Windows portable about gedkeeper

[smaragdus]

@Serg-Norseman

Hello Sergey,

Since as of version 2.14.0 GEDKeeper is truly and fully portable I wrote a short review about GEDKeeper at The Portable Freeware forum, I hope I did not miss something essential. I like your program and I think that it deserves more publicity. Keep your excellent work!

Best regards

[smaragdus]

@Serg-Norseman

Great job, Sergey! Thank you for the portable version! It is really portable and it works like a charm!

[smaragdus]

Currently (as of version 2.13.1.0) GEDKeeper saves data and settings files (GEDKeeper2.ini, GEDKeeper2.log, GEDKeeper2.nms) in AppData:

C:\Users\User\AppData\Roaming\GEDKeeper2

Is there a way to force GEDKeeper save data and settings in program folder (where is the executable - GEDKeeper2.exe)? Does it accept command-line arguments?

I would like to suggest several ways to make GEDKeeper portable:

• command-line argument- for example GEDKeeper2.exe -portable which forces GEDKeeper to save data and settings in program folder;
• portable flag- portable flag in program folder forces GEDKeeper to save data and settings in program folder;
• portable installation mode- GEDKeeper installs as portable program (data and settings saved to installation folder, not in AppData);
• special portable version- extract the archive, run the executable, data and settings saved in program folder;

Any of these methods to make GEDKeeper portable would be fine for me.

Also I noticed that GEDKeeper writes to Windows registry:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\GEDKeeper2

I think that a truly portable version should not touch Windows registry.

[Serg-Norseman]

Thank you for your feedback and recommendations. This functionality will be added to the nearest version.

[ruslangaripov]

command-line argument- for example `GEDKeeper2.exe -portable` which forces *GEDKeeper* to save data and settings in program folder;

The `GnuPG' has the `--homedir` (gpg(1)) command-line option which, for example, stores the tool-set's configuration files. What if we will add the similar feature? User may define a relative directory, if he/she wants to specify "the current directory" (the current for environment or for GEDKeeper binary, etc). If the option is not used, the "home directory" defaults to system dependent path (like `%APPDATA%`, or `~/.gk`). Do we need a "special portable" version of GEDKeeper after that? 🤔

`GEDKeeper' writes to Windows registry

😱 Are you sure? As far as I know @Serg-Norseman should not do something like that!

…

On 6/29/2018 5:20 PM, smaragdus wrote: Currently (as of version 2.13.1.0 <https://github.com/Serg-Norseman/GEDKeeper/releases/tag/v2.13.1>) GEDKeeper <https://gedkeeper.github.io/> saves data and settings files (*GEDKeeper2.ini*, *GEDKeeper2.log*, *GEDKeeper2.nms*) in AppData: |C:\Users\User\AppData\Roaming\GEDKeeper2| Is there a way to force *GEDKeeper* save data and settings in program folder (where is the executable - *GEDKeeper2.exe*)? Does it accept command-line arguments? I would like to suggest several ways to make *GEDKeeper* portable: * command-line argument- for example |GEDKeeper2.exe -portable| which forces *GEDKeeper* to save data and settings in program folder; * portable flag- |portable| flag in program folder forces *GEDKeeper* to save data and settings in program folder; * portable installation mode- *GEDKeeper* installs as portable program (data and settings saved to installation folder, not in AppData; * special portable version- extract the archive, run the executable, data and settings saved in program folder; Any of these methods to make *GEDKeeper* portable would be fine for me. Also I noticed that *GEDKeeper* writes to Windows registry: |HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\GEDKeeper2| I think that a truly portable version should not touch Windows registry. — You are receiving this because you are subscribed to this thread. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#3 (comment)>, or mute the thread <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/APlUE58dmipkEGw8XpdbcUfKbXwJDoNaks5uBhurgaJpZM4IOzDx>.

-- Yours truly, Ruslan Garipov <ruslanngaripov at gmail dot com>. ---------------------------------------------- MinGW-w64 developer, with write after approval GEDKeeper collaborator

[Serg-Norseman]

The GnuPG' has the --homedir` (gpg(1)) command-line option which, for example, stores the tool-set's configuration files.

This is a great idea! It did not occur to me, but I already planned such difficulties here ....)))

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\GEDKeeper2

I did not comment on anything in the previous message. But actually it's just an anchor of the NSIS installer for installing "on top of the previous installation". The program itself does not contain any access to the registry - because it is cross-platform - which registry in Linux?

