Hi everyone,
I'm the author of a shareware application* that already supports an optional portable mode where all of the application files are stored in the same directory as the exe. The installer uses InnoSetup, and asks whether to create a normal or portable install and puts things appropriately.
I've looked through the unofficial PAF specs, and they say a specific directory structure is necessary, but it doesn't say why.
1) Are the "App" and "Other" folders necessary in general, or are they only useful to the NSIS templates? I don't need a launcher and having my main exe as D:\PortableApps\XyzPortable\Xyz.exe appears to work.
2) I'm assuming the "Data" folder is necessary to make the '"App Data" backup' option work, correct?
3) In the unofficial specs it mentions a "help.html" under "(AppName)Portable". Is that available from the menu somehow? Is there any reason why that's better than just having my chm file there?
4) Why should my app install to "(AppName)Portable" and not just "(AppName)"?
5) Is there a way to get my application listed on https://portableapps.com/apps, and if so what are the requirements?
* The forum guidelines appear to say mentioning my product by name or setting my profile homepage to my company site is against the rules, so I've left them off.
Thanks,
Craig
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The PAF specs you saw are unofficial and should not be used. They don't denote why or what's going on and are incomplete. This is one of the reasons I didn't want unfinished specs published.
At this time, PortableApps.com is devoted to open source software. We'll be adding freeware that we package as well as the ability for payware publishers to package their apps for the PortableApps.com Platform probably sometime this month.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
Could you have managed to state that he could look at Toucan for more information
And is it this month or next year?
Or tommorrow, like that email I await?
Too many lonely hearts in the real world
Too many bridges you can burn
Too many tables you can't turn
Don't wanna live my life in the real world
Looking at Toucan won't help. PortableApps.com Format is not yet open to commercial software like shareware.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
Thanks John. Is there any way I can get notification if/when you open it to commercial apps, or do I just need to check the forums periodically?
Drop an email to the business development address on the contact page and I'll place you on the notification list.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
This is one of the reasons I didn't want unfinished specs published
Well, you did tell us a few times they were nearly ready to be posted, but still haven't. Developers are running clueless around wondering what to do, and we get little confirmation from you on certain specifications, so naturally unofficial ones were started to help developers.
What does your app do?
Insert original signature here with Greasemonkey Script.
It's a file & folder comparison utility, similar to WinMerge, with the initials BC.