Hi Everyone,
My task db file 'my.tsk' was located in "x:\ProgFiles\TaskCoachPortable\Data\" directory. Today I got new flash drive and I move my PortableApps. All of them worked with no problem, except TaskCoach. The new location is "y:\PortableApps\TaskCoachPortable\Data\". When I started it I got an error message:
"Cannot open Y:\ProgFiles\TaskCoachPortable\Data\my.tsk because it doesn't exist"
Looks like the luncher has detected that new drive letter is "Y:", but it did not detected the change of base directory from "ProgFiles" to "PortableApps"
Thank you,
SAL-e
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Can you manually open the file (File - Open)? I think it's just a most recently used file (it doesn't have to be in the Data directory) so the launcher just updates the drive letter. Some people keep it in their Documents directory, for instance. So, after you manually open it, it should remember it.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
Thank you John for your quick response. Yes, I tested your suggestion and it worked.
This workaround makes now this bug low priority!
For consistency with other applications would be nice to be fixed. If no one of more experienced developers have time to fix it, I would like to try over the weekend. It should be simple and good learning experience for me.
If I am successful, how I should submit the patch?
Also Is there documentation how the PortableApps interact with each other and the special folders like 'Documents' and others. I would like to move all app's settings directories into 'Documents' folder. This will simplify my backup and encryption of my personal data.
Sure thing.
It is consistent with other apps. The AppNamePortable\Data directory is for settings and things that an app usually manages "internally" (from a user perspective) often in Application Data on a normal PC. Task Coach's tsk files don't fall under that category... they're just files you can store where you'd like. So, the launcher doesn't move them "with" the app... it just updates the drive letter (assuming you're moving PCs). Many features of many of the apps work this way, especially most recently used file lists and things of that nature. Keep in mind that these apps are generally meant to be installed on a drive at X:\PortableApps\AppNamePortable and then moved around between PCs or copied to a new drive (when you upgrade) in the same location. Most of the apps support moving the whole app to totally new locations, but that isn't always the case and it isn't generally recommended.
Each app handles the special folders differently internally. There will be some more consistency with the upcoming platform release. But it'll still be different pieces... internal app data will be in AppNamePortable\Data for each app... documents go in X:\Documents and the Backup utility understands them both.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
John,
Our dialog went off subject of the original post that is why I created new thread:
https://portableapps.com/node/13295
I have following question and and really appreciate your help and work.
Thank you.
I recently moved my frequent use portable apps into my "dropbox" cloud storage (so I don't have to drive back home again to get my usb stick when I forget to put it in my pocket!). However I have a different username on the different computers - so that my dropbox winds up with a different base directory name and thus loses its *.tsk file.
Of course as soon as one knows what the problem is it is easy to go find it again so it is not a big problem. But it would be so much nicer if the program would notice that the *.tsk file is being run from the same (or a sub) folder that the program itself is running from and simply use relative addressing from where it is.
I wonder if I can simply edit the TaskCoach.ini file and change the "recentfiles = [...*.tsk]" line to use a relative address. From past experience with other packages it only works once - the first time - and then it gets overwritten with the full path again on exit. Besides which it is not easy to guess which base directory is the one to replace with the ".\" or "..\" relative addressing flag (ie should it be the base directory of the TaskCoach.ini file or the taskcoach.exe or the TaskCoachPortable.exe launcher?
Since I largely have control of the computers I use, I guess I could repartition the hard drive on each computer to provide a dedicated partition for my dropbox so that the standard portableapps drive letter substitution works. But that seems a significant hassle, as does trying to synchronize my usernames this far down the track.
For now I will just keep finding the *.tsk file every time I change computers!
JohnW
Task Coach Portable is packaged by the app's publishers, but it's using an older launcher that only portablizes the drive letter, not the full path. As we'll be sending them an updated launcher and installer shortly, we'll make sure it has full path portablization like all our modern launchers do.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!