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Feedback for PortableApps.com Platform 15 Beta 4

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May 7, 2018 - 6:51am
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Stamimail
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Feedback for PortableApps.com Platform 15 Beta 4

PortableApps.com_Platform_Setup_15.0_Beta_4.paf.exe

1. This installer behave different from the other installler of PorableApp. Other installers I can put them on desktop and run them, and the default location of the extraction will be in one new folder.
This installer doesn't extract the content to a new folder by defualt. (Readme file can solve things here).

2. At first start I get an automatically Apps checking.
It takes a few seconds, and in meantime you can't use the program.
I didn't like this auto behaviour.
It would be better to inform the user what will be the next step, and let him to choose:
OK - for Apps checking
Cancel - For letting the user to explore the program. (In case of Cancel the user should know how to do "Apps checking").

3. StartMenu
a. There are no Tooltips when hovering with mouse on Power and X buttons, so the user can't know what each button does,
b. It would better to have Tabs to the apps list, letting the user to choose how the list will be organized:
Categorized|Alphaetically|...
c. I couldn't drag&drop exe or .lnk from desktop to the list
d. I can move but I can't resize the StartMenu, to have a bigger list.

4. Options
I looked for and I didn't find in Options:
a. Hotkeys tab (to bring up the Start menu for example)
b. Programs that start with PortableApps startup.

5. RTL
I'm using RTL system.
The StartMenu looked LTR, and located at Right side of the screen by default.
My suggetsion is to move it to the left side of the screen by default (as in LTR system), or to filp the layout to RTL layout.

6. My suggestion
Don't waste a lot of time with developing a PortableApp Launcher.
There are many launchers and many kinds out there. Everyone and what he loves and used to.
It would be better to try to make others launchers to work better with PortableApps, like ClassicShell (source opened recently) and RocketDock etc.
In PortableAppsPlatform you need only to configure what programs would be loaded at startup, and maybe to make some hotkeys.
I know HotkeyP for example, support %HotkeyP% (get the exe folder) so you can launch programs like:
%HotkeyP%\..\..\Tools\Programs\Notepad.exe

What I'm saying is that PortableApps Platform should be more focused with management and maintaining of the Apps, rather than a launcher.
For a launcher, take popular launchers and make them work better with PortableApps.

Regards

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May 7, 2018 - 1:58pm
ottosykora
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in the app

but you did realize that launchers are in every app folder for that particular app and not in the platform itself?

Otto Sykora
Basel, Switzerland

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May 7, 2018 - 3:03pm
Gord Caswell
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Joined: 2008-07-24 18:46
Thanks for the feedback, responses

Thanks for the feedback.

I have some response to your questions and comments, in order they were made. Note that a number of these points are already addressed at the Platform Bug/Feature Tracker

  1. Yes, this is intentional - The portable applications we make available here are fully self-contained, and are designed to work either on their own or within the PortableApps.com Platform. The platform, on the other hand, is designed to be installed to the root of a drive, unless directed otherwise, and has options for installation elsewhere built-in. With that said, it is also self-contained, so not sure what you're referring to here.
  2. This can be disabled in the options. On a completely new install, the check should be minimal as there are no apps installed to detect.
  3. This is called the PortableApps.com Platform, and yes, is similar in look to the Windows Start Menu
    1. At the moment, none of the buttons on the platform have tooltips that I can see. Adding them could indeed be helpful.
    2. There are currently four options for displaying your apps, all of which are available through the options.
    3. No, the ability to drag-and-drop applications is not supported, however the ability to manually add applications is an upcoming feature.
    4. This is a known issue, with no immediate fix planned.
    1. This is currently possible, however not from the options, although it is planned to have added in an upcoming release.
    2. This list is available in the PortableAppsMenu.ini folder in X:\PortableApps\PortableApps.com\Data
  5. By flip to RTL layout, do you mean change the position of the app list in relation to the folders, options, etc? If so, feel free to submit a feature request in the feature tracker.
  6. You're right, there are a number of different application menus available. The PortableApps.com Platform was one of, if not the first, menu system available, and is certainly popular - approaching 18 Million downloads of the platform since 2005.

I hope that answers some of your questions, and I expect you'll likely receive a response from John T. Haller at some point as well.

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