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POD (Portable, Open Desktop)

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crazy2be
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POD (Portable, Open Desktop)

Application: POD (Portable, Open Desktop)
Category: Utilities
Description: POD (previously called PotableEnv) is a tool that allows you to take your desktop with you. You can make shortcuts to portable programs, and start this up to have your own desktop.

Please note, this is still highly experimental! As a result, it has not been packaged into a .paf.exe, and is not recommended for use in public places. If you want to pack it into a .paf.exe, go ahead. I can host the file and provide a link here.

For older versions and old discussions, go to https://portableapps.com/node/22090.

Release Notes:

0.0.6 (Jan 27, 2010):

  • Added a builtin $(Path) variable, so that you can set the desktop path relative to the executable.
  • Did some preliminary work on saving icon positions, although it doesn't seem to work reliably yet.



0.0.5 (Jan 27, 2010):

  • This version supports using $(Variables) (CASE SENSITIVE) in the ini file, the only builtin one is $(Drive), one usually equates to E:\. However, you can define your own:

    [Main]
    Var1=Foo
    Var2=$(Var1)/Bar
  • Also, if the first non-whitespace character is a '#' or a ';', the line is considered a comment and ignored. Multi-line values are possible:

    [Main]
    MultiLine=P
    O
    D

    However, none of the lines following the first one can contain an = sign, nor can their first non-whitespace character be ; or #.
  • One final thing : Be weary of using the \. (note in my examples, i use a /). At a later date, i may decide to make the \ into an escape character, as is the standard in most of the (non-windows) world.

gluxon
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Nice, I'm checking the on how

Nice, I'm checking the on how you handled the shortcut thing now Smile

[Edit: Wait, why'd you do this in C++, it's just making it harder for yourself. And the only advantage is cross platform, but that's kind of pointless on Mac and Linux though]

crazy2be
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Making it harder?

It's what i know, it's what all my tools are set up to use, and it is what i have written most of my former projects in. Using NSIS for this would just be a headache for me to learn a new language, when C++ does it just as well if not better. Plus, i can make use of all of the millions of code samples on the Internet whenever i want to do something, and it could theoretically be ported to mac or Linux some day (although that is unlikely, it is theoretically possible).

The shortcut handling isn't ideal. It assumes that all the shortcuts point to programs on the removable drive. As such, it does it like this:

for each shortcut in *; do
  std::string Contents = shortcut.readAll();
  int pos = Contents.find(':');
  while (pos != std::string::npos) {
    Contents[pos-1] = ;
    pos = Contents.find(':', pos+1);
  }
  shortcut.write(Contents);
done;

Basically, it searches through the file, finds ':', replaces the character before it with the current drive letter of the removable drive, and then writes the file back to disk. The code above isn't the actual code, just a mix of javascript, bash, and C++ wherever i felt one language was more natural. Ideally, it would keep track of the previous drive letter, and only replace the ones that started with that drive letter, but that is error prone if people yank it out... so it will likely just stay like this.

Oni-Neoxes
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Awesome!

I've actually been looking forward to this. This has potential.

Happy-Rob
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My wife will KILL me

This has so much potential, I gave 0.0.6 a go - bad move.

The desktop seems to be attached to no folder, and so has only My documents, my computer and the recycle bin in it.

I put a shortcut in the my desktop folder to the usual desktop to make it usable, but HOW DO I GET MY DESKTOP BACK?

I have ran all 3 executables (stop, portableenv and portableenvdbg) but they either say invalid handle or access denied. I tried turning the computer off and on, nothing happened.

I know, caveat emptor, carpe diem, buyer beware, etc, but HELP!!!

HappyRob

Happy-Rob
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and

it was my wifes computer...

HappyRob

Happy-Rob
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I'm OK

I'm a newbie at all this stuff, but I saved my own bacon.

I went run - regedit, then to the folder...
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders

(I got that from Reg_Backup.reg), had a peek to see what things were like,
then went to desktop and put in...

%USERPROFILE%\Desktop

and then got the heck out of there!

Mucking about in the registry makes me VERY nervous

But when this is fully working, this program is going to be SO cool, especially if combined with expresso and the wallpaper bit already in the suit.

(Anybody know when expresso will be out of beta? Or when Pod will be out of beta too?)

