Hey all. Nice site you have going here.
I kind of wanted to add my "voice" to the effort, so I wrote a win32 C/C++ version of the PortableApps Menu. It has a lot of the requested features, plus some of my own wants and ideas.
I'd like to make it available to others here but I don't have a place to park it except at SourceForge, which I don't want to do since that would really make it public and I'm the only one who's tested it so far and I also don't want this to be seen as a fork of PAM.
Anyone out there willing to take a zip from me with exes and source so others here can download it and test it and use it?
Edited on 20070413
Versions available as of April 13, 2007:
Mine are all hosted at http://cubegames.net/downloads/ thanks to rmccue aka Ryan McCue. The latest is 3.1.
blackbox's version that fixes bugs in my 3.1 version is at:
http://blackboxxx.googlepages.com/USBAppsMenu.zip
http://blackboxxx.googlepages.com/USBAppsMenuProject.zip
and he has another version which changes the alpha-blended highlighting and scrollbar to system standard at:
http://blackboxxx.googlepages.com/USBAppsMenu32.zip
http://blackboxxx.googlepages.com/USBAppsMenuProject32.zip
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
Can't do anything myself.
But would you be willing to send it to me so I presonally can try it out?
If so, here's my address. mono_purpura@hotmail.com
I have to see if I can email stuff out. I never tried it before from the account I have. I'm still working on the readme but as soon as I'm done I'll send it over, if I can. If not I'll post back here.
Thanks.
No emails get in or out to mass public accounts and no access to them either. I'll have to wait until I get home and try it from there.
No problem then.
The ones I just sent rmccue for hosting has a small change though.
The change?
I'm loving this by the way.
I didn't realize that it was being changed to the drive volume name if an autorun.inf was found.
I've got another version ready with a locales list but it needs more testing. Hopefully soon.
I also fixed the T key for the theming list (is that what you were talking about?) and a few other things.
In fact, I'll go one better. You can have an FTP account on my site.
Email it to me at cubegames[at]gmail.com as a 7z or rename the extension, since GMail doesn't like ZIPs or EXEs.
----
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."
Just sent 'em to you, exes in one and source in the other.
Ryan, are you going to post a link to the download? If not, how about someone sending it to me (my username)[at]gmail.com
---------------
Arquitecto Brunjes Lozano
Egresado de la Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez
"In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on." -- Robert Frost
"In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: baby ain't mine." -- Adam Holguin
And Done. [Forwarded]
Maybe not. Postmaster-failure to you. Hmm. I'll try again.
Thanks for that. I've got it, and lovin' it. (Sorry John, please don't ban me)
---------------
"I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand." -- Confucius
"In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on." -- Robert Frost
"In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: baby ain't mine." -- Adam Holguin
After all John DID design and create the whole menu, Portable Dev just added more cool functions which John probally has in plan for the next release but is just too bust of putting more testing into them to make them better.
Clicking on it opens the site. Exciting. I like the Theme thing under options too.
And the collapsing, and the whole moving of the menu. I gotta read the readme tho. I was to lazt to, so I just opened it up.
REMOVE/DELETE?! Yay!
OMG, SHORTCUTS?
COLLAPSE?
RENAME?-Which doesn't seem active for me
SCROLLBAR?
*Jumps for Joy*
John, I don't know what the new PAM has planned, but you may want to check out some of the things in this. Such as shortcuts, etc.
The cat for PUSS shows up alot better in this, why?
Remove/Del
Only deletes...
And I'm having trouble with the themes...
Do the shortcuts work on batch files? Would like a copy to test out, will it be posted anywhere?
I'm not sure what patience is referring to. Only menu keyboard shortcuts are supported.
I didn't word is right. I meant like just the "key shortcuts" using the characters.
Like "s" so collapse the menu I think it it, and x to close it.
Fair enough - Does it support batch files in the menu? Could you email it to me - see below
I was just trying to get the basics working first, plus the stuff I wanted. I'll start working on some of the other requests soon.
After you read the readme, or is it still broken?
Oh, and thanks for the testing and feedback. Sounds like it's at least running.
I think I read it right, just put my different themes in supdirectories under the App/DefaultData/Theme directory, but it's not working.
Put them in App/Themes and it should work. I might have sent you a bad readme, so download the one linked to here if you haven't already. Sorry 'bout that if I did.
