PortableApps Platform (formerly PortableApps Suite)

Submit portable freeware that you find here. It helps if you include information like description, extraction instruction, Unicode support, whether it writes to the registry, and so on.
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gp_hbk
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PortableApps Platform (formerly PortableApps Suite)

#1 Post by gp_hbk »

[Moderator note: this is the primary PortableApps.com Platform program thread. View database entry]

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The PortableApps Suite.
Comes in three packages - Standard(Installer 89.9 MB), Lite(Installer 30.4 MB) & Base(740 kB)
It comes with an applications menu and backup utility along with the applications.The standard package has Firefox, Clamwin, Gaim, Sunbird, Thunderbird, Sudoku, OpenOffice.org as portable apps. The lite package has AbiWord instead of OpenOffice.org. The base package has only the applications menu and backup utility.

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Andrew Lee
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#2 Post by Andrew Lee »

Posted to the database. Thanks!

This seems to be targeted towards portable apps newbies, with its own PAF (Portable Application Format) to simplify installation. Well, it's better than U3 with its own funny hardware, I guess.

For me, I still prefer PStart and its power + flexbility.

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gp_hbk
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#3 Post by gp_hbk »

Andrew Lee wrote:This seems to be targeted towards portable apps newbies, with its own PAF (Portable Application Format) to simplify installation. Well, it's better than U3 with its own funny hardware, I guess.

For me, I still prefer PStart and its power + flexbility.
I use AutoStart and SideSlide

donald
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PortableApps.com Platform

#4 Post by donald »

PortableApps Platform Menu is at 1.5.2 Released
and at 1.6 beta release

I want to know if the people who put together MOD 34 are ever considering using a newer base edition to mod from??

Could someone else consider MODing the current beta of PortableApps??

I would love a more stable release of MOD 34 which is the only edition of the suite that comes close to PStart in functionality and usability

donald
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Not to sound ungrateful to Mr Haller ...

#5 Post by donald »

Not to sound ungrateful to Mr Haller who has produced many wonderful things.
Mr Haller's menu was my first and led me to try MOD 34 because it was similar enough to be a replacement until I found PStart.

It looks like the Portable Apps Platform menu will head in the direction that MOD 34 provided

While the developers and the loudest Fans on PortableApps.com will almost be screaming that apps cant be safe without their format their betas sometimes make apps that began as portable non-portable I.E. Stickies.

The attitude of DISCOURAGING the use of some Menu features and hiding them or making them obscure seems at least a little elitist

I easily understand the attitude of not supporting/hosting software with a license you don't agree with but why not support/suggest a launcher that is compatible with the license requirements??

I.E. at least one recent forum posting regarding a refused portable application in the PortableAppsFormat

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webfork
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Re: PortableApps Platform

#6 Post by webfork »

So the PortableApps.com Platform entry says it includes a portable desktop background switcher. Is this something from an earlier version? I can't seem to find it.

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Re: PortableApps Platform

#7 Post by donald »

To switch wallpaper on launch place a bmp file in Documents\Pictures; label it "portableapps_wallpaper" then launch the portableapps.com platform.

Used with Hide Desktop Icons in advanced options is great.

PortableApps Platform cleans up on exit but if platform crashes or you kill it changes are left for you to fix.

Another PA option from Mr Haller's website http://portableapps.com/node/27820 may be a better option, though there are other wallpaper switchers both in and out of PortableApps format.

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webfork
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Re: PortableApps Platform

#8 Post by webfork »

I rewrote the portableapps entry just because I don't think the current one is adequate. Similar to what happened with PeaZip's feature expansion into File Manager territory, I can't really call this just a launcher anymore.
  • PortableApps.com Platform is an all-in-one tool for portable software download, management, and update. An included launcher shows nested folders organized automatically by function or favorite status, as well as a cascading app view on right-click of the tray icon. The program's appearance can be customized with transparency and several color, texture, and background options.

