Well, after a long period of waiting, I have now released the beta of the Portable Utility and Security Suite (PUSS) 2.0. For those of you who didn't hear of, or use 1.0x (which will be most of you), PUSS aims to be an easy way to Synchronise, Backup and Secure your files, with an easy to use front end and small size (the whole extracted package is only 1.81MB.
It has loads of new features for this release including a new concept I call portable variables and a command line interface, making it easy to repeat popular jobs, I would recommended checking out the included help file for all its features.
As it is only in beta I haven't set up a proper page for it yet (John ;)) but you can download it and its source from here. There is also a folder with some screenshots taken from the help file.
Please note that the application is licensed under the GNU General Public License version 2 and the software is provided 'as-is' without any express or implied warranty. In no event shall I be held liable for any damages arising from the use of the software.
However saying that it has been under testing for a number of weeks and as far as I know there are no known issues (Ryan ?), but I do recommend, this being beta software, that you backup you files before use.
Beta 2 (26.02.07)
- Changes Secure progress dialogue
- Fixed Make Relative button
Beta 3 (28.02.07)
- Changes Secure progress dialogue (again)
- Fixed Make Relative button (again)
- Added single instance checker
- Added links to source code in the source.txt file
- Updated code for translations
Beta 4 (02.03.07)
- Added tooltip support (can be enabled from the Settings tab)
- Added error messages when there were unfilled fields
- Updated code for translations (again)
Release Candidate 1 (03.03.07)
- Added a 120dpi fix (see FAQ's in help file)
- Updated code for translations (again)
Release Candidate 2 (19.03.07)
- Fixed Equalise bug (don't even ask, it was a very silly mistake)
- Added Help button
- Updated the help file
- Added better tooltip support
- Added the option to change the tab styles
- Fixed the remove Portable Variable line bug
Visit the Community page
Join our forums
Subscribe to our email newsletter
Subscribe with RSS
Follow us on BlueSky
Follow us on Facebook
Follow us on LinkedIn
Follow us on Mastodon
Follow us on Twitter
I haven't yet discovered all it can do, but I've been trying out a few functions and they wor great, it's also very simple and easy to use, good work.
...but I do recommend, this being beta software, that you backup you files before use.
I love it. Having to back up my files before I use PUSS to back them up
BTW: I could translate it into german. If you want me to, drop me a mail at simeon((DOT))kuehl((€))y-a-h-o-o-((DOT)de.(€=@)
"What about Love?" - "Overrated. Biochemically no different than eating large quantities of chocolate." - Al Pacino in The Devils Advocate
I could work on a Spanish translation, i'm pretty fluent.
----
Linux: Because rebooting is for adding hardware
you can contact me at
steve(dot)lamerton(at)gmail(dot)com
Yours
Steve Lamerton
My Blog
I can translate to these languages... contact me at
nenad[dot]banovic[at]gmail[dot]com
Thanks for providing this tool Steve.
A couple of things I noticed when playing with the Security tab:
When converting directories to @drive@, if an item was already @drive@, it tries to do it again, and result is @drive@rive@\....
For large files (I tried a 66MB mpg), the encrypt process estimate times are way off (eg said it would do it in 00:00:02), the progress bar goes to end immediately, but then "hangs" (well appears to hang but it actually is still encrypting in the background). When finished, all is OK, and file is encrypted OK too. (Decrypt is the same).
As a minor issue, the PUSS icon is difficult to see clearly in PAM...
Cheers,
thanks for all the good feedback guys, Simon, I'll e-mail you later and we can get that sorted out. As for the problems, I can fix the @drive@ issue (in fact I'm surprised I didn't see it earlier :)), I'll have a look at the progress dialogue and as for the icon, well, I'll have a look at that as well, I'll try to put another build up later.
Yours
Steve Lamerton
My Blog
the progress dialogue thing the same error John has with the PAM backup utility?
There it is 7-zip's inability to display the progress correctly.
"What about Love?" - "Overrated. Biochemically no different than eating large quantities of chocolate." - Al Pacino in The Devils Advocate
yes, beta 2 is now out and I'm writing you an email with translation information at the moment.
Yours
Steve Lamerton
My Blog
Steve could you add a zipped version as I cannot dowload exe's through the firewall at work.
Thanks
putting one up now!
EDIT: Now up
Yours
Steve Lamerton
My Blog
Can't wait to try it!
(And *love* the name, too!)
-------------------
Sic semper tyrannosauro.
-------------------
Sic semper tyrannosauro.
Steve,
I love the program however I came across one issue. When running the program on my desktop (regular 96 dpi), I have no problems with PUSS.
