Here's how it's suggested to import already existing installations into the program:
You can also run the installers directly. As long as you have your portable apps installed to the standard location, they will automatically find your PortableApps.com drive, install and tell the menu to refresh.
- Adding PortableApps.com Format Apps to the PortableApps.com Menu
I highly suggest to replace the bold part with X:\PortableApps, just like you detail it in Adding Other Apps to the PortableApps.com Menu.
But my main question is what if I already installed various PortableApps programs into various locations?
I guess I'd like X:\PortableApps\PortableApps.com\Data\NewApp.ini to support custom paths, for example:
Replace:
[NewApp] AppID=On-ScreenKeyboardPortable
With:
[NewApp] AppID=c:\keyboard_apps\On-ScreenKeyboardPortable
Although preferably use relative folders:
[NewApp] AppID=..\keyboard_apps\On-ScreenKeyboardPortable
Or Environment variables:
[NewApp] AppID=%USERPROFILE%\keyboard_apps\On-ScreenKeyboardPortable
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The standard location is X:\PortableApps for a portable drive, C:\PortableApps for an all users local install, C:\Users\PortableApps for a single user local install, C:\Users\USERNAME\Google Drive for Google Drive, etc. So the standard location varies by user and install type. That's why it's mentioned as such.
The NewApp.ini is only to allow an installing app to signal the platform that it was installed into the running platform's standard location. That's all. The Platform doesn't yet support apps outside the expected PortableApps directory. It will at a later point and these will be auto-detected but won't be updated by the Updater.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
May I ask why is that?
As for NewApp.ini, what is it used for?
It makes it sound like it tracks which portable apps were installed through the Platform, as opposed to manually installed externally into the correct folder.
Does the Platform then treat them differently?
Last but not least, will you consider mentioning X:\PortableApps in the relevant support section (see OP)?
It's a temporary file just used to signal to the platform that an app was installed. It only works with the PA.c Platform and Installer in the standard folder, nowhere else.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
May I ask why is that?
It's work to build and maintain and introduces additional points of failure to the updater. The benefit would be a minor feature used by a small subset of users.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
I guess if I want to use the Platform, I'll have to gather around all the PortableaApps I've ever installed and move them into a central location.
I just hope you'll consider mentioning X:\PortableApps in the relevant support section (see OP).
I found this thread while looking for a way to add apps installed without using the "PortableApps.com Platform" app to the "PortableApps.com Platform". I'm quite happy with their current location: to install applications, I use a custom application folder at the root of drive C and the root of drive D. I use other physical drives for documents. However, as I understand it, I cannot add these applications to the "PortableApps.com Platform" application without moving them to folders where the "PortableApps.com Platform" can see them. If this is the case, "PortableApps.com Platform" is of no use to me and I will continue to update the apps manually.
Try this portable launcher: https://apathysoftworks.com/quickcliq It is very versatile and might suit your needs better than the PortableApps Platform. I've used Quick Cliq for years and would be lost without it. Just remember that if you do use it you still need to launch your Portable Apps using the Portable Apps launchers: so you just make a shortcut in the Quick Cliq menus to the whatever launcher you want to add to Quick Cliq.
Use Portable Apps on both Flash Drive and HDD/SSD.