HappyRob

computerfreaker
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eXpresso

Happy-RobAnybody know when expresso will be out of beta?

I don't think it will, actually.
eXpresso is made using AutoHotKey, a language which (IIRC) trips a lot of antivirus software. Of course, eXpresso is NOT malicious, but there's been a lot of malware made with AHK and now a lot of AV stuff grabs pretty much any AHK app it finds.
Because of the AV problem, I'm pretty sure eXpresso's going to need a rewrite in another language before it go official.

"The question I would like to know, is the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe and Everything. All we know about it is that the Answer is Forty-two, which is a little aggravating."

OliverK
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That's autoit that used for

That's autoit that used for malware, but I wouldn't put any bets on expresso getting out.

Course, I've never had any flags for any of the autoit apps (malware bytes and avast), but plenty for the others. Symantic regularly deleted the CafeMod4b.exe on me. Even when I compiled it myself.

Too many lonely hearts in the real world
Too many bridges you can burn
Too many tables you can't turn
Don't wanna live my life in the real world

crazy2be
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Sorry, i need to make a help file for this...

But if you run into troubles, or want to restore the original desktop, just double-click Reg_Backup.reg, and it will be restored when explorer is restarted (or when you reboot or logout/login). However, this will only work if you don't run the desktop program again, since it stores the state of the registry key when it starts.

Of course, if the PortableEnv.exe file is still running, restore the desktop by running Stop.exe.

crownixx
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I kinda like this project,

I kinda like this project, and i also did google info regarding icon position. Well, I don't believe Windows save the desktop icons position in the registry. Try take a look at dipos source code. The developer was not looking at the registry when saving the icon's position.
http://sourceforge.net/projects/dipos/

I did try 0.0.6 and get error "The handle is invalid". Anyway, your method closing the explorer.exe have similar behavior to method sending wm_quit to Progman (in my other post), that is the Startup Group is rerun back when you restart explorer.exe

To avoid the Startup Group rerun back, create a a volatile registry key below before you run back the explorer.exe.
"HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\SessionInfo\{some value here}\StartupHasBeenRun"

You need to find {some value here} fist as it is unique and in different in each account/pc

Source: http://www.experts-exchange.com/Programming/System/Windows__Programming/...

computerfreaker
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You can generate a random

You can generate a random GUID for the {some value here}: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/176790

btw, to access the experts-exchange page without registering, use Google Cache and scroll to the bottom of the page. It's a well-known, long-standing EE bug.

"The question I would like to know, is the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe and Everything. All we know about it is that the Answer is Forty-two, which is a little aggravating."

Chris Morgan
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Not even the cache

You don't even need to use the Google cache any more: just scroll down the page.

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

computerfreaker
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You sure? I just checked on

You sure? I just checked on my FFP install, and nothing visible except "Author comment", "Expert comment", etc. (no comments shown, of course; just the headings).
Maybe you mean IE or Chrome?

"The question I would like to know, is the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe and Everything. All we know about it is that the Answer is Forty-two, which is a little aggravating."

Chris Morgan
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Hmm...

I use Chrome now and it handles it fine, but I've also used it on Firefox before and had it work. Are you sure you're scrolling right down to the bottom of the page?

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

computerfreaker
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yes

yes, I'm scrolling all the way to the bottom: http://i50.tinypic.com/qx8ajo.png

I've heard some browsers let you scroll all the way to the bottom to view EE threads, while some require using Google Cache. Not a big deal either way, IMHO.

Cheers!

"The question I would like to know, is the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe and Everything. All we know about it is that the Answer is Forty-two, which is a little aggravating."

dinosoep
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search it in google, then you

search it in google, then you can scroll down
Shutdown/Restart Explorer Programatically on WinXP and do NOT rerun startup group

computerfreaker
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Google Cache bookmarklet ftw

I'm actually doing one better than that: I've got a bookmarklet that opens the Google Cache for the current site. Not a problem. Smile

Thanks anyway!

"The question I would like to know, is the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe and Everything. All we know about it is that the Answer is Forty-two, which is a little aggravating."

dan43
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Is this still being developed?

I was just wondering, this app looks very promising.....

HP v210w 8gb usb drive ~30mb/s read ~15mb/s write

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