[smaragdus]

@Serg-Norseman

I forgot to suggest another possible option for portable mode:

• a specific sub-folder in program folder triggers portable mode, for example 'Data' or 'GEDKeeper'

For example Vacuum-IM has such behaviour:

To make Vacuum-IM portable just create folder VacuumIM (for Windows) in the directory where vacuum.exe is located.

ghostwriter also behaves like that:

You can download the Windows Portable version of ghostwriter, or make your own on any OS. Just as with FocusWriter, simply create a folder named data in the same folder as the ghostwriter.exe or ghostwriter executable file (depending on the OS). The application will now use settings and themes in this folder.

As I mentioned before any option for portable mode would be fine for me. I think that 'portable' flag and specific 'sub-folder' triggering portable mode would be easier and handier for most users. Command-line argument is also fine but one may forget about special parameters when launching an executable which has happened to me on several occasions after updates.

[Serg-Norseman]

The mode has been added. The script (bat-file) for make the portable application's package was made a very long time ago. Now I just updated it, it does not matter. And added new features: the mode is included as if there is a local folder "appdata", and by the command line argument. If there is both, the priority is for the argument. The feature is also described in the help.

The feature is not really tested. And a request to those who know English well is to check what I wrote for the English help contents, I might have a bad text there.

[smaragdus]

@Serg-Norseman

Thank you for adding portable mode!

For me creating 'appdata' sub-folder in program folder for enabling portable mode will be good and handy enough.

I had a look at this file and I didn't find any obvious errors but I am not a native English speaker. I do not think that 'portable' and 'standalone' are full synonyms. In my understanding 'standalone' means a program which doesn't save any settings but I may be wrong.

[Serg-Norseman]

Developed, tested, found one bug related to the work of logging, fixed.

[smaragdus]

@Serg-Norseman

I downloaded version 2.13.2 from SourceForge but creating an empty appdata sub-folder in program folder did not work- configuration files (GEDKeeper2.ini. GEDKeeper2.log, GEDKeeper2.nms) are still saved in AppData:

C:\Users\User\AppData\Roaming\GEDKeeper2

Is this option supposed to work with version 2.13.2?

[Serg-Norseman]

I checked all the variants of the folder name, and with different registers. Everything works. Need to think...

[Serg-Norseman]

Today will be released a new version. If the problem persists in it, I will reopen this issue and start looking for a new bug.

[Serg-Norseman]

I confused myself with you. Version 2.13.2 is based on the pure code base version 2.13, where there was no portable mode. It should not work!

[smaragdus]

I see. I will wait for the new version. Thanks.

[Serg-Norseman]

Thank you! This is really cool! :)

[Serg-Norseman]

@smaragdus

I must thank you again for the excellent review! From the moment he appeared - on SF in recent days there was a huge surge of downloads. A lot more people got acquainted with the program. Thank you!

At leisure, look at my other portable program, which I recently made for entertainment and recreation from other tasks: https://github.com/Serg-Norseman/DiskTracker :)

This is a conditionally useful bonus :)

[smaragdus]

@Serg-Norseman

No need to thank me- when I come upon a free and open source program (portability is an advantage) which I find useful I am glad to introduce my discovery to a broader audience. About GEDKeeper- I may open a couple of cosmetic suggestions in issues page.

About DiskTracker- I downloaded and did a superficial testing, I tested it with two 1-TB internal hard drives- it worked fine with partition D, it choked a bit with partition C, for some time the program was unresponsive but I gave it time and it recovered. In short, DiskTracker version 1.0.0.0 was able to generate reports for both partitions C and D. It is also nice that the users are allowed to add their own extensions with colour. The context menu is also fine. However I managed to generate an error using 'Properties' command for 'FreeSpace' so you may disable 'Properties' command for 'FreeSpace'. You may consider finding a proper icon for the program- with its own icon it would look better.

[smaragdus]

I also tested DiskTracker with two external drives (Hitachi - 1 TB and Western Digital - 1 TB) it worked fine with the first one and it choked a bit with the second one. All the disks I used for testing were NTFS-formatted,

[Serg-Norseman]

Regarding GEDKeeper - if you have any additional comments, suggestions or errors found - of course you can write. I'm always happy with any reports of problems in my programs. Of course the problem is always not very good, but the detected problem or the proposal for the future is wonderful :)

Thanks for the comments on DiskTracker - I missed the problem with FreeSpace :)