Let's say someone wants to test and compare 2 versions of a portable app.
For example, he has 2 portable program folders:
AppPortable v3.0
AppPortable v3.5
He wants to run the two AppPortable.exe simultaneously.
The settings of AppPortable v3.0 will be saved in AppPortable v3.0
The settings of AppPortable v3.5 will be saved in AppPortable v3.5
How to do that?
I know Everything can do that.
See how it works:
https://www.voidtools.com/support/everything/multiple_instances/
https://www.voidtools.com/support/everything/multiple_instances/#named_i...
"Named instances use unique settings and data.
For example, the named instanced "ETP Server" will use Everything-ETP SERVER.ini as the settings file.
The name of the instance is located in the Everything search window caption and in the tooltip when hovering over the tray icon with the cursor."
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Some apps will permit this behavior and just use the INI in their directory. Some will not and are designed not to allow this out of the box. Some use a single registry entry so by nature have one instance since all running versions will use the same settings. Some have specific switches to allow multiple instances (see Firefox and apps based on it for example) but will break certain things when used in this fashion.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
There are some "sandboxing" apps that should enable this behavior independent of whatever settings or restrictions the program itself employs. It's been some time since I tested some of the freeware options, but I feel certain the non-free Sandboxie would do the trick.
Moderator at portablefreeware.com
"sandboxing" apps intended to give only a temp solution.
The example above (Everything) gives a permanent solution.