Honestly, pictures or a video probably wouldn't help much at all.
I've been slowly getting my head around making apps portable for the last couple of weeks (admittedly, I only do it when I am at work and don't want to do actual work), but honestly it isn't that hard of a concept to grasp if you have a little technical/programming knowledge, and follow the guides.
There is more you will need when you get further into it, which you can learn in some of the readings to follow, or in the development forum, but that is a good place to start.
Once you are done reading, have a bash making something really simple portable. Find something that makes no registry changes (this is what Regshot will tell you) and make it portable. It doesn't matter what it is, whether it be open source or freeware or whatever, this will just be a test to learn the ins and outs of setting up your directory structure, making sure your files are in the right place, running the launcher etc.
My recommendation for your first thing to make portable is Obfusticated Email Link Creator, although if you want to actually release it, make sure you get permission from the author, and check with computerfreaker because he has released one of Gunner's other apps, just to be polite. The reason I would recommend OELC is because it makes absolutely no registry changes beyond the stuff that is fine to ignore, so you don't have to fiddle with handling the registry while you work at perfecting the basics.
Then it is just a matter of following the Format Spec and the guides, and using the AppCompactor, Launcher and Installer until you get it right. If you need help beyond that, search the Development forum, and if you can't find the answers then make a new post.
It takes a while to understand how the existing apps work, but it's not impossible.
Look at all the Official Apps you've installed.
Explore their directories and see how the resemble each other and differ from each other. Read their appinfo.ini files.
Look at the development threads of other apps.
Play with very simple apps - I started using hta apps I wrote myself.
Most developers here didn't start developing apps 2 weeks into it. And even the experienced ones take a lot of time creating their apps.
Patience, grasshopper.
I made this half-pony, half-monkey monster to please you.
This may be an appropriate expectation for developers using direct NSIS programming for their launchers(vs PAL which abstracts away the complexity(indirect) to a simple set of regulating .ini files); but not for PAL.
Judging from my own recent experience, using PAL, 3-6 hrs spread over a weekend is sufficient time for anyone with basic knowledge of how to navigate the file-system and registry. I'm working on a set of videos to reduce this time substantially.
In other words: New users, don't despair, its much easier then you think!
While the PAL is a much quicker solution, this greatly depends on the app. Some apps can do very weird things that the PAL either doesn't handle or doesn't handle efficiently.
Sure, I was referring strictly to the learning curve of PAL.
I'm really curious, however, about the kind of limitations that do exist. Could you give some specific examples? I'm aware that at present PAL cannot handle drivers/services and has limited functionality in the way of dealing with DLLs - is this what your referring to?
Eventlog management (See: Spybot Portable)
Apps that have their own language switching schemes (See: Maxima Portable)
Apps that use files of the same name for different languages (See: DTaskManager Portable, DShutdown Portable, DSynchronize Portable, HDHacker Portable)
that be great, i ike video tutorials, but i think here you can wait 1000 years on this
if such a video were to be produced what application would you like to see made portable?
Halite BT client be nice ---> http://sourceforge.net/projects/halite/
and make the video-tutorial with all details
i give you webspace to host your video as Stream
the size of the video tutorial is not very importend
If you haven't noticed, it's already available as a Portable App:
http://sourceforge.net/projects/halite/files/
If you have already noticed; why don't you choose an app not already made portable?
Honestly, pictures or a video probably wouldn't help much at all.
I've been slowly getting my head around making apps portable for the last couple of weeks (admittedly, I only do it when I am at work and don't want to do actual work), but honestly it isn't that hard of a concept to grasp if you have a little technical/programming knowledge, and follow the guides.
First, grab the latest copies of NSIS Portable, PortableApps.com Installer, PortableApps.com AppCompactor, PortableApps.com Launcher, Regshot and IcoFX from their respective pages.
There is more you will need when you get further into it, which you can learn in some of the readings to follow, or in the development forum, but that is a good place to start.
Then it is time to do some reading. Start here:
An Unfinished Beginner's Development and Packaging Guide
Then here:
Creating A Portable App: A Guerilla Field Guide
Then here:
PortableApps.com Format™ 2.0
And finally here:
PortableApps.com Launcher documentation
Once you are done reading, have a bash making something really simple portable. Find something that makes no registry changes (this is what Regshot will tell you) and make it portable. It doesn't matter what it is, whether it be open source or freeware or whatever, this will just be a test to learn the ins and outs of setting up your directory structure, making sure your files are in the right place, running the launcher etc.
My recommendation for your first thing to make portable is Obfusticated Email Link Creator, although if you want to actually release it, make sure you get permission from the author, and check with computerfreaker because he has released one of Gunner's other apps, just to be polite. The reason I would recommend OELC is because it makes absolutely no registry changes beyond the stuff that is fine to ignore, so you don't have to fiddle with handling the registry while you work at perfecting the basics.
Then it is just a matter of following the Format Spec and the guides, and using the AppCompactor, Launcher and Installer until you get it right. If you need help beyond that, search the Development forum, and if you can't find the answers then make a new post.
I am tired like you
Designed the program easy to work and you can attach photos
https://portableapps.com/node/25546
It takes a while to understand how the existing apps work, but it's not impossible.
Look at all the Official Apps you've installed.
Explore their directories and see how the resemble each other and differ from each other. Read their appinfo.ini files.
Look at the development threads of other apps.
Play with very simple apps - I started using hta apps I wrote myself.
Most developers here didn't start developing apps 2 weeks into it. And even the experienced ones take a lot of time creating their apps.
Patience, grasshopper.
I made this half-pony, half-monkey monster to please you.
This may be an appropriate expectation for developers using direct NSIS programming for their launchers(vs PAL which abstracts away the complexity(indirect) to a simple set of regulating .ini files); but not for PAL.
Judging from my own recent experience, using PAL, 3-6 hrs spread over a weekend is sufficient time for anyone with basic knowledge of how to navigate the file-system and registry. I'm working on a set of videos to reduce this time substantially.
In other words: New users, don't despair, its much easier then you think!
While the PAL is a much quicker solution, this greatly depends on the app. Some apps can do very weird things that the PAL either doesn't handle or doesn't handle efficiently.
Sure, I was referring strictly to the learning curve of PAL.
I'm really curious, however, about the kind of limitations that do exist. Could you give some specific examples? I'm aware that at present PAL cannot handle drivers/services and has limited functionality in the way of dealing with DLLs - is this what your referring to?
Eventlog management (See: Spybot Portable)
Apps that have their own language switching schemes (See: Maxima Portable)
Apps that use files of the same name for different languages (See: DTaskManager Portable, DShutdown Portable, DSynchronize Portable, HDHacker Portable)
Etc.
Thanks much! I didn't know anything about these issues.