Hello,
I use applications from PortableApps.com since years, but since the combination of some portable apps I have some path problems.
I dislike the default path structure with:
PortableDrive:\
+\PortableApps\
+\AnyApplicationPortable\
My path structure is like this
PortableDrive:\
+\Software\
+\AnyApplication\
If you use portable applications like WinSCP with PUTTY/Notepad++ integration it will not work. Thats why I suggest a *new* ini file in the PortableApps folder (or folder Software). This ini file should store the path to the application directory:
Structure.ini
[Directories]
Documents=..\Documents
Pictures=..\Pictures
Videos=..\Videos
WorkspaceEclipse=..\Documents\Workspace\Eclipse
WorkspaceKompoZer=..\Documents\Workspace\KompoZer
[7-ZipPortable]
ApplicationPath=7-Zip
ApplicationVersion=4.57.0.0
[JavaPortable]
ApplicationPath=CommonFiles\Java
ApplicationVersion=1.6.0.06
[PUTTYPortable]
...
There are some advantages of this file:
1. PortableApps Installer can easily read out the Version for update
2. a PortableApps Updater (if someone will develop one) has just to check this file
3. any portable application launcher can use this to link correctly to other portable application
4. the "problem" with CommonFiles and the access to them like Java/NSIS/GTK+ and so on is solved
5. you can easily add special folders like a workspace folder for Eclipse\Kompozer etc
What do you think?
P.S. I know, my english is horrible
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I think its a good idea but parts of it are already solved differently:
The updater checks the AppnamePortable/App/AppInfo/AppInfo.ini where the info for the new Platform is stored (version number, icons, description etc). I think some Apps already use the driveletter/Documents as a standard place to save documents to.
I don't know it exactly but I think the installer doesn't check the version number of the installed version. Maybe it would be an idea to have it check that and delete the necessary files accordingly.
What "Problem" are you referring to. I think the Apps check for DefaultDataon a per-App base...
And afaik the integration of one App with another fails because of the Application and no because of the path. It is easy to have the Launcher check for a specific App and change the configuration if its there. Maybe that just isn't done right.
Just my 2 cents...
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as I recall, there will be an environment variable for the docs, etc. so you can do stuff like use it from the computer.
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@5 I don't use the PAM, i use PStart, because there are more options for starting & stopping apps. That's also the reason for using another folder structure.
There are many other tools (like SpeedCommander, SyncBack SE..) I use and they are not open source, but portable.
@6 this structure.ini will make it unnecessary having this folder. Another place for this file would be directly at the root of drive, so installer has just to check it (like he check at the moment for the PortableApps folder)
I use ASuite (former PStart user, but ASuite's XP-style menu won me over) for the same reason (total control over everything), but PAM really isn't designed for our use case. It's basically meant for a novice to just throw on their drive without regard to details like directory structure, etc. and go. For that type of user, PAM is sufficient, I think.