The Portable Freeware Collection Forums

PStart	Asuite
Right-click on a menu item and choose Edit.	Right-click on a menu item and choose Property.
Enter argument Command Line Parameters field.	Enter "argument" text in the Property field.

Specular wrote:Do you think the line in the entry '... and launch with TreeSheets -p' will make sense to users? I mean, anyone technical will get it but wondering if there should be some FAQ link about it.

• Use a launcher - The simplest way is to use a launcher program like Pstart, Asuite, or Splat you can enter the extra characters in a separate blank labeled "arguments" or "parameters". Examples:
  
  • Asuite
  • Pstart
• Create a batch file
  
  1. Before you begin, unless you use a custom File Manager, you may need to disable the Windows feature that hides file extensions (e.g. .DOC, .MP3, etc.)
  2. In the same folder as the program you want to launch, create an empty text file.
  3. In this file, paste the launch code exactly as you see it in the entry. For example, the entry says to launch TreeSheets.exe -p, paste the italicized text and save.
  4. Save the text file and rename it launch.bat and then double-click on the file.

1. Right-click on the program and choose "Create shortcut"
   
   
   .
2. Rename the shortcut to "PROGRAM_Portable" (e.g. Treesheets Portable)
   
   
   .
3. Right-click on the shortcut and edit the "target" field to append the required start parameter. Example:
   
   
   C:\PORTABLE\TreeSheets\TreeSheets.exe
   
   C:\PORTABLE\TreeSheets\TreeSheets.exe" -p
   
   Example:
   
   
   
   If there are quotes present, just put the -p at the end of the text, outside the quotes.

smaragdus wrote:... it is unclear to me why still so many developers insist of using AppData. Program uninstallers are usually never good enough and after a uninstallation of a program too much trash is left behind all over Windows.

start TreeSheets.exe -p

smaragdus wrote:This is a useful tutorial, thanks. However it is unclear to me why still so many developers insist of using AppData. Program uninstallers are usually never good enough and after a uninstallation of a program too much trash is left behind all over Windows.

• With roaming profiles (that can be used in organizations) settings stored in AppData will follow the user. In other words, if the user logs in to his/her account with a different computer in the company, the program will use the correct settings instead of defaults.
• AppData is user specific. If multiple people share the same computer (in a family, for example), everyone can have different settings.

SYSTEM wrote:In the batch file method, it's best to insert "start" before the command, e.g.

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start TreeSheets.exe -p

That way the CMD window will close immediately, instead of staying until the program is closed.

• In the same vein, I recommend using a pair of double quotes right after the START command -- the reason being should there be a need to use a path for the executable and in the eventuality of this path containing spaces it will need to be enclosed in quotes; in that case and if that pair of empty quotes is absent, the path might be misinterpreted as a console window title command...
  

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  start "" "%~dp0TreeSheets.exe" -p
  

• Create a batch file
  
  1. For this example, we'll use Mouse Recorder. Before you begin, you may need to disable the Windows feature that hides file extensions (e.g. .DOC, .MP3, etc.), as you'll be renaming this part of the file.
  2. In the program folder (e.g. C:\Portable\MouseRec\), create an empty text file.
  3. Paste the following text:
     
     • start "" "%~dp0XXXX"
  4. Look at the program entry and replace XXXX with the entry's launch file. For example, Mouse Recorder has to "Launch mouserecorder.exe" so paste mouserecorder.exe as below:
     
     • start "" "%~dp0mouserecorder.exe"
  5. Add the -portable to the end of the text:
     
     • start "" "%~dp0mouserecorder.exe" -portable
  6. Save the text file and rename it to launch.bat and then double-click this file.

webfork wrote:Great suggestions, thanks Midas and SYSTEM. Here's a possible edit:

[BEGIN EDIT]

• Create a batch file
  
  1. For this example, we'll use Mouse Recorder. Before you begin, you may need to disable the Windows feature that hides file extensions (e.g. .DOC, .MP3, etc.), as you'll be renaming this part of the file.
  2. In the program folder (e.g. C:\Portable\MouseRec\), create an empty text file.
  3. Paste the following text:
     
     • start "" "%~dp0XXXX"
  4. Look at the program entry and replace XXXX with the entry's launch file. For example, Mouse Recorder has to "Launch mouserecorder.exe" so paste mouserecorder.exe as below:
     
     • start "" "%~dp0mouserecorder.exe"
  5. Add the -portable to the end of the text:
     
     • start "" "%~dp0mouserecorder.exe" -portable
  6. Save the text file and rename it to launch.bat and then double-click this file.

[/END EDIT]

I'm a little worried this is too complex. Thoughts?

start "" mouserecorder.exe -portable

start "" "mouse recorder.exe" -portable

NickR wrote:Shortcuts can use relative paths as in my over-complicated post above

EG Simplest relative path shortcut example

SYSTEM wrote:if the file name doesn't contain spaces, and

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start "" "mouse recorder.exe" -portable

if it does.

• I agree with SYSTEM on this -- my inclusion of the path catching parameter was only there to make the example self-evident...

NickR wrote:

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%Windir%\system32\cmd.exe /c start TreeSheets.exe -p

• On any well behaved computer, NickR example could be further simplified thusly:
  

  Code: Select all

  %COMSPEC% /c "START TreeSheets.exe -p"

Andrew Lee wrote:In the FAQ, could we suggest the simplest way to do it would be to use a portable launcher, and leave all the discussion about batch files to the forum topic?

I feel the batch file method is too complicated, and frankly anyone who understands it should have no problems with understanding the command-line paramater in the first place.