    Other tools include a find-as-you-type search functionality, available cloud installation, drive error checker, backup/restore utility, portable fonts, automatic application closing on shutdown, and more. The program can also work with portable software outside of the PortableApps format (see Extract instructions).

    Functional in 64-bit and WINE, includes broad language support, and proxy support.
Suggestions? I want to move the "add other applications" bit down to the extract instructions just because the description is getting too long. It's always hard to summarize the feature-rich tools.

3D1T0R
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Re: PortableApps Platform

#9 Post by 3D1T0R »

Hello again,
I would like to suggest that ASuite be added to the list of alternative apps.

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joby_toss
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Re: PortableApps Platform

#10 Post by joby_toss »

OK, I added that, but it has to be noted that ASuite is not an alternative (as in "not a platform that allows downloading of pre-packeged portable apps"), but more like a similar portable apps launcher.

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webfork
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Re: PortableApps Platform

#11 Post by webfork »

I was seeing some kind of issue with the Start.exe program so I re-downloaded the program and tried a new install rather than updating. This process deletes all items in the PortableApps folder so I lost a lot of data. I had a recent backup so it wasn't a big deal, but just something to be aware of.

EDIT: Posted to PA: https://portableapps.com/node/58011

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JohnTHaller
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Re: PortableApps Platform

#12 Post by JohnTHaller »

webfork wrote: Sun Apr 22, 2018 3:17 pm I was seeing some kind of issue with the Start.exe program so I re-downloaded the program and tried a new install rather than updating. This process deletes all items in the PortableApps folder so I lost a lot of data. I had a recent backup so it wasn't a big deal, but just something to be aware of.

EDIT: Posted to PA: https://portableapps.com/node/58011
As posted on PA.c, it's likely either you installed to a different sub-directory (and now have two platforms one with apps and one without) or your drive is dying:
It's possible you installed to the wrong path. Frequently, users who reinstall the platform will install to X:\PortableApps instead of X:\ or vice versa, resulting in two separate platform instances, one with their apps and one without. Reinstalling 14.4.3 over an existing install doesn't affect any of the apps within the PortableApps directory. I just confirmed it with a test and there's no code within the installer that would do this.

It's also possible that your disk is having issues. If you suddenly had issues running Start.exe and then had folders go missing on a simple platform reinstall (which is how all platform upgrades are done), I'd consider that drive highly suspect. In other words, it's losing data and will likely stop working soon.

Related Note: Installing the platform over itself is the same way that upgrades are always handled automatically. So, if a user with 14.4.2 selects to automatically upgrade, the 14.4.2 platform will download 14.4.3's installer, run its installer pointing at the current platform location, and close. There's no code in the installer to alter any of the apps in sub-directories within the PortableApps directory, just the PortableApps\PortableApps.com directory. If you're seeing something else consistently, I'd love to have the steps to recreate it to stomp any outlying bug there might be.
PortableApps.com - The open standard for portable software | Support Net Neutrality

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webfork
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Re: PortableApps Platform

#13 Post by webfork »

I'm fairly sure I didn't install to a different drive but I'll pull it from backup and run a drive check to see if media failure is the cause.

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webfork
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Re: PortableApps Platform

#14 Post by webfork »

webfork wrote: Mon Apr 23, 2018 7:18 pm I'm fairly sure I didn't install to a different drive but I'll pull it from backup and run a drive check to see if media failure is the cause.
I apologize for the delay on this -- I'm having trouble with restoring my backup due to an over-complex backup system I'm using. To be clear, I don't think this is PortableApps fault as the drive check found and repaired a problem, but it's better to register an issue and have it be nothing than not do so and have it cause failures.

More to come.

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Re: PortableApps Platform

#15 Post by webfork »

webfork wrote: Sun Apr 22, 2018 3:17 pm ... deletes all items in the PortableApps folder so I lost a lot of data.
Finally got in and retested this. This one was user error. The PA post has also been updated.

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