Hello,
I'm the project admin of DocFetcher, an Open Source desktop search application, and I'd like to know what has to be done to make DocFetcher compatible with Portable Apps. There's already a portable version of DocFetcher (available on the program website), but it's probably not PAF compatible yet.
Program: DocFetcher
License: Open Source/Eclipse Public License
Description: Desktop search application
Website: http://docfetcher.sourceforge.net
Other: Portable version already available
Regards
q:-)
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and welcome here
A good point to start is the Development section. Take a look at the PortableApps.com specs, it outlines the folder layout and what files go where etc...
Is there a way to point DocFetcher to java? If not it would be nice if this could be implemented because we store Java in a designated place on the stick so users can run java apps even if it isn't installed on the PC they're using.
If I find the time I will take a look at your application and report back after the weekend.
"What about Love?" - "Overrated. Biochemically no different than eating large quantities of chocolate." - Al Pacino in The Devils Advocate
"Is there a way to point DocFetcher to java? If not it would be nice if this could be implemented because we store Java in a designated place on the stick so users can run java apps even if it isn't installed on the PC they're using."
Is this mandatory? Because this could be very tricky... DocFetcher Portable has 3 different launchers, one EXE and one batch script for Windows, and there's also a shell script for Linux. I could modify the shell script to point to a custom Java runtime. Modifying the batch script would be a lot more difficult, if possible at all. However, DocFetcher does not have to ship with this batch script. And for the EXE, I don't really know if this can be done, because the EXE is generated by a third party program called Launch4J. (I could try to find out though.)
Yes, it can be done Java Portable
Couple of apps use Java Portable
Eclipse Portable
RSSOwl Portable
OpenOffice Portablee
EDIT: But, im not sure it can be done for Linux :/
"It's just an online installer. It's not going to mug you.", JTH
"The shell is the key to unlock Linux's greatest advantages."
Ah, I see. DocFetcher and RSSOwl are very similar technology-wise (they're both built on Java SWT), so theoretically there's no reason why it shouldn't be possible to portablize DocFetcher. If there are any issues, we can simply look at RSSOwl...
The current DocFetcher portable can be run on both Windows and Linux. Is this a problem?
I think it might be a problem, because there is no Java portable for Linux. Can DocFetcher run in WINE? If it can it should work and you wont need the Linux scripts.
"It's just an online installer. It's not going to mug you.", JTH
"The shell is the key to unlock Linux's greatest advantages."
Sorry, Wine is not an option. DocFetcher already runs fine on Linux, and a Wine version could only be worse in every way possible: More bugs, slower, uglier, harder to maintain... :/
If I'm not mistaken, all it takes is a Linux shell script in the root directory, right next to the EXE, and the user must have a Java runtime installed, which ships with most Linux distros these days. So, can I put the shell script in the root directory?
If you do I don't know if it will be in paf format or not.
I think it would be best to take out the linux scripts.
@ a more knowledge PA.c developer. Can you answer this?
Also, If you want I can work on it tonight and see what I can get done, I don't know if I would be able to get it to use Java Portable or not But I will try.
"It's just an online installer. It's not going to mug you.", JTH
"The shell is the key to unlock Linux's greatest advantages."
"I think it would be best to take out the batch script and the linux scripts.
Also, If you want I can work on it tonight and see what I can get done, I don't know if I would be able to get it to use Java Portable or not But I will try."
Well, you don't have to... Actually, I intented to rewrite DocFetcher from scratch within 1-2 months in order to get rid of some legacy code, and I thought the rewrite would be a good opportunity to make DocFetcher PortableApps compliant along the way.
So I thought that I could do this myself, and that it would be a good idea to first ask in this forum about the things I have to keep in mind when I do it.
So, what about the Linux script in the root directory?
When I made my firs portable app I was told to move the settings back and forth before and after running the app to the Data file (see here for the Directory and File Layout).
So, I think if you have a linux script that does that that should be ok.
"It's just an online installer. It's not going to mug you.", JTH
"The shell is the key to unlock Linux's greatest advantages."
Im looking for another easy program to make portable.
I can put it in PA.c format for you if you want
All I would need to know is where it keeps its settings at.
"It's just an online installer. It's not going to mug you.", JTH
"The shell is the key to unlock Linux's greatest advantages."
For the moment at least, forget about Linux support, just make it Windows-portable.
I've done several Java programs with my PortableApps.com Launcher Test, which is now morphing into the official PortableApps.com Launcher which is soon to be released. I would recommend in particular that you take a look at how my GanttProject Portable works with it. I think you would find it very straightforward to adapt (just replace GanttProject with DocFetcher right through and then see about the starting parameters for DocFetcher; if you used user.home then settings can be kept very easily with -Duser.home=%DATADIR%\settings in the arguments for javaw.exe). For other Java applications I have done, see here (the ones marked "Java"). They all use my launcher test and the launcher configuration is thus fairly simple.
Feel free to ask any more questions you have.
I am a Christian and a developer and moderator here.
“A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” – Proverbs 15:1
Okay, I'll check it out when I have time
See the following thread to make Docfetcher nominally portable:
https://sourceforge.net/p/docfetcher/discussion/702424/thread/430d6676/
++ We want that app as portable