The Kitchen Sink Collection [discontinued]

[m^(2)]

Still nothing.

[joby_toss]

The torrent file is working for me (the only working tracker is h**p://denis.stalker.h3q.com:6969/announce ; sumotracker, thepiratebay and torrentsnipe are always offline). It is soo slow though (2-3 kB/sec, rarely going 10-15). I can see 2 seeds and 2 peers and i can connect to only 1 seed and 1 peer. In 4-5 days I'm going to test that "sink" .
Later edit: thebiratebay tracker started working. Speed is about 30 kB/sec...nice.

I prefer having 5 programs doing almost the same thing than none not doing something. I like kitchensink's concept. I also like having everything in the same root (I think I'm alone on this one ), because I think it's easier to update and manage (relative paths etc.); the PStart organized menu should be enough.

Good collection !
Thanks !

[webfork]

> The torrent file is working for me

I've tried on several systems and it appears to be working fine. I hope its just on m^(2)'s side.

> Speed is about 30 kB/sec...nice

Have a friend helping me seed so hopefully that number will go up.

---

joby_toss: Thanks so much for the kind words. I almost set this project aside a month ago and now I'm really glad I didn't. Makes all that work worthwhile.

[m^(2)]

It's running now, don't know what was the problem. 5-8 KBps.

[webfork]

> It's running now, don't know what was the problem.

Thanks for re-checking.

[m^(2)]

Downloaded, I'm now removing the old version...it's so slow!
Maybe you could use some patching tools? Would save a lot of time...

Other early comments:

kitchensink.7z.tmp seems unnecessary

As you do categorization, you could do it with directory structure too.

[m^(2)]

Bigger 7zip dictionary would reduce archive size, so if you have enough memory, it would be better to do it.

Things to rename / remove:
C:\tst\kitchensink-0.9.8.5\AudioIdentifier_setup\
C:\tst\kitchensink-0.9.8.5\FirefoxPortable\App\firefox\uninstall\
C:\tst\kitchensink-0.9.8.5\FirefoxPortable-Secure\App\firefox\uninstall\
C:\tst\kitchensink-0.9.8.5\GnuCashPortable\App\GnuCash\uninstall\
C:\tst\kitchensink-0.9.8.5\pf-setup-en\
C:\tst\kitchensink-0.9.8.5\SunbirdPortable\App\sunbird\uninstall\
C:\tst\kitchensink-0.9.8.5\ThunderbirdPortable\App\thunderbird\uninstall\
C:\tst\kitchensink-0.9.8.5\ArtRage 2 Free\unins000.dat
C:\tst\kitchensink-0.9.8.5\FullSync-0.9.1\Copy of profiles.xml
C:\tst\kitchensink-0.9.8.5\PhotoWipe\unins000.dat

Starting FreeCommander:

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---------------------------
FreeCommander
---------------------------
File not found C:\tst\kitchensink-0.9.8.5\FreeCommanderPortable\App\FreeCommander\lng\polski.lng
---------------------------
OK   
---------------------------

Then it has german UI. English would be better

How about running a user editable script before pstart, so it's possible to automatically start some background programs?

ADDED: AppInfo folders are unnecessary too.

[webfork]

Thanks so much for your feedback, m^(2) ... really gives me an idea of the direction this program should be going 6 months and year from now.

Version 1.0 is a lot further away than I thought.

Unnecessary Files / Size Reduction

> Things to rename / remove ...

I did a search for uninstall files but I apparently missed quite a few. I'll get those cleaned up, thanks.

> AppInfo folders are unnecessary too.

Check.

> kitchensink.7z.tmp seems unnecessary

Yes -- was an amaturish mistake.

> Starting FreeCommander Problem

I have *no* idea why that's happening on this. I haven't had this issue on other machines that I'm testing. I'm assuming there's some sort of non-portable element that its defaulting back to but ... I'll see what I can figure out.

> Bigger 7zip dictionary would reduce archive size, so if you have enough memory, it would be better to do it.

Definitely. On the next release, I'll set it to some absurdly high compression level and let it run overnight.



Programming Issues

> Maybe you could use some patching tools? Would save a lot of time...

Agreed but that could take some time as its a little outside of my current technical expertise -- I'm not a programmer. Any ideas on how to set that up or maybe just where to start?

> How about running a user editable script before pstart, so it's possible to automatically start some background programs?

That's more doable in the immediate term since I can probably script something. What did you have in mind?


Organization Issues

> As you do categorization, you could do it with directory structure too.

I've gone back and forth on this idea. I definitely don't want a cluttered directory structure but ...

1. I haven't nailed down a Pstart directory structure. Version 0.8 looked dramatically different than this release. For example, many files that were under "System" went into Support.

2. If the user needs to find some data file or wants to link directly to a file, putting it under multiple subdirectories (especially for programs that easily could be either under "system" or "support") makes it that much more annoying to get.[/list]

3. If its a direction I decide to go, I can make changes gradually over time. But because its time consuming, its not something that would appear in the next release.

Thanks again.

[m^(2)]

Programming Issues

> Maybe you could use some patching tools? Would save a lot of time...