Highlighting with cursor before selecting an app changes the font to white, and the scroll bar is a nice shade too.
Hi portable dev I still haven't been emailed back about this. I'm interested in trying this out. In case you haven't got my email last time it is thibeaz@gmail.com. and keep up the great idea
your friendly neighbourhood moderator Zach Thibeau
Sorry, I forgot about your request. I'll send 'em now.
Thanks. I look forward in trying it out.
your friendly neighbourhood moderator Zach Thibeau
Hope the code's usable enough. It's not very pretty.
ozbodd {at} gmail {dot} com
You the e-mail. You should get it by now, or will soon.
could you email it to me as well?
zrhudock (at) adelphia (dot) net
The developer formerly known as ZGitRDun8705
Sent.
Thanks got it though I think its incomplete - readme says there was supposed to be a file named StartUSBAppsUC.exe or StartUSBApps.exe which are not in the zip file? - Never mind saw the links below from rm...
this caught yesterday and was going to wait for a link, but now i'm too curious:) if you could send it my way as well- flanagan.jacob[at]gmail[dot]com. thanks.
-----------------------------------------------
Look for free alternatives! Then support them:)
I forwarded it to you. Please let me know if you got it.
I would love to try it out as well please...
my username at gmail.com
Thank you!
http://cubegames.net/downloads/USBAppsMenu2.zip
http://cubegames.net/downloads/USBAppsMenu2Project.zip
----
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."
I was just going through all that conversation while thinking "I have to get my mail address on that list, too" and then I discovered your download links.
:lol:
Thanks again, I'm eager to try it.
EDIT
And BTW:
Love your sig. :lol:
"What about Love?" - "Overrated. Biochemically no different than eating large quantities of chocolate." - Al Pacino in The Devils Advocate
I'm always willing to help people out.
Yeh, it's a common saying over here (well, the original is Queensland and Pissed, but I didn't know if you guys would understand that). Mind you, you could be in both.
----
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."
But definitely Pissed. Although most should at least know what Queensland is.
Some observations so far
* When scrolled to bottom of apps list and I went to the links on the side, the apps menu begins to rapidly jump up and down - I wasn't able to replicate it easily though?
* Scroll bar doesn't scroll 100% in one movement - Takes several scrolls to reach the bottom
* Couldn't add an exe converted from a bat file to the menu. (Uniform Server)
Great to see some changes - Would it be posible to have collapsable folders in the menu list?
* When scrolled to bottom of apps list and I went to the links on the side, the apps menu begins to rapidly jump up and down - I wasn't able to replicate it easily though?
I'll look into it. I basically wrote my own scrollbar code, so I wouldn't be surprised if something's broken.
* Scroll bar doesn't scroll 100% in one movement - Takes several scrolls to reach the bottom
I need more info. What did you do (key press, mouse action) that you thought should make it scroll 100% in one movement?
* Couldn't add an exe converted from a bat file to the menu. (Uniform Server)
Is the exe file named the same as the sub-directory it's in, or at least has the sub-directory's name at the beginning of its name? Please see the readme for how this version differs from PAM when building the apps list.
Would it be posible to have collapsable folders in the menu list?
I don't really want to stray any further until the next version of PAM comes out. There's no sense in adding a bunch of stuff that will require major rework on the user's part when the next version of PAM comes out with the same feature set, but implemented differently.
Scroll bar was when using the mouse to drag it down - Takes 3 -4 attempts to get to the bottom.
No I hadn't named the exe's the same as the folder. Renamed folder to StartWAMP, same as exe and still not picking it up - Another is a simple webpage launcher batch files converted to exe and that did work as you describe.
Scroll bar was when using the mouse to drag it down - Takes 3 -4 attempts to get to the bottom.
Can't get it to happen here but it's definitely scrolling slow and needs re-work. How many apps are in your list?
No I hadn't named the exe's the same as the folder. Renamed folder to StartWAMP, same as exe and still not picking it up - Another is a simple webpage launcher batch files converted to exe and that did work as you describe.
Renamed a folder and exe here as StartWAMP and it works fine. If it exists, exe version info will be used for the app name. Maybe it's on the list under a different name? The search isn't case sensitive so that's not it. Send the exe to me and I'll give it a go. Same user name at users.sourceforge.net.
I just sent the next version off to rmccue (thanks again for hosting this.)
