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Restrictions on where LibreOffice Portable can be installed.

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July 18, 2012 - 7:38am
#1
Tiger-Heli
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Restrictions on where LibreOffice Portable can be installed.

Asked here also: http://user.services.openoffice.org/en/forum/viewtopic.php?f=101&t=55169

This isn't really an issue, but it surprised me, so I thought I would ask about it ...

I normally have my regular programs in "G:\Program Files\". (And used to run LibreOffice Portable from "G:\Program Files\LibreOffice Portable").

I was using an older version of LibreOffice Portable, and set it up on a thumb drive and moved it to that folder and ran it from there - no problems, worked fine.

I upgraded to 3.4.5 and when I tried to over-write the existing file, it told me to select a valid directory, even though I browsed to that one. No problem, I installed it to another folder, deleted the one I had been using and copied the files over. No problem.

Last night, I upgraded to LibreOffice Portable 3.5.5.3 - I again got the message on it not being a valid directory, but this time I didn't want to have to manually re-do all my settings, so I copied the installation to C:\LibreOffice Portable, updated it there and copied it back.

This time, it told me Libreoffice Portable could not launch from this directory as that was for non-portable files.

I moved it to a new folder "G:\Portable Program Files\LibreOffice Portable" and updated my shortcuts to point to it and all is well, but I'm confused on why it cares? I thought the point of a Portable program was that it wouldn't use the registry and could be run from any folder, but apparently not ...

Does anyone know the reason?

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July 18, 2012 - 8:02am
Ken Herbert
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When you upgraded to 3.4.5,

When you upgraded to 3.4.5, you also upgraded to a version that used a newer PortableApps Installer.

When you upgraded to 3.5.5.3 you also upgraded to a version that uses a newer PortableApps Launcher.

Both (Installer first, and then Launcher, as you have found out) have been updated to disallow PortableApps installing to, and running from, Program Files.

Unfortunately, far too many people were installing to this folder and then reporting apparent bugs. The reason for this is that Win Vista/7 have UAC issues with portable apps running from Program Files, plus some rare apps regardless of the Windows version they are running on automatically assume that since they are installed to Program Files, that they should not run in portable mode.

This has been done for the safety of the less technical end-users of PortableApps, and also for the sanity of John and the developers.

I thought the point of a Portable program was that it wouldn't use the registry and could be run from any folder, but apparently not ...

PortableApps still use the registry where necessary, they just backup existing keys and values and write what they have to before the app launches, then save necessary values back to the portable install and reinstate the previous values when the app is closed. The only registry entries that should be left behind are those automatically generated by Windows, which are created for any app running on the system regardless of whether the app uses the registry or not. If the apps weren't allowed to use the registry, we would have a far smaller list of official apps as so many Windows apps require the registry to run.

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July 18, 2012 - 10:04am
(Reply to #2)
Tiger-Heli
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Thank you - both of your

Thank you - both of your comments make perfect sense.

I can see how having the app not think it should run in portable mode could cause a lot of issues and headaches for the developer's.

And I over-simplified things when I said it didn't use the registry. More properly, I meant that all it's files were saved in it's own sub-folder, so that is all that needs to be backed up. I rather like that - makes it similar to the way DOS programs used to work.

Thanks again!!!

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July 18, 2012 - 11:30am
John T. Haller
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Move LOP

In addition to the above explanation on why installation to Program Files is no longer permitted, you can create a C:\PortableApps folder and place all your portable apps in there. If you have LibreOffice Portable there named as C:\PortableApps\LibreOfficePortable, the installer will automatically find and offer to upgrade it as soon as you run it.

Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!

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July 18, 2012 - 12:50pm
(Reply to #4)
Tiger-Heli
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John - would that also work

John - would that also work for G:\PortableApps\LibreOfficePortable, or does it have to be on the C:\ Partition?

(Although in reality, I hate auto upgrades for reasons like that - I can copy my LibreOffice folder to "Copy of LibreOffice Portable" and then if I don't like anything with LibreOffice 3.6 or 4.0, I always have my working existing installation to revert back to.)

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July 18, 2012 - 1:03pm
(Reply to #5)
John T. Haller
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Any drive

You can install it anywhere you want except your actual Program Files directory as used by Windows. It doesn't auto-upgrade, it just detects when you have it at ?:\PortableApps for upgrading and won't get in the way of you making a backup copy first.

Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!

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January 1, 2016 - 4:31am
Lancelot_R
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Hi,

Hi,

I fully understand the situation,
I did not use "firefox paf" for years since it was also overwriting installed firefox,
well the trouble was not about "Program Files" , it was at D:\MyPrograms\FireFoxPaf but it was overwriting installed firefox profile.
Later I found the reason, FirefoxPortable.exe need to be run directly *** by creating new** shortcut (.lnk)

Anyway,
I do not install LibreOffice to my pc but always use LibreOffice paf, so no trouble here putting to "Program Files",
it is not important if it write to local pc....

I bellieve anyone how use paf applications on "Program Files" do not have "portable usb" goal but "portable delivery" goal.

for now I workaround by using ...\App\libreoffice\program\swriter.exe etc.

So I would ask, if there is a parameter to get paf applications run from "Program Files"
ex:
LibreOfficeWriterPortable.exe /Force
or anything developers like....

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January 1, 2016 - 10:36am
(Reply to #7)
John T. Haller
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No Program Files

From a post elsewhere on the subject: "Installing to Program Files has never been supported. And installing there will be locked out in an upcoming update to the PortableApps.com Installer. By default, Windows Vista and later prevent apps from altering their own files in this location due to UAC restrictions. Even if you disable that - which puts other apps in Program Files as well as Windows itself at significant security risk - some apps like Sumatra PDF and Google Chrome detect when run from that location and work differently: they run in standard local mode.

Bottom line, portable apps don't belong in Program Files. On your local drive, install to c:\PortableApps instead. It works, it's supported and the installer will automatically detect it on upgrades."

Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!

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January 1, 2016 - 7:19pm
(Reply to #8)
Lancelot_R
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"From that location and work

"From that location and work differently: they run in standard local mode."

I am fine with that,
, and I am fine with paf not working at "Program Files" as default,

from my previous post:
"I bellieve anyone how use paf applications on "Program Files" do not have "portable usb" goal but "portable delivery" goal."

I want to override paf default with a switch etc. so local folders are writable, it is all ok.

Anyway,
I am pretty sure a solution will be produced in far future,
Since no flexible solution provied for "Program Files" now,
and it is hard to explain regular people (normal users) about why I put out of program files,
I will slowly change my paf delivery to setup.exe delivery or any other way I can figure out .....

Just re writing:
I am aware what is going on, and it is to me good way paf prefeventing starting from "Program Files",

Life goes....

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