However when running it on my laptop (15.4" screen set to 120dpi), I am unable to see the "GO" button. I simply have to tab down to what I know is there, but it really makes it a bit difficult.
Thanks,
Timothy
AIM: TimothyDMB
http://www.mollyandtim.com/
Timothy
so if I added some code to make the program sense the DPI and make it taller @ 120 would that work? I'll add it to beta 3 so you can test, thanks!
Yours
Steve Lamerton
My Blog
I don't know if you worked on this for Beta 3, but it is unchanged in the Beta 3 that I just downloaded.
Thanks,
Timothy
AIM: TimothyDMB
http://www.mollyandtim.com/
Timothy
I'm just setting up a 120dpi system to test on, I'll try and get a fix out tomorrow.
Yours
Steve Lamerton
My Blog
Hi Steve,
The help file doesn't explain whether the Encryption of folders should encrypt all the files within the folder or the folder itself.
If the former, then it doesn't seem to work (individual files within the folder are not encrypted unless I add each file individually to the list)
If the latter, then not sure what I would expect - is the folder "visible" in explorer? Shows up as empty?
(This is in Beta2)
Cheers,
vbap
well it should have encrypted all of the files in the folder, I have just tested it and it seems to work, however the progress bar is still broken, but they are still encrypted, are you sure the you can access the files (i.e. they are not open in another program)? I'll change the progress bar again in beta three (tomorrow hopefully).
Yours
Steve Lamerton
My Blog
beta three is now out. This should fix all of the known bugs, enjoy!
Yours
Steve Lamerton
My Blog
I downloaded the beta 3 and installed it.
small request: tooltips or labels on the tabs and buttons. Your icons aren't obvious to me as to what they do.
problems: I went to the backup tab and clicked the Go button. I did not setup a source folder or backup button or select any other options. I expected to get an error because these weren't set. Instead the tool happily started working.
1. There was no way to stop it once started. I finally killed the process.
2. At that point I found that the files it had apparently processed had been deleted from the flash drive. Since I don't know where it put (or would have put had I not killed it) the output file there's no way to recover. (Luckily I have a full backup at home).
3. The files shouldn't be deleted.
tooltips are a good idea, I'll put that in beta 4. I'm not sure why it would delete,I just tried it myself and nothing was removed, although the progress bar did appear. I'll add a fix to beta 4 and try and get a release tomorrow, I suspect that it has the same problems for all the tabs, but at least it'll be an easy fix
Yours
Steve Lamerton
My Blog
is now out, this fixes all of the known problems and adds tooltip support which can be enabled from the Settings tab (note, after enabling it you will need to restart PUSS). However I cannot fix the 120dpi issue at the moment, but I am looking into it!
Yours
Steve Lamerton
My Blog
1 is now out. This adds a fix for 120dpi people, see the FAQ's in the readme file.
Yours
Steve Lamerton
My Blog
There's a site http://liberta-project.org/ that says you are up to (almost) 2.0 and this thread only mentions RC1. are they the same project or different or am I just confused (probably).
Semper Fi
Chris
Semper Fi
The version available from here is 2.0 RC1.
Also, it's the same program, but Steve wanted to test here before uploading to SourceForge and making it official.
----
Ryan McCue
Current Fav. Songs:
"If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate."
also hoping to sort something out with John but he STILL hasn't mailed me.
Yours
Steve Lamerton
My Blog
What about having a self extracting .paf format?
8)
Life is about the journey not the destination!
Live today like it is your last!
Home is the place where, when you have to go there, They have to take you in. - Robert Frost
\(^.^)/
Life is about the journey not the destination!
The Kazoo Spartan
isn't there? EDIT Ooops, I forgot to change the name, it was .paf.exe for all the betas re-uploading now...
Yours
Steve Lamerton
My Blog
...a lot Steve.
8)
Life is about the journey not the destination!
Live today like it is your last!
Home is the place where, when you have to go there, They have to take you in. - Robert Frost
\(^.^)/
Life is about the journey not the destination!
The Kazoo Spartan
RSinko
Would be nice to have a help button to bring up help file from within GUI
RSinko
that is the last item to be put in before the final release!
Yours
Steve Lamerton
My Blog
Get rid of the Thumbs.db file in the PUSS\App\bitmaps directory and UPX compress the 7za.exe file to save some space.
Cancer Survivors -- Remember the fight, celebrate the victory!
Help control the rugrat population -- have yourself spayed or neutered!
UPX the lot for the final release.
----
Ryan McCue
Current Fav. Songs:
"If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate."