Two major new features have been added: a new Options locales list menu and addition of non-.exe executables to the app list, e.g., .cmd, .bat, .com, etc. (basically anything that either win32 or the shell says is executable.)
Please see the readme for themes and locales files location requirements and for other useful info.
For those that haven't tried it yet, this menu version creates its app list using a different method than PAM does.
In short, all executable files that wild-card match with the sub-directory name are included in the app list.
As an example, WinZipPort is a sub-directory under the PortableApps directory. It contains lots of files, including several executables: Winzip32.exe, WinZipPortable.exe, WZQkPick.exe, WZSepe32.exe, WZ.com, WZ.lnk, MakeReg.cmd and KillReg.cmd. Only WinZipPortable.exe will be in the app list since it's the only executable that starts with WinZipPort.
At this time Explorer shortcuts (.lnk files) are not considered executable. Supposedly there is a way to create relative-path shortcuts but I haven't been able to get it to work yet. When and if I do, I'll make a new version to support them as executables so they'll get added to the app list as well.
http://cubegames.net/downloads/USBAppsMenu3.zip
http://cubegames.net/downloads/USBAppsMenu3Project.zip
The scroll wheel on my mouse does not work. Is this intensional? Or is it a but on my part? Also, re: the scroll bar, if you grab it and scroll down fast, it will not go all the way to the bottom. But if you grab it and scroll down slow, it will. Also, drag the bar up, keep holding down the left click and keep going up past the up arrow, the scroll bar will jump all the way down. It's.... sort of cool.
---------------
"I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand." -- Confucius
"In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on." -- Robert Frost
"In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: baby ain't mine." -- Adam Holguin
But v3.1 has a scrollbar thumb that works like it should.
Mouse wheel support wasn't intentional, just not coded.
v3.1 has support for it. There's also an apps list bug fix for 9x usage. I'm almost done with it, just working on speeding up the load time a bit more and cleaning up the code a bit.
I had the same problems with exes from batch files, but renamed the directory as you suggested and it worked fine.
The theme switching is nice. I found the original tended to chop my custom icons but your's does not. I also like that you allow for a title bar icon...
It does recognize a batch file
but has no custom icon 
That's a small thing for me but might be important to others...
The directories on the right are unchanged (I would love to be able to set "Documents" to point to where I actually keep my documents... this might be a small thing to others but would really help me).
Thanks for doing this!!!!
Richard
I don't mind making small changes, but I'm trying to stay away from anything that would make this version deviate too far from PAM.
I think looking for an optional icon file for .cmd or .bat based apps would be okay. This could also work for any .exe that doesn't have an embedded icon. Then if not found the default system icon would be used.
For the different directories usage, I could make it look for the localized named directory first, and if found, use it. And if not found use the default. But the localized Documents directory would still have to be at the PortableApps directory level. And to keep it simple, the localized Music, Pictures, and Video directories should probably be within the localized Documents directory. It's a bastardization of the localization feature, but I think it's something a non-us-english user might want.
Thanks! I understand though not wanting to get too far from the original PAM so as to honor the work that went into it.
Rich
edit
Or could you just have it look for the directories specified in the locale file? That way you don't have to have a Video listing if you don't want it...
Here I was ready to say I'm done with v3.1, as well as done in general, and you go and make a sensible request.
I'll tell you what, let me see what PAM does about defaulting the folder names when they're not present in the .locale, and I'll go with that.
Okay, I just checked and it works the way I suggested, so I win.
Yeah me! Seriously though, that's a good suggestion you made and hopefully it will be put into PAM, or a future version of this version of PAM.
Here's the change list for v3.1. BTW, this is it for me. Time to get back to other things. Thanks for joining in the fun:
Oh, but I forgot the separators. I'll do them before I send the zips off to rmccue.
Did I miss the 3.1 release?
For those who have fought for it, freedom has a flavor the protected will never know.
"Because they stand on a wall and say, 'Nothing is going to hurt you tonight. Not on my watch.'" (A Few Good Men)
Coincidence is God's way of remaining anonymous.(Albert Einstein)
Believe it can be found here
_____________________________
I felt so different without a signature.
Thanks
For those who have fought for it, freedom has a flavor the protected will never know.
