Program: Algodoo Phun Edition; Phun 5.28
License: Freeware
Description: Phun is the parent of Algodoo, a physics simulator being sold commercially for schools to use to teach physics. It has the best physics I have ever seen, having searched for years for a good, free physics simulator. You basically draw things, and they become real, subject to collision, gravity, appearance, friction, restitution, attraction, air friction, and others I am not able to remember as of now. There are tools for making rectangles, circles, polygons (different from rectangles and circles because these are specially scripted), springs, "tracers," and others. You can also, using another menu in it, cut, resize, fix, hinge, and perform CSG on objects among other actions. People have made everything from simple cars to typewriters to stunning images to interesting contraptions to simple computers to airplanes to skeletons with this program. Phun was and is free, whereas its child Algodoo is priced at around $41.50 (€29). I suggest Phun for obvious reasons here. Basically, Algodoo (currently - both Phun and Algodoo are promised to recieve updates) is one update ahead of Phun, so most scenes posted on Algodoo's filesharing website can be opened by Phun. Most scenes are also made by Phun, as there are more Phun users there.
Websites: http://www.algodoo.com/wiki/Home - Algodoo's Website (Phun download not available there)
http://www.phunland.com/wiki/Home - Phun's (frozen) Website (Download Available)
Other:
This program, I think, would be useful to PortableApps because: It could go in the "Education" section, because that section is relatively small, and PortableApps could use some more diversity in its Education section. It would help Phun and Algodoo gain popularity with the people here at PortableApps.com, while simultaneously letting PortableApps gain popularity with the people at Algodoo.com.
Approximate Program Size (its size on my flash drive): 41112.71 KB; 40.1491 MB
NOTE: This program meets the "Portability" requirement. None of its files are saved to the hard drive, except for its desktop icon, which is of no importance here.
Perhaps you (whoever will convert this to a portableapp, if possible) could get in touch with the administrators and algodoo.com, or get in touch with Ken (the boss of the company that made Phun and Algodoo) or Emil (Author of Phun and Algodoo), and ask them for permission since this is not Open Source.
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Anyone at all? Does this seem realistic or not? Is it possible? Feedback?
- Chase Somero
Hey! I know you!
If you don't use the installer (extract from a ZIP archive), Phun doesn't write to the registry.
Hey! Where'd it go?
I never knew it actually wrote to the registry ever... I used the installer and still have no problem with it running portably. I just thought it would be cool to have it as a portableapp. So, how's it coming down there at algodoo's forums (too lazy to look)?
- Chase Somero
The program doesn't. When you run the installer, though, it associates the PHN and PHZ filetypes with Phun/Algodoo. This doesn't happen if you copy the installed files to your flash drive, however.
Hey! Where'd it go?
Why would you want to use the .zip file then? Does that make it associate .phn and .phz files with phun on any computer?
- Chase Somero
Well, the ZIP file allows you to simply extract the program to the directory of your choice, rather than use the installer and have to copy the files from there. For the sake of portability, you can't run the installer on every computer you meet, either. If you want Phun to run portably, simply get the program and all of the needed files in the directory, as your normal Phun install would need to be (Phun.exe, it's dlls and config files, \Screenshots, \Scenes, and \Scenes\Phunlets). That's it. If you want true portability, you have to go without file associations, unless you try the PortableApps File Associator (I think it's called) in the Beta testing section here.
Hey! Where'd it go?
I just used the installer, but selected for it to install on my flash drive. I never had to copy files anywhere, except for once when I had to get it on a laptop but didn't want to install it so I just copied my Phun and put it in.
So, it works fine, but, like you said, it doesn't associate with .phn and .phz files. I'll check out the File Associator.
- Chase Somero
There's another issue, doing that. If you direct the installer to install to C:\Programs\Algodoo Phun Edition, you have your nice, proper HD install, with the files associated to run with the file at C:\Programs\Algodoo Phun Edition, on your computer. So, if you run the installer again, and direct it at X:\PortableApps\, where it'll install a \Algodoo Phun Edition directory, you have just reassigned that registry entry to open the PHZ and PHN formats with the executable at X:\PortableApps\Algodoo Phun edition. It won't write to another computer's hard drive, but you changed the setting on your computer, and now have to fix the issue by reinstalling to C:\Programs, which edits the appropriate registry entry to assign the PHN/PHZ formats to open with the exe file in C:\Programs\Algodoo Phun Edition.
Hey! Where'd it go?