Last night, I downloaded WinRAR Unplugged, which is a portable version of WinRAR that's not on the PA site. Now, I really wanted it on the PortableApps Suite (it just makes life easier) so I figured out how to get this, or any portable program, to appear in that window.
First, you need to go into your flash drive using My Computer- out of the PortableApps Suite. Then, create a folder in the main removable drive called "Background Programs" (or whatever you feel like naming it). Then, create a sub-folder called "EnterTheAppsNameHere Portable". Now, install- or copy/paste all of the files- into the subfolder.
Now this is where it gets tricky. Go into your Portable Apps Suite Folder. For me it was E:\PortableApps. Now create a new folder, something like "AppNameHere Portable", so if you were using WinRAR, it would be "WinRAR Portable". Leave this file empty for now. Go back to your desktop, and create a new text document by right-clicking on your desktop, going to new, and pressing "New Text Document", and type in the following:
@echo off
Start NameOfTheExecutable.exe -source "WhereTheFileIs"
So, for me, I typed:
@echo off
Start winRAR.exe -source "E:\Background Programs\winrar Portable\"
Now, go to File > Save as, and save it to a location that's easy to fine, and name it "WinRAR Portable.bat", with the quotes. To make sure that everything went well, double click on the file that you just created. It should bring up winRAR.
Download a free .bat to .exe program at http://www.download.com/3000-2069_4-10715331.htm. Run this program, and you should see a gray box that pops up. In the first field "Batchfile", click on the ... to the right of the text field and select the .bat file you created. Ignore the Include box, and go to the one under it- the Iconfile box.
This box is here if you want to select the WinRAR icon (it will be displayed in your PortableApps menu) to go with it. Now, although this is not necessary, it makes it look a bit more professional, so I'll show you how to do it.
Download the icon from http://files.filefront.com/WINRARICO/;5484621;/fileinfo.html, and place it on your desktop. Go to the Bat to EXE program you were just in, and go to the Iconfile box. Click on the ... button, and find the icon file you just downloaded. Select it, and press "Ok". You don't need to do anything with the Save As box- it should already have something in it.
Now hit "Compile" at the bottom of the screen. You should now see a .exe named WinRAR Portable on your desktop. Go into your flash drive using My Computer, and double click on "PortableApps". You remember the folder you made earlier? Go to it, and copy the WinRAR Portable.exe you made with the compiler into it.
Restart the PortableApps Suite tray, and it's there!
I know these instructions were long and complicated, but it's all there, I think. I'm really sorry if this was already posted, in the wrong forum, or if everyone knows this and I'm just behind the times. Hope this helps!
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I only see one problem:
If the drive letter changes, I doubt the shortcut will still be working.
I don't know anything about bat files but do they support relative paths. If they do you might want to use them...
And if the App has an exe and doesn't need any parameters, you can just place it in the folder where you put your "bat2exe program" and it will show up in the menu.
Or you could use NSIS to make a small Launcher cause it supports relative paths.
And btw my comments aren't meant as "destructive criticism"
"What about Love?" - "Overrated. Biochemically no different than eating large quantities of chocolate." - Al Pacino in The Devils Advocate
place your program into portableapps folder and is done...
And next time, please search, this have been posted many many many many times...
If a packet hits a pocket on a socket on a port,
and the bus is interrupted as a very last resort,
and the address of the memory makes your floppy disk abort,
then the socket packet pocket has an error to report
Yea. I liked the guy that thot he was actually making apps portable when he wrote a bat for the apps and converting it to an exe.
Were the instructions on the suite support page not simple enough? You just copy the program into PortableApps\WhateverPortable. Nothing more.
Also, your steps won't work. Start winRAR.exe -source "E:\Background Programs\winrar Portable\" will not automatically adjust each time the drive letter changes.
"If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate."