portableapps:start
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— | portableapps:start [2012/02/05 20:50] – [GenViewer] Malcolm Austen | ||
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+ | ====== PortableApps ====== | ||
+ | |||
+ | This is in the process of being written for a presentation to the [[http:// | ||
+ | |||
+ | ===== Your Computer on a memory stick ===== | ||
+ | |||
+ | PortableApps is an application launcher system (essentially a second 'start menu') that runs from a USB device - this can be a memory stick or a real hard disk. | ||
+ | |||
+ | //It can be run from any drive (not just a USB drive), I have my netbook' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Why would you want to run applications from a USB drive? | ||
+ | |||
+ | Because programs running this way will run on any Windows system without making use of (or leaving traces in) the host computer' | ||
+ | |||
+ | ===== First things first ===== | ||
+ | |||
+ | The home of PortableApps is http:// | ||
+ | |||
+ | This is the place to look for full details of the project as well as the practical results (and answers to regular questions). | ||
+ | |||
+ | ===== Available Programs ===== | ||
+ | |||
+ | I suggest you browse the range of programs available on http:// | ||
+ | |||
+ | You'll see that there are a good number of them spanning several broad categories: | ||
+ | ==== Portable App Directory™ ==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | * Accessibility | ||
+ | * Development | ||
+ | * Education | ||
+ | * Games | ||
+ | * Graphics & Pictures | ||
+ | * Internet | ||
+ | * Music & Video | ||
+ | * Office | ||
+ | * Security | ||
+ | * Utilities | ||
+ | |||
+ | ===== Download & install the launcher system ===== | ||
+ | |||
+ | Now look at the download page http:// | ||
+ | |||
+ | The currect version number is 10.0 - don't be confused if you have downloaded a previous version, 10.0 is the version that followed 1.6 (maybe they count in binary!) | ||
+ | |||
+ | Get the basic installer on the left button - you probably don't really want the free music or the memory stick with PortableApps preinstalled. | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==== Fetch & Install ==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | Download the installer to your desktop (or if you are like me, to a folder ' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Then run it, making sure the drive is set to that your USB memory stick. | ||
+ | |||
+ | You should now have two folders on that drive: | ||
+ | |||
+ | === Folder ' | ||
+ | |||
+ | This is your portable 'My Documents' | ||
+ | |||
+ | === Folder ' | ||
+ | |||
+ | This is your portable ' | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==== ==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | As well as the folders, you'll find a program ' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Autoruns are increasingly frowned upon, whereas the v1.6 autorun file runs ' | ||
+ | |||
+ | To start up the menu/ | ||
+ | |||
+ | The menu system will pop up (by default in the bottom right of the screen) and will auto-hide after a short while. You can bring it up again by clicking on the PortableApps icon in the system notification area. | ||
+ | |||
+ | ===== Now for some Apps ===== | ||
+ | |||
+ | You can download each installer from the Apps directory (you browsed that earlier) or you can bring up your newly installed but empty Portableapps menu and click on ' | ||
+ | |||
+ | ' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Personally, I'd include NotePad++ as well but you may prefer another plain text editor. | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==== Some Portable Apps to consider ==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | === 7-Zip === | ||
+ | |||
+ | This is a popular free zip/unzip program. It's always useful to have. | ||
+ | |||
+ | === Xenon === | ||
+ | |||
+ | This is a file manager, pretty ordinary eh? BUT this one will override the host Windows file associations and open files with the appropriate PortableApp where it can. | ||
+ | |||
+ | === Libre Office === | ||
+ | |||
+ | Libre Office is the replacement for Open Office. Because it's a large package, download and installation may take a while! | ||
+ | |||
+ | === FoxitReader === | ||
+ | |||
+ | This is a PDF reader. You might also like to look at the Sumatra App with some people (OK, Alan Simpson!) prefer. | ||
+ | |||
+ | === GIMP (Gnu Image Manipulation Program) === | ||
+ | |||
+ | This is a free photo editing program. It has loads of functionality but I hessitate to com,pare it to Photoshop mainly because its user interface is so unlike Photoshop. GIMP clearly displays it origins in the Unix & X-windows world. | ||
+ | |||
+ | === IrfanView === | ||
+ | |||
+ | This is a lighter weight image browser and editor. It may well provide all the image edit facilities you need. | ||
+ | |||
+ | === Mozilla === | ||
+ | |||
