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adding non-portable apps to PA menu system?

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ElvisImprsntr
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adding non-portable apps to PA menu system?

Again, don't bash me for asking a dumb question and yes I have read some of the threads on similar subjects.

I have a scientific plotting application that my employer developed/provides (i.e. it is not a commercial licensed application) that is already kind of portable, in that is does not require admin privileges to install. I can and have successfully copied the directory structure from the "c:/Programs Folder" and placed in on a remove shared drive and USB thumb drives. I am not the only one that has done this for various reasons.

Now I would like to add this application to the PA menu. I have successfully created the necessary folders and created the necessary files according to the PA specification and moved the application and help files into the appropriate directories, maintain the libraries and sub-directories that application originally had. The application launches correctly and have not any problems using the application. The only two files I have not created is the {appname.exe and help.html file that PA requires in the top level application folder. From what I can tell the PA menu system needs a small executable file that presumable only opens a splash screen which then launches the application itself which resides in a sub folder. I tried to use sysinternals JUNCTION to create a symbolic link, but that does not work on a FAT32 formatted USB drive. I also tried creating shortcuts and placed them in the top level application folder, which unfortunately does not work either.

I am not a programmer by trade, but do have some computer background. For the help.html, I think I can manage generating an html page that points to the sub directory contain all the individual html files and images. For the executable that PA requires to be in the top level application directory, thats a completely different matter.

1. Why does PA even require this executable and why does PA menu system not parse though the applinfo.ini file I generated to look for the “[START]" and "control=” occurrences to add items to the PA menu?
2. Can PA menu system also work with shortcut links that I place in the top level folder that PA expects the splash screen and help.html file to reside?
3. Is there a different way to manually add individual program that may not have a splash screen executable or help file that resides in the top level folder?

Thanks,

Elvis

Simeon
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Wow

First of all, all the work you did with the different folders (App, Data, and Other) is only necessary if you want your App to become official or if you want it to work with the Backup program built into the Menu.
The Backup program has an option where it backs up all data in the /whateverPortable/Data folders so the backup is much faster than backing up the whole drive.

The small executable is not only doing the splash screen, but also redirecting the settings and taking care of eventual Registry entries to make the Application fully portable.

To make an Applications show up in the Menu, the folder layout is not required. If you have an Application that is already fully portable, just follow the guidelines here to make it show up in the Menu.

1. As I said before, the Launcher is required to take care of the Applications' settings. The “[START]" and "control=” sections of the appinfo.ini are for the next release of the Platform. They don't work with the current version.

2. No. And its unlikely that they ever will because shortcuts use absolute paths and they break as the drive letter changes.

3. Yes. the one outlined here.

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ElvisImprsntr
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Thanks for the prompt reply.

Thanks for the prompt reply.

Unfortunately, the application in question has a few other executable files that also must reside in the same directory for the application to work. These support applications/executables are typically transparent to the user of the application. Unfortunately, if I place the entire application directory and files as you prescribe, these support applications/executables will also show up in the PA menu. This clutters the PA menu with unnecessary links to files that I must wade though to get to the application I really want to launch.

Thanks again,

Elvis

P.S. Is there a plan to add expandable sub menu folders, e.g. place all the open office applications in an expandable sub menu? Or is that also a planned use of the "Category" tag in the appinfo.ini file? Just trying to help stay ahead of MS and Sandisk alliance to replace U3.

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wk
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there are severeal ways to manage your "too many .exes" problem

1)with the classic PAM you can use categorizer https://portableapps.com/node/8091
-> the easiest way for the official PAM
2)create a .bat file with relative path to the exe. lying in a subfolder and convert it with a bat2exe converter -> works like a starter and is recognized by PAM, sometimes by AV Scanners as false positive, too http://www.f2ko.de/English/index.php
3) use a prebuilt starter like here http://www.heise.de/software/download/special/pimp_my_stick/9_5 and use res hacker for customizing the icon
4)use a R3x mod to hide the unwanted exes http://usb.smithtech.us/projects/downloads/PortableAppsMenuMod34.zip ->some explanation here http://ptc.kain-planet.de/tutorial.php
5)Create a real PortableAppsLauncher to make it completely portable -> explanation in the development section on this site
6) wait for PAM 1.5 (it´s done when it´s done...)
So,this should be the full list of possible ways from 1=easy -> 5=difficult ->6=may take some time Wink

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J Neutron
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Lucky number 7

7. Use a menu mod (officially not supported, but that's because of #6).

Jim

neutron1132 (at) usa (dot) com

wk
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only lucky 4 1/2

4)use a R3x mod to hide the unwanted exes

"Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisici elit, sed eiusmod tempor incidunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis .." Friday Next -
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J Neutron
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Where did my glasses go?

Don't know how I missed seeing that the first time!

Jim

neutron1132 (at) usa (dot) com

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