I found no bugs, I think it is ready for a release.
Kevin P.
The Newbie-Geek
"Programming today is a race between software engineers striving to build bigger and better idiot-proof programs, and the Universe trying to produce bigger and better idiots. So far, the Universe is winning." - Rick Cook
I been using the latest Sunbird Portable. I decided to install regular Sunbird on my
PC and use PUSS to keep them in sync.
After installing Sunbird I used PUSS to copy the contents of the USB profile to the PC profile. After copying I started PC Sunbird and the calendar was empty. I think that at that point I just hard copied all profile files from USB to PC.
I added a new event to PC Sunbird, closed it and used PUSS Synchronise. Opening USB Sunbird and the new event wasn't there.
Any time I start either Sunbird it now opens 2 Sunbird windows.
What sync mode did you use??
Kevin P.
The Newbie-Geek
"Programming today is a race between software engineers striving to build bigger and better idiot-proof programs, and the Universe trying to produce bigger and better idiots. So far, the Universe is winning." - Rick Cook
Initially I used the Sync>Copy mode to copy the whole profile from USB to HD. After that I used the Sync>Equalise mode which should allow changes on one side or the other to be duplicated on the other side.
What files did you equalise?
Kevin P.
The Newbie-Geek
"Programming today is a race between software engineers striving to build bigger and better idiot-proof programs, and the Universe trying to produce bigger and better idiots. So far, the Universe is winning." - Rick Cook
C:\Documents and Settings\Jerry\Application Data\Mozilla\Sunbird\Profiles\j6j16hri.default
and
V:\PortableApps\SunbirdPortable\Data\profile
I don't know what to tell you :jawdrop:. You should probably reinstall both (backup your profile). I tried this myself and found nothing wrong. If that doesn't help, then I can't help you any further.
Kevin P.
The Newbie-Geek
"Programming today is a race between software engineers striving to build bigger and better idiot-proof programs, and the Universe trying to produce bigger and better idiots. So far, the Universe is winning." - Rick Cook
Here's what I tried:
- I backed up the USB profile as it had the correct data (although it now opens 2 windows)
- I uninstalled and re-installed USB and HD Sunbirds
- I ran each one once to create a profile
- I manually copied the saved USB profile to the new USB profile- it opens 2 windows
- I deleted the USB profile, ran USB once to create a new profile and then copied just some of the saved profile files (wish I could remember exactly which ones- I did this several hours ago). Now it USB starts correctly.
- I copied the now working USB profile to the HD profile. This one now start correctly.
- I added an event to the HD copy, closed the HD version.
- I used PUSS to Equalise the two versions.
- Opened the USB version and it did not contain the new event.
I really am not sure what to tell you there. I have minimal knowledge of how Sunbird works.
Kevin P.
The Newbie-Geek
"Programming today is a race between software engineers striving to build bigger and better idiot-proof programs, and the Universe trying to produce bigger and better idiots. So far, the Universe is winning." - Rick Cook
I think I'll install the Portable version on my PC. At least that way I'll be trying to sync 2 copies of the exact same version.
I was really hoping to see Steve L jump in here as PUSS is his.
Sunbird opens two instances if MinimizeToTray is installed. A known bug and it annoys the hell out of me too..
Actually I don't have a clue why you save the Settings in a *.txt file which must be loaded manually every startup of puss. Wouldn't it be much nicer if the Settings were Stored in a file which is loaded every time puss starts?
It takes less effort to change the settings when needed than loading them every startup.
You could also set profiles and one standard profile which is loaded on startup.
It would also be nice if tabs had a name AND icons or just tooltips.
The 'remove a location' button in in variables doesn't work.
//Edit: It seems that the whole Variables Menu doesn't work.
If u set a relative path in the encryption menu and encrypt the files u cant decrypt them with a relative path. An error message appears saying that the location can't be found
Keep up the GREAT WORK!
sorry about not replying for a little while, I've been busy with some other stuff that I'll post on my blog at the start of next week (if all goes well...), now then to PUSS matters.
Firstly there is now the German translation up courtesy of Simeon, simply download the file PUSS2_de.exe and extract it to your PUSS directory et voila German, to remove it simply delete the fr folder in your data directory.
Now to the questions, firstly anyone wanting to do translations can email me at steve(dot)lamerton(at)gmail(dot)com and I'll give you the files and tell you what to do.
As for you azjerry (;)) have you tried putting the two folder locations in PUSS round the other way, i.e. change the source and destination for each other? That might well fix it.