+ | Both Firefox (web browser) and Thunderbird (email client) are available as Portable Apps - but also see Opera below :-D | ||
+ | |||
+ | === Filezilla === | ||
+ | |||
+ | Filezilla is a well respected FTP program. | ||
+ | |||
+ | === Scribus === | ||
+ | |||
+ | Scribus is a free Desk Top Publishing program, available as a Portable App. | ||
+ | |||
+ | === Security === | ||
+ | |||
+ | Both ClamWin (anti-virus) and Spybot (anti-adware) are available as Portable Apps allowing you to check the host computer. | ||
+ | |||
+ | ===== ===== | ||
+ | |||
+ | I have downloaded a number of the installers in advance and will install a few of them as the talk progresses. | ||
+ | |||
+ | ===== Some non-standard portable apps ===== | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==== Opera ==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | Opera combines the functionality of a web browser and a mail client into one program. You will find it is available in both PortableApps form and as Opera@USB ... don't use either of these as Opera' | ||
+ | ==== WinHTTrack ==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | HTTrack is a program that can download a web page (or even a whole site) to your computer for browsing offline. It's not on the PortableApps directory but you can get a portable version from here http:// | ||
+ | |||
+ | This will download as a ZIP file. Create a flder ' | ||
+ | ==== TotalCommander ==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | This is a file manager, yes, another one. Strictly, it's not free - it's ' | ||
+ | |||
+ | The main TotalCommander page is at http:// | ||
+ | |||
+ | First, install the TotalCommanderLauncherPortable program. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Then install TotalCommander into the empty PortableApps/ | ||
+ | |||
+ | Finally, copy the contents of the totalcmd folder up into the TotalCommander folder and delete the now empty totalcmd folder. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Yes, it's not exactly a smooth installer, maybe that's why TC is mostly used by geeks ... | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==== MailStore Home ==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | Make sure you get the Home version - http:// | ||
+ | |||
+ | Just run it, you will get options for normal or partable installation. Thee latter will show all your drives and also ' | ||
+ | |||
+ | ===== Family History programs ===== | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==== Gramps ==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | This is well known in the Linux world but there is a windows version and a Portable version as well. I am not an expert on its use, indeed I've barely used it. Still, it's free and worth a try if you want something you can carry on a memory stick. | ||
+ | ==== GenViewer ==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | GenViewer - http:// | ||
+ | ==== Roots Magic ==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | This is something I'm not exactly familiar with but RootsMagic can export itself and date in a RootsMagicToGo form on a USB drive. Another option for adding your family history to your Portable environment. | ||
+ | ===== And then PediTree ===== | ||
+ | |||
+ | Copy or move your Pedigree folder into the PorrtableApps folder. Open the file Peditree.ini and add these two lines at the end: | ||
+ | |||
+ | [Folder] | ||
+ | StartFolder=%cd% | ||
+ | |||
+ | When you next pop up the PortableApps menu you should find PediTree listed, click it and you should find that the Open menu defaults to your PortablePedigree folder! | ||
+ | |||
+ | N.B. It would do that anyway if there were no c:\pedigree folder to be found, but you will probably be testing this out on your home computer which does have a c:\pedigree :-) | ||
+ | |||
+ | ===== And finally Pedigree ===== | ||
+ | |||
+ | To start with, I suggest you add two Apps to your menu: | ||
+ | |||
+ | * from the Utilities section | ||
+ | * Command Prompt Portable | ||
+ | * and from the games section | ||
+ | * DOSbox Portable | ||
+ | |||
+ | On a Win32 host system there should be no real trouble running a DOS program. Indeed Pedigree will appear in the PortableApps menu and will run when clicked - although some work needs to be done to sort out the font size! | ||
+ | |||
+ | If you like a more traditional approach, run Command Prompt Portable an then type: | ||
+ | |||
+ | cd portableapps\pedigree | ||
+ | pedigree | ||
+ | |||
+ | On a 64 bit Windows 7 system that won't work but Colin' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Before going further, check whether your pedigree folder includes the file dpmi16bi.ovl and if it is not there you should follow Colin' | ||
+ | |||
+ | If u: is the drive letter of your USB drive, run DOSbox and at the Z: prompt type: | ||
+ | |||
+ | mount v u: | ||
+ | v: | ||
+ | pedigree | ||
+ | |||
+ | At this point you may still have Pedigree in a very small window ... something to work on! | ||
portableapps/start.txt · Last modified: 2018/08/30 00:19 by 127.0.0.1