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Import configuration from Installed to Portable Winmerge.

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April 12, 2008 - 11:34am
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Alan_B
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Import configuration from Installed to Portable Winmerge.

I recently installed the Portable version of Winmerge 2.6.14 on my external USB Hard Drive.

I abhore the default configuaration when I launch it from the PortableApps.com menu.

It does what I want if I use Windows Explorer to select and double click
H:\PortableApps\WinMergePortable\App\WinMerge\WinMergeU.exe

Before I knew of PortableApps, I INSTALLED Winmerge 2.6.12. on my Drive C:\, and spent a lot of time adjusting its configuration to meet my exact needs. I do not wish to repeat all that work again.

I believe the Windows Explorer launch causes portable 2.6.14 to use the registry settings as left by the last use of installed 2.6.12, where-as the PortableApps Menu launcher temporarily replaces those settings with the contents of
H:\PortableApps\WinMergePortable\Data\settings\WinMerge.reg,
which I inspected and found to be a simple "Regedit4" registry file for key
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Thingamahoochie] plus sub-keys and data.

I assume I simply have to export this key during, or immediately after, using the Installed 2.6.12, and then I can use it to replace the default ...\settings\WinMerge.reg - but I would appreciate confirmation and advice upon any hazards, or any better method.

p.s. I am really pleased to see that version 2.8 is now Portable and look forward to migrating to this - but just one thing at a time - I have difficulty coping with more than one disaster at a time, and anything involving the registry can be a double disaster all by itself !!!

p.p.s. I assume that after I get Portable 2.6.14 working as I wish, I can download version 2.8 and then use the Menu Options / "Install a New App" to simply update

Alan

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April 12, 2008 - 11:50am
ZachHudock
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By doing a direct launch of

By doing a direct launch of WinMergeU.exe, the launcher isn't used at all, therefore breaks portability. All you have to is export the key that contains your local settings and save that file as WinMerge.reg, and move the file into /Data/settings.

I wouldn't call using the app's default settings a disaster either. It's the way the base app is configured by default on ALL local installs. Any customization is up to you. If you aren't running WinMergePortable.exe, it is NOT portable, settings will be left behind.

Yes, after you get the configuration the way you want it, running the install option from the menu will update it correctly. Your /Data/settings folder is not touched by the installer, unless there were major configuration changes between the two versions of the base application.

The developer formerly known as ZGitRDun8705

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April 12, 2008 - 12:20pm
(Reply to #2)
Alan_B
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ZachHudock Thank you for

ZachHudock
Thank you for your advice and re-assurance.

I do not think the default configuration is a disaster.
The disasters I had in mind come from 30 years experience with computers, where a simple upgrade has sometimes gone horribly wrong - and this was with nothing more complicated than *.ini files, and I have had an awful lot of aggravation in the last two years with Windows XP and its registry !!!

I accept that the "default" configuration is standard and not unique to PortableApps.
Perhaps I came on too strong by saying I abhor it - it is just that there is so much more information which my customized configuration gave me, and it took 2 screens width so I carefully positioned the "important" details to the left, fully occupying the screen, with the less important details on the right and out of sight until I scroll sideways. i.e. my customization was not a simple "digital" selection of items and their sequence, but also a complex interactive "analogue" adjustment of the widths of each column to optimise the amount of relevant information that is presented without scrolling.

Once again, thank you

Alan

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April 13, 2008 - 12:10am
Ryan McCue
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Export, Save.

Export your HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Thingamahoochie key and save it as Data\settings\WinMerge.reg

"If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate."

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