AZip is advertised as portable but it is not since it saves settings to Windows registry:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\AZip
A truly portable program does write neither to Windows registry nor to AppData or anywhere else beside its own folder.
So I would like to suggest an option to save settings in configuration file inside program folder.
command-line parameter - for examle if AZip is started with argument AZip.exe -portable settings are saved in configuration file in program folder;
portable flag - on program start AZip checks program folder for portable flag and of it is available settings are saved in configuration file in program folder;
Any of these options would be fine for me. An option for portable mode would mean that the users would be able to use AZip on other machines without leaving traces and junk behind.
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Thank you for that information. Regarding the second suggestion, what do you mean exactly by "portable flag"?
Another possibility that wouldn't require the user reading any documentation would be for AZip to ask on first usage (detected by the absence of regisitry key and of a configuration file) which method is preferred.
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Regarding the second suggestion, what do you mean exactly by "portable flag"?
An empty file wthout extension named Portable placed in program folder (where is the executable, for example AZip 2.15.exe) notifies the program that it should save settings in program folder and not in registry. This file serves as s flag. It may be just Portable or Portable.txt, you choose (if it is Portable.txt you may explain the procedure in the same file). When AZip starts it just checks program folder for such file (flag)- if it is not there the program saves settings normally in registry, if it is there the program saves settings locally in program folder. I hope I managed to explain what I meant.
Another possibility that wouldn't require the user reading any documentation would be for AZip to ask on first usage (detected by the absence of regisitry key and of a configuration file) which method is preferred.
This may be perhaps the best option- easier for the average users. I didn't suggest it because I thought I might be asking too much.
Reading from registry may be faster than reading from configuration file but there are people who prefer portable programs which do not write to Windows registry- one can move such programs from machne to machine easily or even use them from external drives. More, such programs are easier to back-up.
There is also another common method to activate portable mode- an empty folder, for example Data or Settings placed in program folder triggers portable mode- on program start the program checks program folder for such a folder and if it is there the program saves ettings locally. This is very similar to Portable file (flag) placed in program folder,
As I menttioned in my previous message any option would be fine for me.
Ok thanks - I'll go the variant where storage by the registry or by a config file can be chosen.
It will be easy to implement because I've abstracted the user persistence, to be portable.
Even if you don't know the Ada language, I guess you figure out easily what's happening. I'll "just" have to implement Read_key and Write_key for a config file...
Last edit: Gautier de Montmollin 2018-08-25
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Finally I've implemented something even simpler (see news about release 2.20 for details).
The file azip.cfg serves as a "portable flag" (your solution #2).
My solution (#3) would have confused "normal" users that don't know about registry or config files.
There is a blurb about it in the "quick help" within AZip.
I'll update the Web page and the project home page too with that information.
Last edit: Gautier de Montmollin 2018-08-21
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Than you very much for the new version (2.20) of AZip and for the option to use it in porable mode. I tested it and it worked just fine, settings were saved in the configuration file (azip.cfg). This is excellent, great work, thanks.
In fact I am not programmer, just a user.
I notified the portable freeware community about the portable mode implemented in AZip version 2.20- please see the announcement (I also posted several screen-shots). I hope that I didn't miss anything important.
If I have more suggestions for AZip in the future which would be better- to contct you diretly via mail or to open new threads here?
Regards
Last edit: smaragdus 2018-08-22
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Thank you very much for the review! Perhaps a detail: "The directory should not be write-protected." is a bit strong: it's possible to have a write-protected directory or even device, it's just that on the next start AZip will begin with its small window size, will have forgotten recently used archive names, etc. . A bit tedious only, but possible if needed.
This forum is perfect for new suggestions :-) .
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AZip is advertised as portable but it is not since it saves settings to Windows registry:
A truly portable program does write neither to Windows registry nor to AppData or anywhere else beside its own folder.
So I would like to suggest an option to save settings in configuration file inside program folder.
