How do I create a portable launcher?

[Stone Tablet]

Yes the initial startup is slower, but the time it is more than made up when the app is actually being used because it runs from the hard drive. After the app closes the file(s) are deleted from the temp directory. (You can also set it up to automatically securely wipe the files if you feel the need.)

Other advantages are: no USB disk writes, a single exe w/icon (easy to manage), can be used from a live CD.

100% of my portables apps are in a SFX fomat but it is a personal preference that I would recommend. Try it you may like it...

[m^(2)]

After the app closes the file(s) are deleted from the temp directory. (You can also set it up to automatically securely wipe the files if you feel the need.)

And this breaks portability of most programs. Settings are meant to be kept unless program has no important ones.

Can you show me a single example of a program that doesn't have any important settings and is significantly slower at runtime running from a pendrive then from a local HDD?

I tried SFX. Unusably slow. I tried ThinApp / MoleBox. Troublesome updates cost too much time. And there's practically no benefit anyway.

Except for running from a CD. In case of a program that writes in own folder, SFX is a good choice.

[Stone Tablet]

If you start with a true portable app, SFX (Compression) in no way magically changes it to a none portable app.

I will leave it the reader(s) to determine the value of start up time -vs- operating speed. I have made my choice...WinRAR's SFX. Others clearly have a strong passion against...

[msnuser193]

Reg keys and compression are 2 totally independent things.
They have to be dealt with separately. And yes, reg keys are not a problem.

Do the reg keys affect the portable ? If they are needed, what are the ways I could create portable with reg keys (e.g. I heard reg keys can automatically be deleted with USB Drive is removed).

And How many types of compressions are there ? Which ones have higher

or low compressing rate? (so much)

[m^(2)]

Reg keys and compression are 2 totally independent things.
They have to be dealt with separately. And yes, reg keys are not a problem.

Do the reg keys affect the portable ? If they are needed, what are the ways I could create portable with reg keys (e.g. I heard reg keys can automatically be deleted with USB Drive is removed).

Depends on what you mean by "portable". In the most common definition (Runs from a pendrive on every computer, keeps important settings) - if the app stores important settings in the registry, then you should ensure that they are saved on the pendrive instead. joby_toss told you the methods of doing this.

And How many types of compressions are there ? Which ones have higher

or low compressing rate? (so much)

There's 1000 ways of compressing things in use today.
I can heartly recommend UPX - fast and quite reliable. And free. But it compresses only executables, won't help much in case of a game.

Then there are 3 programs:
Thinstall
MoleBox
nBinder
IIRC they all compress all files into a single executable and decompress files on access, not all at the time, which (compared to SFX) saves a lot of time at startup, cost some later, but total time spent on decompression is usually much lower than with SFX (and practically never higher).
They are all commercial, Thinstall is very expensive.

The last option: SFX.
Basically it's very similar to silent installer. Startup takes as much time as installation and normal startup afterwards.
If you decided that you won't get bored waiting the few minutes for decompression and really want it, there are 2 solutions that I can recommend:
rar with -m3 switch (medium compression). As for SFX, it offers fast decompression. Commercial.
FreeArc with -m3xx switch. Free, decompresses faster and is stronger than rar, but it's not yet stable, so you may have some troubles with it.


I'd like to correct one of my previous statements:
I've seen a program repacking it's settings. Don't remember the name, but it was a notepad that had just one file, encrypted, built into own executable. On close it rebuildt itself with changed file. It was not a launcher, but application already built to work this way. And it wasn't trivial. But definitely cool.
IIRC I've seen it in The Kitchensink.

[Schumi 053]

Hi..joby_toss or m^(2) or Stone Tablet..here I need your little help
Hmm..talking about "Portable Launcher Creator"..
like..JauntePE..NSIS..AutoIT..Batch File etc..
I see many peoples agree with AutoIT..
uhm..powerful..easy than NSIS..many tutor..have their own comunity etc.
Are there any program better than AutoIT? thx

[joby_toss]

For making an app portable I prefer JauntePE because it is a freeware product built for exactly this purpose and, what is the most important thing, it is built well and very easy to learn.
For something else I would prefer AutoIt, but my scripting abilities are very limited so I am the wrong guy to answer this.