As for settings, well those files aren't really meant as settings, but I'll add the option to load one at start-up if you would like for the next release. As for Names and Icons I'll add an option so that you can decide what you want, that'll also be in the next release. With regards to the variable bit, I think that it is only that button which doesn't work, it used too though so I'll look back through the SVN repository to see where I broke it, also from next release. Finally as for the relative decryption, is there anything unusual about your folder names as it work for me?
Yours
Steve Lamerton
My Blog
did you get my email with my latest changes? cuz they are not on the download page.
"What about Love?" - "Overrated. Biochemically no different than eating large quantities of chocolate." - Al Pacino in The Devils Advocate
I have included them haven't I, try sending it again.
Yours
Steve Lamerton
My Blog
As for you azjerry (Eye-wink) have you tried putting the two folder locations in PUSS round the other way, i.e. change the source and destination for each other? That might well fix it.
Isn't the Equalize option supposed to take care of that: copy whatever files are newest to the other side?
Basically syncing Sunbird profiles isn't working for me. Whether it's a Sunbird, Portable Sunbird, PUSS or combination problem I can't say. I wonder if JTH can shed some light here?
Request: remember where the last settings file was saved/loaded from. It defaults to the root of the drive which is not where I have the file.
point, I'm not quite sure what I was thinking writing there.
Yours
Steve Lamerton
My Blog
Did you copy the whole profile folder or just the content of the folder into the other? If so, then what files did you copy?
I'm starting to loose track.
When I used PUSS Copy of the entire profile folder the destination copy did not have the actual calendar contents. Does PUSS copy subfolders and/or their contents as well?
When I used Explorer to copy the entire profile folder contents across the destination did have the current contents.
work if you do an update or a mirror rather than equalise.
Yours
Steve Lamerton
My Blog
Neither Update, Mirror nor Equalize copy newer files from the destination back to the source.
thats odd, I'll post up a little program at the start of next week to test that it is reading software modification times correctly (Sunbird was closed at the time, right?)
Yours
Steve Lamerton
My Blog
I made sure Sunbird (both versions) was closed prior to clicking the PUSS button.
checking, when in private beta testing with Ryan it took days to figure out a bug which wasn't, it was TortoiseSVN holding on to the files because it was running
Yours
Steve Lamerton
My Blog
Hey, I was tired
----
Ryan McCue
Current Fav. Songs:
"If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate."
In nearly every folder there is a file with an Ä,Ö,Ü or something like that.
The encyrption also broke pictures in these folders... dunno why, but I'll test it soon. Or might it be because the encryption gets stuck at the files i mentioned above?
the names, as BURP (the background encryption utility) supports Unicode, could you do me a favour and download the base BURP package from here and trying it (it's command line), that way we'll know whether or not it's me, thanks.
Yours
Steve Lamerton
My Blog
I tested the new built and encryption now works...
BUT
The relative drivepath doesn't work at all for encryption and files in the selected folder are not encrypted. Only the files in subfolders are encrypted.
FolderA
|-FolderB
||—FileA (e)
|-FolderC
||-FileC (e)
|-FileD (n)
(e)=encrypted
(n)=not encrypted
I also get erros when decrypting saying that the "thumb.db" files can not be saved or found...
I'm NOT using an admin acount.
What parameters should i use for burp? "burp -eo FILE"?
Maybe I'm doing something wrong, but I get an error when trying to use the backup tab. It always returns
(error3:the system cannot find the path specified)
I have used the directory chooser to specify the paths...
Thanks
Brandon
a file called 7za.exe in the App folder? If not you need to redownload the app, although you should try redownloading it anyway. Also what is the name of the folder you are pointing it to?
Yours
Steve Lamerton
My Blog
Yes the 7za.exe is there. I have also downloaded it twice. I have tried to point to various directories, all with the same error. I have a bitmap of the error.
Brandon
try RC2 and if that doesn't work, email me a screenshot of the error and what settings you were using at steve(dot)lamerton(at)gmail(dot)com Thanks
Yours
Steve Lamerton
My Blog
FYI - RC2 fixed the problem.
Thank you.
Brandon
a relief, I had run out of other ideas!
Yours
Steve Lamerton
My Blog
RC2 is now out, the list of bugfixes and new feature is on the main post. Should fix everything though.
Yours
Steve Lamerton
My Blog
I can now sync changes in both directions (I won't ask)
New problem:
- Command line help is wrong: Example should be "PUSS Sync "
- This being windows, "sync" should be a valid option as well as "Sync"
and German translations are now up, and I am now putting PUSS into feature freeze, that is no more features until after the final release. Azjerry those are easy fixes, they'll go into the final, as for the Secure problems I'm looking into that at the moment and any fixes will be put into the final release.