"Because they stand on a wall and say, 'Nothing is going to hurt you tonight. Not on my watch.'" (A Few Good Men)
Coincidence is God's way of remaining anonymous.(Albert Einstein)
I made some small fixes to UAM 3.1:
1) The menu window is positioned relative to the desktop, not the whole screen. The effect is that menu no longer overlaps the taskbar and is positioned more like PAM.
2) Fixed button tracking bug (separators were not considered).
3) Made the tray menu appear when the right mouse button is released (this is more standard practice).
http://blackboxxx.googlepages.com/USBAppsMenu.zip
http://blackboxxx.googlepages.com/USBAppsMenuProject.zip
OK, even more changes: now selection rectangle looks and feels more like in XP start menu. Reverted scrollbar to the default system look (I like it better).
Now only if somebody could fix
PaintWnd()- it repaints the whole window, causing menu flicker and very high CPU usage.http://blackboxxx.googlepages.com/USBAppsMenu32.zip
http://blackboxxx.googlepages.com/USBAppsMenuProject32.zip
I've incorporated the first set into my own code along with some fixes for new bugs I found while using the thing. I decided to stick with my own list highlighting and scrollbar for portability and theming use reasons.
Now only if somebody could fix PaintWnd() - it repaints the whole window, causing menu flicker and very high CPU usage.
Ouch, you must have a very slow box.
The reason it repaints everything is because I'm eventually going to have it use the UpdateLayeredWindow api so that I can incorporate the shadow into the menu window and to be ready to support possible future themes that use pngs for the background.
Anyway, I went ahead and created an optimized version that uses clipping rectangle drawing in PaintWnd and tested it on an old 1Ghz PIII w/132MB memory running Windows 2000. Mouse highlighting worked good even with the alpha-blended drawing of the highlight and scrollbar. But I had already added app list grouping and multi-threading for my personal use so I'm still testing that stuff and so can't yet release it.
Ouch, you must have a very slow box.
Nope, it's P4 2.8GHz w/ 1GB RAM. Still scrolling and moving selection around feels much less responsive than XP's start menu. When I hold down arrow, CPU usage reaches 40%.
And popup menus (backup, options, themes, etc.) flicker when they appear (popup menu appears, than UAM repaints itself, erasing menu temporarily, than menu is finally repainted). Maybe it's because I have fade effect for menus enabled?
Anyway, I went ahead and created an optimized version that uses clipping rectangle drawing in PaintWnd...
Hope to see your version soon. Keep up the good work!
That's bad. Sorry. :|
I can see where fade effect would make it worse if it's already having problems but I haven't been able to duplicate the flickering even on a system with nothing but an on-board display chipset. I think either a true layered window or the drawing optimizes should really help. A true layered window may still have the cpu usage problem (depends on if the display hardware has alpha-blending capabilities.) Also, I noticed I didn't have WS_CLIPSIBLINGS set so that could be part of the problem with the flickering when the menus are displayed.
I will try and get a new version out as soon as possible. I'll probably use build switches along with command line switches so hopefully you'll find a version that works for you.
you can move this menu around! this is a little thing, but separators in the right side of the menu (as in the original PAM) would be nice. other then that, i like the way this is turning out:)
-----------------------------------------------
Look for free alternatives! Then support them:)
I got lazy.
I'll try and get 'em in for v3.1.
I'd like a copy of the C/C++ version. Can I edit it in VB?
helm.matt@gmail.com
Thanks a bunch!
----------
Matt Helm
ixworks Administrator
www.ixworks.com
admin@ixworks.com
Matt Helm
VB is a completely different language.
You need more testers? If yes - i can test this version of PortableApp. I good programmer on VB, and C++. My email: evaldasgrgmail.com
I'm willing to try. My e-mail is: picas.alex.at[at]gmail.com
[Moderator RM: Changed @ to [at] to prevent spam]
There's no need for someone to send it to you, there's a download link already on page 1 (or maybe page 2). Also, in the future, don't use your full email try [at] instead of @ to avoid getting spam.
---------------
"I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand." -- Confucius
"Sometimes I worry about being a success in a mediocre world." -- Lily Tomlin
"In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on." -- Robert Frost
"In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: baby ain't mine." -- Adam Holguin
It's actually Ryan McCue now as Ryan has had a
sexusername change._____________________________
I felt so different without a signature.
Someone is an idiot
----
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."