[Schumi 053]

"..I am the wrong guy to answer this."

No..thats okay

"..I prefer JauntePE because it is a freeware..,..built well and very easy to learn.."

At least..I see you trying to help..I appreciate that

[m^(2)]

JauntePE is much easier for sb. who's not a programmer. Programs start and close faster. No extra processes running in background. However it doesn't work with x64 programs and has some troubles with Vista.

Launchers in whatever language are the opposite.

[Schumi 053]

"JauntePE is much easier..."

This is what I'm looking for

"..it doesn't work with x64 programs and has some troubles with Vista"

Currently..I works with x32 WinXP also x32 of programs..I must be safe..right?

By the way..what happened to your Santa Claus (your avatar)? looks so pity

Okay..Thanks a lot! m^(2)

[m^(2)]

"JauntePE is much easier..."

This is what I'm looking for

"..it doesn't work with x64 programs and has some troubles with Vista"

Currently..I works with x32 WinXP also x32 of programs..I must be safe..right?

"must" is definitely too much. It should be OK, but it's alpha release, it's likely to have some bugs.

By the way..what happened to your Santa Claus (your avatar)? looks so pity

Do you see the green thing in the snow?

[Schumi 053]

"..it's alpha release, it's likely to have some bugs."

oops..wait a second..I open my Dictionary first..hahaha..
how about..uhm..buggy or stable..I must accept hahaha I have no choice!

"Do you see the green thing in the snow?"

Ouw..I see..I see..seems like a strong one!
Who put there? wrong place!
Actually must put in the table where we are talking hahaha.

[msnuser193]

Reg keys and compression are 2 totally independent things.
They have to be dealt with separately. And yes, reg keys are not a problem.

Do the reg keys affect the portable ? If they are needed, what are the ways I could create portable with reg keys (e.g. I heard reg keys can automatically be deleted with USB Drive is removed).

Depends on what you mean by "portable". In the most common definition (Runs from a pendrive on every computer, keeps important settings) - if the app stores important settings in the registry, then you should ensure that they are saved on the pendrive instead. joby_toss told you the methods of doing this.

And How many types of compressions are there ? Which ones have higher

or low compressing rate? (so much)

There's 1000 ways of compressing things in use today.
I can heartly recommend UPX - fast and quite reliable. And free. But it compresses only executables, won't help much in case of a game.

Then there are 3 programs:
Thinstall
MoleBox
nBinder
IIRC they all compress all files into a single executable and decompress files on access, not all at the time, which (compared to SFX) saves a lot of time at startup, cost some later, but total time spent on decompression is usually much lower than with SFX (and practically never higher).
They are all commercial, Thinstall is very expensive.

The last option: SFX.
Basically it's very similar to silent installer. Startup takes as much time as installation and normal startup afterwards.
If you decided that you won't get bored waiting the few minutes for decompression and really want it, there are 2 solutions that I can recommend:
rar with -m3 switch (medium compression). As for SFX, it offers fast decompression. Commercial.
FreeArc with -m3xx switch. Free, decompresses faster and is stronger than rar, but it's not yet stable, so you may have some troubles with it.


I'd like to correct one of my previous statements:
I've seen a program repacking it's settings. Don't remember the name, but it was a notepad that had just one file, encrypted, built into own executable. On close it rebuildt itself with changed file. It was not a launcher, but application already built to work this way. And it wasn't trivial. But definitely cool.
IIRC I've seen it in The Kitchensink.

Thanks

[msnuser193]

u can continue on discussing;I always wondered how portable works.

[Schumi 053]

"..I always wondered how portable works."

You may start from here..then..walk around there.
I call this site "My DisneyLand" hmm..not funny right? mmh (sigh)..I'm not a good joker uhm..okay..njoy reading!