Hi All:
I just downloaded and installed the .paf version of Calibre ebook reader and converter, version 0.9.16). It is a partially supported developmental test release but it works pretty well. It opens and converts epub to pdf like a charm.
When I open the application I get a notice that a new, updated version is available. When I click on the update button I get taken to the home page for Calibre where it shows an update to the latest version (0.9.42) as a full update with a .exe extension. I gather from this that it will either remove and replace or replace the version I have.
So my question is how to update my portableapps version? Right now I haven't updated Calibre and am running the portableapps developmental version.
Is there a clean and safe way to update, or is it better to wait until the portableapps developer posts the latest version?
Thanks
Jojo
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Calibre isn't an officially-released app, so PortableApps.com doesn't update it. As a dev test, the developer would have to. I'm guessing this is the build you're referring to here:
https://portableapps.com/node/20518
You can likely grab a new version and replace the files. Directions are right on that page.
Realistically, it's been in test long enough that we should push it out as an official release in the near future.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
youll have to wait until the developer updates it.
"What about Love?" - "Overrated. Biochemically no different than eating large quantities of chocolate." - Al Pacino in The Devils Advocate
You can download the "portable" version from Calibre, install it to the place where the PortableApps release is (alongside the App, Data, Other folders), and the launcher will upgrade.
A bit annoying to do, but it works. Also I requested that the dev update the version when hovering over the app, and that got added into the latest build.
Thanks to all for the responses. I've downloaded the latest version. I'm going to try a different upgrade to see how that works since Calibre shows up in my launcher and works just fine. It not only opens ebooks but does good conversions too.
What I plan to do is copy the Caliber folder from my PortableApps folder to my hard drive and then do the update as suggested here and see the results. Hopefully I'll only have one exe file and I can replace the folder in my main PortableApps folder. The original, older Caliber was a .paf, so it integrated well with the launcher. The updated version is an .exe so I'm not sure if it will integrate as well.
I'll post the results of my experiment after I do it, probably this weekend. On the other hand, an updated release in .paf format would be welcomed.
All the best,
Jojo
You'll have the nice launcher integration, as I said, the official Calibre portable from the Calibre dev can be extracted to the root install path of the beta PAF linked in this topic, and it will use those files to update itself (it even updates the version when hovering on the launcher).
You'll get the latest version and the nice launcher integration.
He probably did this type of update due to the official portable version not being extractable by conventional means, and it updates very frequently, and posting an app can be a pain when it is constantly updated.
I stopped working on jDownloader until they make it stable, because they basically update at least once a day, I'd have to dedicate my life to packaging an app I don't even use, also they seem to change lots of things that break portability.
Some dev apps can have their files replaced and them still function, but you have to test that they remain portable. It is likely Calibre will be upgradable like this for a long time since the dev made it have a portable version.
Thanks CODYQX4. That clarifies what I need to do to update Calibre.
Your points about update frequency are well taken, especially with apps that have what seem to be nightly builds. It makes one long for the days of annual or semi-annual updates, but security wasn't as much of an issue then.
This pretty much closes the issue for me. Thanks again.
Jojo
As the software is well over it's 1.0 release, the crazy frequent update cycles are over. I don't know, now it might be worthy of making it an official PortableApps release? Thank you.
They did jump from 1.0 to 1.6 really fast, but it is nothing like 0.9 was.
same as before.
I installed Calibre Portable into my PortableApps launcher with no difficulty. I have a Mac running Parallels Desktop 9 with a Windows 2008 R2 x64 VM and Windows 7 Enterprise x64 VM, it runs fine in both.
I just opened the Get Info panel on the Mac for the folder labeled "PortableApps." Uncheck the box called "Locked." Copy any portable app you want into the folder. Go back and re-check the box called "Locked." Restart the PortableApps launcher (it can be running while you do all this). Start imported app.
Calibre Portable runs great this way. It isn't slow in any way unless I try to run the VM on my MBP. On my iMac it is very speedy, and runs great in both the Windows 2008 R2 x64 VM and Windows 7 Enterprise x64 VMs I use in vSphere 5.5 at work.
When Calibre comes out with updates they update the portable version at the same time. Just re-download and repeat the process above. Easy peasy.