other computers without installing (and needing Admin privileges). It would be nice to be able to take around the entire userprofile folder around (at least, the open-source parts of it) and carry around some settings from the Windows folder. (Of course, you'd probably need this 5GB USB key: http://w3t.org/?c=5gb_usb).
Another idea: Do everything with Firefox. There's a nifty extension called Firefoxit (http://firefoxit.mozdev.org) that lets you run a desktop to run "widgets" -- a Firefox Konfabulator, so to say -- that could be adapted for our purposes.
Kudos on the batch file, by the way...
Cheers!
~nm35
Please note that these instructions are now permanently at my freeware website, the URL to which is below in my signature. Thanks.
-- J44xm (http://j44xm.notlong.com)
so what does this do? does it forward all changes and reads to the registry to your fake registry? that'd be awesome!!
Essentially, this batch file merges your personal Registry settings for the program in question and then opens said program. Upon exiting the program, the batch file extracts up your personal Registry settings for that program and restores any pre-existing settings that might have been present before.
-- J44xm (http://j44xm.notlong.com)
Skype is very easy, just copy Skype.exe on your key and launch it using the parameters:
/datapath:"directory where skype data file are located" /removable
I use to put skype.exe in the public part of the usb key and I point it to use a directory in the encrypted disk I have on the usb (I use truecrypt to mount the crypted file as a virtual disk where I put all my personal data).
I just found this link on how to do that but the process that this person uses is much more complicated. Which is better?
http://forum.skype.com/viewtopic.php?t=24480
I am not exactly sure how to do that command. No problem in linux, but in windows I am not sure. Can you walk me through it?
I'm loving these ideas about making Skype portable. But there are so many theories floating around, so I figured that we should iron it out once and for all. It therefore made sense to start a dedicated thread on the Portable App Development Forum:
New Thread on creating Portable Skype