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Open Office File Association

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November 2, 2006 - 1:55pm
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errold32
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Open Office File Association

I am using Cruser sync by sandisk, and as the files are encrypted in sandisks proprietary file browser, a file association is needed to open them. If you try to open unknown files, cruser sync says it can't open this file, and puts that file in a temp folder. you then can open the file. I have the u3 version of open office set to run on startup, and would like to see if a file association could be inserted into the host computer on startup. Could it be removed by having the launcher stay running in the background, like
soffice.exe -quickstart, and delete the association on close?

Thanks

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November 2, 2006 - 2:30pm
John T. Haller
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Nope

U3's cleanup process doesn't run if the PC crashes or if you shut Windows down without ejecting. If that happens, the PC would be set with files associated with programs that aren't there (which is a very bad state to leave a PC in).

Also, moved this to the U3 Apps forum. OpenOffice.org Portable is a different app.

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

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November 2, 2006 - 3:11pm
(Reply to #2)
errold32
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Associations

Really, how often is that going to happen?

Could you suggest a sync replacement for cruzersync that doesn’t encrypt your files so I can open them from open office portable?

New to portable, but like'n it already.

New to portable, but like'n it already.

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November 2, 2006 - 3:42pm
(Reply to #3)
John T. Haller
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I do it all the time

I actually shutdown Windows all the time with USB flash drives in my machine. Also, the whole file association thing would require admin privs. So it wouldn't work at net cafes, libraries, most offices, most school/universities, etc as they all use either limited or guest accounts. The only time you have admin level privs is on your own computer... in which case you'd just use a local app.

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

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November 2, 2006 - 5:55pm
(Reply to #4)
errold32
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You're the expert

I am at school and logged on using a limited account.
I can add associations manually.

Maybe having the U3 program do it would require admin privs, I don't know.

When windows shuts down NORMALLY, does the u3 program perform its cleanup?

New to portable, but like'n it already.

New to portable, but like'n it already.

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November 2, 2006 - 6:37pm
(Reply to #5)
John T. Haller
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Hmmm

It shouldn't work. You shouldn't be able to associate them on a limited account. At least in theory.

U3 doesn't run the cleanup processes if you shut down windows normally when the U3 device is still plugged in (that's what I do all the time). It only runs cleanup when you click the eject button within the U3 Launchpad. Or if you physically remove the drive without ejecting (which you should NEVER do as it will probably corrupt your programs and/or data).

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

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November 2, 2006 - 6:55pm
(Reply to #6)
errold32
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Interesting

Well I don't know exactly what type of account (guest, power user) that I have. I know it isn't an administrator account, because I can't access the user manager. It is a public computer lab account. Also, when you access a public computer, be it a computer lab, or a cafe, they often don't want you to shut down the computer. So I don't really think the shutdown issue would be a problem.

New to portable, but like'n it already.

New to portable, but like'n it already.

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November 2, 2006 - 6:58pm
(Reply to #7)
John T. Haller
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Home/Work use

The problem is that people often use their portable apps at home as well as work, school, etc. So, while it not be a problem if you ONLY use it at school or somewhere else where you don't turn of the computer... it would be a problem for a lot of people (possibly most people) if they were to forget.

Most people don't know how to re-associate files with, say Microsoft Word on their home or work computer. So, having a portable app (or a U3 app in this case) bork that would be a very bad thing.

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

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November 2, 2006 - 7:56pm
(Reply to #8)
errold32
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Maybe

True.

Let me take you back to something you said in a previous post

"The only time you have admin level privs is on your own computer... in which case you'd just use a local app."

I think that solves the at home situation.

In regards to Borking the associations:
I was thinking mostly of setting just the open office proprietary extensions in open office. Usually the computers at school already have Microsoft office for opening word, excel, ect. files. And if you use Microsoft office formatted files, you wouldn't need portable open office :).

If, for instance, the .odt association was created in a computer that already had an .odt association, that wouldn't be a good thing. That problem could be solved by having u3 check for existing extensions/paths. That would check if the associations matched a previous improper u3 shutdown, or other installed programs before doing anything. If the Microsoft or open office extensions weren’t present, or were trash, u3 could go ahead and create them. That way, if the stick were reinserted, u3 could clean up after its self, deleting the trash extensions when ejected.

New to portable, but like'n it already.

New to portable, but like'n it already.

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November 3, 2006 - 12:18am
(Reply to #9)
John T. Haller
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But again

Even though most people have admin access on their home PC... they have absolutely NO idea how to make file associations. So breaking them on a crash or a normal Windows shutdown without ejecting is an exceedingly bad idea.

Like I said, we've actually discussed this at length on more than one occasion in the past, and it's simply not a good idea. There are too many pitfalls and gotchas... and supporting it would be a nightmare when it goes wrong.

The U3 platform itself has the shortcoming of not cleaning up in certain situations, so it's best to assume that the hostCleanup process might not run... and, thus, not put anything important in it (like restoring file associations).

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

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November 3, 2006 - 2:14am
(Reply to #10)
Ryan McCue
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.

It shouldn't work. You shouldn't be able to associate them on a limited account. At least in theory.
I'm guessing it's a policy thing.

BTW, can you enable <blockquote>? It gives a better sense of a quote than italicising something does.
----
Ryan McCue
Cube Games
People who didn't need people needed people around to know that they were
the kind of people who didn't need people.
(Maskerade)

"If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate."

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November 3, 2006 - 12:25pm
(Reply to #11)
errold32
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RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

New to portable, but like'n it already.

New to portable, but like'n it already.

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