AZip.exe -portablesettings are saved in configuration file in program folder;portableflag and of it is available settings are saved in configuration file in program folder;Any of these options would be fine for me. An option for portable mode would mean that the users would be able to use AZip on other machines without leaving traces and junk behind.
Thank you for that information. Regarding the second suggestion, what do you mean exactly by "portable flag"?
Another possibility that wouldn't require the user reading any documentation would be for AZip to ask on first usage (detected by the absence of regisitry key and of a configuration file) which method is preferred.
Thanks for your quick response.
An empty file wthout extension named Portable placed in program folder (where is the executable, for example AZip 2.15.exe) notifies the program that it should save settings in program folder and not in registry. This file serves as s flag. It may be just Portable or Portable.txt, you choose (if it is Portable.txt you may explain the procedure in the same file). When AZip starts it just checks program folder for such file (flag)- if it is not there the program saves settings normally in registry, if it is there the program saves settings locally in program folder. I hope I managed to explain what I meant.
This may be perhaps the best option- easier for the average users. I didn't suggest it because I thought I might be asking too much.
Reading from registry may be faster than reading from configuration file but there are people who prefer portable programs which do not write to Windows registry- one can move such programs from machne to machine easily or even use them from external drives. More, such programs are easier to back-up.
There is also another common method to activate portable mode- an empty folder, for example Data or Settings placed in program folder triggers portable mode- on program start the program checks program folder for such a folder and if it is there the program saves ettings locally. This is very similar to Portable file (flag) placed in program folder,
As I menttioned in my previous message any option would be fine for me.
Someone has already revieved AZip as not portable at The Portable Freeware Forum so if you implement portable mode I will notify the community and the thread would be moved from Freeware That Are Not Portable to Portable Freeware Submission. If tests are needed you can rely on me (I can test AZip under Windows 8 x64).
Regards
Ok thanks - I'll go the variant where storage by the registry or by a config file can be chosen.
It will be easy to implement because I've abstracted the user persistence, to be portable.
Concretely, the persistence is taken care of in the portable (in the across-systems meaning of portable) part of AZip:
https://sourceforge.net/p/azip/code/265/tree/trunk/sys_common/azip_common-user_options.ads#l47 (implementation is here: https://sourceforge.net/p/azip/code/265/tree/trunk/sys_common/azip_common-user_options.adb )
then , the code for Windows is instanciated here: https://sourceforge.net/p/azip/code/265/tree/trunk/gwindows/azip_gwin-mdi_main.adb#l220
Even if you don't know the Ada language, I guess you figure out easily what's happening. I'll "just" have to implement Read_key and Write_key for a config file...
Last edit: Gautier de Montmollin 2018-08-25
Finally I've implemented something even simpler (see news about release 2.20 for details).
The file azip.cfg serves as a "portable flag" (your solution #2).
My solution (#3) would have confused "normal" users that don't know about registry or config files.
There is a blurb about it in the "quick help" within AZip.
I'll update the Web page and the project home page too with that information.
Last edit: Gautier de Montmollin 2018-08-21
Hello there,
Than you very much for the new version (2.20) of AZip and for the option to use it in porable mode. I tested it and it worked just fine, settings were saved in the configuration file (azip.cfg). This is excellent, great work, thanks.
In fact I am not programmer, just a user.
I notified the portable freeware community about the portable mode implemented in AZip version 2.20- please see the announcement (I also posted several screen-shots). I hope that I didn't miss anything important.
If I have more suggestions for AZip in the future which would be better- to contct you diretly via mail or to open new threads here?
Regards
Last edit: smaragdus 2018-08-22
Thank you very much for the review! Perhaps a detail: "The directory should not be write-protected." is a bit strong: it's possible to have a write-protected directory or even device, it's just that on the next start AZip will begin with its small window size, will have forgotten recently used archive names, etc. . A bit tedious only, but possible if needed.
This forum is perfect for new suggestions :-) .