I have added his/her alias.
Anyone else having issues with the blackbox version and themes?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For those who have fought for it, freedom has a flavor the protected will never know.
"Because they stand on a wall and say, 'Nothing is going to hurt you tonight. Not on my watch.'" (A Few Good Men)
Coincidence is God's way of remaining anonymous.(Albert Einstein)
Works fine. I haven't tried any other though.
_____________________________
I felt so different without a signature.
The default theme works fine.
the 3.2 version the theme function doesn't work at all.
the 3.1 version(s) don't seem to save the theme setting.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For those who have fought for it, freedom has a flavor the protected will never know.
"Because they stand on a wall and say, 'Nothing is going to hurt you tonight. Not on my watch.'" (A Few Good Men)
Coincidence is God's way of remaining anonymous.(Albert Einstein)
I just realized it shows the drive space to two decimal places. Sweet!
Now I can see I'm getting ripped of 0.08 Gigs.
_____________________________
I felt so different without a signature.
I am newbie for the C++ programming, i only know well in console application only.
I try to know the how the API work,but i cannot compile your code...
What C/C++ Compiler you use?
I tried compile by DEV C++, but it return me many error.
He used MS Visual C++ I think to compile but Dev C++ can import those project files (Just it'll give some errors when you try to compile (I've tried already))
your friendly neighbourhood moderator Zach Thibeau
thank you so much.
Your so very welcome. Glad to be of help to you
your friendly neighbourhood moderator Zach Thibeau
I wouldn't recommend using my code to learn the win32 API. My code is written to minimize the executable's size, which means that readability and maintainability are often sacrificed.
This is my a little idea for add more directory ratter than original menu "document, music ,pictures, video and explore".
DEV C++ Source Code:
http://home.kimo.com.tw/chongyoeyat/Explore_Dicrectory.7z
Main idea is add using by EXE file replace.
Screenshoots:
This is effect...
http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2001060354935162357
http://aycu10.webshots.com/image/12889/2001060354935162357_rs.jpg
This is after click it...
http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2001097477228147058
http://aycu10.webshots.com/image/12889/2001097477228147058_rs.jpg
[Line wraps marked » - RM]
Path of the code #include int main() { system("explorer \\documents\\Knowledge"); //This is cmd command C:\\documents\\Knowledge is the path of directory you want to explore. return 0; }Works great, portable dev, but I have one complaint. It only shows the main OpenOffice launcher instead of "OpenOffice Writer Portable" and the others. It's really a minor detail, but I like it better with all the different programs instead of the launcher.
Kevin
"I know God will not give me anything I can't handle. I just wish that He didn't trust me so much."
--Mother Teresa (1910 - 1997)
-Please search before posting
"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
The reason for that is cause it only shows .exe's with the same name as the folder directory, this is the closest he's gotten you not having extra unwanted exe's whoting up in the menu.
_____________________________
I felt so different without a signature.
Okay. Thanks. Well, I guess we have to compromise. Still works great.
Kevin
"I know God will not give me anything I can't handle. I just wish that He didn't trust me so much."
--Mother Teresa (1910 - 1997)
-Please search before posting
"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
In the next version you can do this by adding a little ini entry to tell it to show all executables for that one directory. Then you can add entries for the executables you don't want shown no matter what. I'm still working on the gui to support this though, plus I got side-tracked adding other stuff, so I'm not done testing yet. Maybe by the end of the weekend.
Great!
Kevin
"I know God will not give me anything I can't handle. I just wish that He didn't trust me so much."
--Mother Teresa (1910 - 1997)
-Please search before posting
"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
Have any extra domain names lying around on your website?
CThelight-
10% luck, 20% Skill, 15% power of will, 5% pleasure, 50% pain
100% reason to play the game!
Signature automatically removed for containing links
Domain names: No, you have to buy them yourself
Sub-domain names: Infinite
Depends on what you want. Drop me an email at cubegames[at]gmail.com
----
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."
...so will the source compile in Dev C++ or not? I've tried it numerous times, and it wouldn't work.
=============
"Don't look now, but there's one too many persons in this room and I think it's you" - Groucho Marx
"Don't look now, but there's one too many persons in this room and I think it's you" - Groucho Marx
If any of the skinning suggestions I made in this post https://portableapps.com/node/4747 would be easier to implement in the C version?
Pages