Agreed but that could take some time as its a little outside of my current technical expertise -- I'm not a programmer. Any ideas on how to set that up or maybe just where to start?

Nope. I never used such things.

> How about running a user editable script before pstart, so it's possible to automatically start some background programs?

That's more doable in the immediate term since I can probably script something. What did you have in mind?

In my own portable toolset, I start everything with a batch that starts the things I have always on (PowerPro, Executor, Taskix, Total Commander) and sets some variables defining directory structure + programs I use (%_WebBrowser% etc.). Programs use paths relative to these variables, so if I ever changed directory structure or changed programs - I just have to modify the script and everything will work.

1. I haven't nailed down a Pstart directory structure. Version 0.8 looked dramatically different than this release. For example, many files that were under "System" went into Support.

Right, I would finalize PStart first too.

2. If the user needs to find some data file or wants to link directly to a file, putting it under multiple subdirectories (especially for programs that easily could be either under "system" or "support") makes it that much more annoying to get.

That's why I don't ask for making directory structure very deep. I would add 1 level. And users rarely touch internals, I know because I participate in quite similar project.

3. If its a direction I decide to go, I can make changes gradually over time. But because its time consuming, its not something that would appear in the next release.

OK, understood.

[webfork]

I didn't manage to download it yet (I lost connection at 100 MB...), but I already have 4 suggestions.
- Find a faster hosting
- Use 7zip Ultra with 96 MB dictionary if you have enough RAM. I really see no reason to use old zips anymore.
- Copying dlls to system is not a good idea. A better would be a batch file like:

Code: Select all

set path=%path%;%~dp0lib
start "" "%~dp0pstart\pstart.exe"

and putting these dlls in .\lib
- You still have multiple copies of some dlls. Move them to the shared package.

Hey,

I started work on this portion of the KitchenSink and I really need to dig up some more information on Windows scripting. Do you know some place I could start for that? I want to do what you describe above and then some.

Thanks!

-Fh

[m^(2)]

http://www.robvanderwoude.com
There's no better site about MS Batch scripting.

About this particular script:
When a Windows programs tries to load a dll there's long algorithm of finding where it is. At one point it searches all directories listed in PATH environment variable. If you put all shared dlls in a single place and add this place %PATH%, they will get loaded just as if they were in the system.
When a process starts another, all it's environment is propagated, so if you set %PATH% and later start PStart in the same program, all that's started from PStart (also indirectly) will get correct %PATH%.

Code: Select all

set path=%path%;%~dp0lib

%path% expands to the current variable's value. %~dp0 is a path to the batch's directory (with backslash at the end).

Code: Select all

set path=%~dp0lib;%path%

would work too. In case when the same dll is in the system and in your lib directory, the first version prefers system and the second - lib version.
Getting them from system is usually faster.

Code: Select all

start "" "%~dp0pstart\pstart.exe"

As you expect, it starts PStart.
%~dp0 expands again, so you have a fully qualified path.

[redgum]

Wanted to say how much I appreciate your work, webfork. Sure, I have my favorites within the collection, and a a few that aren't in it; but it's awesome to have so many choices. And to not have to install them all individually. Keep up the good work!

BTW - sad seeing so few comments on your blog. I went to add one, but then got stuck on the last step, "Choose an identity". I may be in the minority (?) in not having a blogger ID, or any of the others listed; but I can't help thinking this hurdle might be preventing others from leaving comments too...

[redgum]

BTW, re FreewareUpdater.com - I'm guessing that much of the included software isn't portable, as portability isn't mentioned anywhere on the site. So it could be sweet, but isn't what I need.

Maybe you could make use of whatever mechanism they use for updating the apps in your collection. Or team with them to create a portable version... Best of both worlds would be brilliant, but in the meantime, Kitchen Sink FTW!

[webfork]

Wanted to say how much I appreciate your work, webfork. Sure, I have my favorites within the collection, and a a few that aren't in it; but it's awesome to have so many choices. And to not have to install them all individually. Keep up the good work!

Thanks man, that means a LOT. I've had at least 500 downloads of the program but very little feedback. But I don't know if that's 500 people that downloaded and then deleted it. Nice to know someone's genuinely interested.

BTW - sad seeing so few comments on your blog. I went to add one, but then got stuck on the last step, "Choose an identity". I may be in the minority (?) in not having a blogger ID, or any of the others listed; but I can't help thinking this hurdle might be preventing others from leaving comments too...

I just opened up anonymous posts. Should open that up a bit -- thanks for letting me know.

BTW, re FreewareUpdater.com - I'm guessing that much of the included software isn't portable, as portability isn't mentioned anywhere on the site. So it could be sweet, but isn't what I need.

Good call -- thanks for checking that out.

Maybe you could make use of whatever mechanism they use for updating the apps in your collection. Or team with them to create a portable version... Best of both worlds would be brilliant, but in the meantime, Kitchen Sink FTW!

One of the downsides of an archive this big is that many of the applications are no longer being developed. Some of them have weird settings that don't transfer easily from version to version. But yes, I should seek some collaborators in all this.

Thanks again!

[webfork]

Also just created a discussion / announcement list for anyone interested in this software.

http://groups.google.com/group/kitchen-sink-software