Yours
Steve Lamerton
My Blog
IT would be nice if you could include a PUSS folder into the de.exe/fr.exe so one could install the translations via PAM.
example:
instead of
Just a thought but I think it would be helpful...
"What about Love?" - "Overrated. Biochemically no different than eating large quantities of chocolate." - Al Pacino in The Devils Advocate
[EDIT] As of 21.03.07 you can now install translation from the PAM
Yours
Steve Lamerton
My Blog
there are some new French translations up now I I think I have ironed out the last few bugs, final release should be only a week away at the most.
Yours
Steve Lamerton
My Blog
want to see this
https://portableapps.com/node/5956
Yours
Steve Lamerton
My Blog
how about including file shredding to PUSS, this would be awesome!
YES IT WOULD.
In fact, he could just use the source from Eraser *hint hint*
Of course, I could also blackmail him into doing it
----
Ryan McCue
Cube Games
There are only two states in Australia: Queensland and Drunk
"If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate."
is one seriously good idea! I'll start looking into it right away.
Yours
Steve Lamerton
My Blog
I would LOVE to see that happen.
Its a really good idea.
"What about Love?" - "Overrated. Biochemically no different than eating large quantities of chocolate." - Al Pacino in The Devils Advocate
and ive also been wanting to know what encryption does PUSS implement i noiced u used a third party tool to implement it
Slackware 12 for system
MCP (For XP and Server 2003)
Network + Certified
aim is "nycjv321" (minus quotes)
you the help file I used Microsoft's HTML Help Workshop, and for encryption I used BURP from this site.
Yours
Steve Lamerton
My Blog
When is it going to be "official?" With the new name and everything? =X
John is going to put the pages up shortly so it wont be too long now
Yours
Steve Lamerton
My Blog
Hey Steve, just wanted to let you know that I may be able to help with a Spanish translation of Toucan. Not really sure what that involves, but I at least have the language skills. Also, I was playing the toucan SVG file you have on the PUSS downloads page. If you want, I can send that to you, but am not sure how. Any way to PM you my email or visa versa?
Cheers.
Is there a way to tell a file has been encrypted or not other than trying to open it.
I accidentally encrypted a file more than once without knowing it. Came back later and decrypted it to add to it and thought it was corrupted.
Took a backup of the file and tried to figure out what I had done wrong. Between it being late at night, taking the dog for a walk and ? I had encrypted it three times. Decrypting three times solved the problem.
Is there a way to change the file name to alert you that it is already encrypted or test the file someway to tell it is encrypted and alert the user.
jeb
jeb
I've noticed a possible bug, but haven't had a chance to test it fully yet. When a file has no extension, it doesn't seem to synchronize. I noticed it when using "equalise" mode under the sync tab, but didn't test it with the other types of copying.
I created a folder "test1" that had files "textfile.txt" and "textfile" in it. When trying to synchronize it with folder "test2", the file with the txt extension synchronized, but not the one without an extension.
I am using Puss 2.0.0 RC2 on a Windows XP Home machine. Thanks for making such a great program, hopefully it's just some setting that I forgot to change.
I'm thinking that you have found a bug, nice catch, I'll get that fixed if I can for the 1.0 release of Toucan.
Edit: This is now a confirmed bug, and I know where the problem is, but it is refusing to be quashed, don't worry though it'll be fixed in Toucan 1.0.
Edit 2:Bug fixed, it'll be sorted in Toucan.
Thanks again
Steve Lamerton
My Blog
Is it just called Toucan, and not Toucan Portable, because it never was portable? Or maybe because the previous version was called, "Portable" Utility and Security Suite?
_____________________________
I felt so different without a signature.
It is portable, but you don't see PStart Portable do you
Anyway, Steve, I found your page
----
Ryan McCue.
Blog.
So all that Airbus-delay trouble over here in Europe is because of YOU!
Simeon.
"If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate."
Hi Steve
Thank you very much for this great app!
While playing around with the security features I discovered some bug. Let me explain what I did:
1. Added a folder for testing purposes (works with any folder name)
2. Added a new text document in this folder using windows xp's context menu
3. Added a new bitmap file in this folder using windows xp's context menu
4. Opened PUSS 2.0 RC2 -> Security Tab
5. Choose the testing folder (step 1) to encrypt
6. Choose password "12345678"
7. Klicked "OK"
8. The bitmap file was deleted!!
I don't know if this bug (is it really one?) has already been reported.
Another thing:
Is it possible to "autostart" the PUSS decryption dialog on inserting the USB drive?
Pages