[REQ] Installer should remember the portable path

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TheBestPessimist
Posts: 9
Joined: Wed Mar 03, 2021 4:43 am

[REQ] Installer should remember the portable path

Post by TheBestPessimist »

User story: I always install the latest beta, so I install MM a lot. I use portable MM (why wouldn't anyone use that?).

Currently, each time I select the tickbox "Portable Installation", the default folder for installing MM is `C:\MediaMonkey 5`.

My feature request is: save in the registry a key "MM5 portable installation path", which is the path where MM5 was installed. The installer always updates this path to the one used during the actual installation process, so that next time i want to update MM, that path is preset.

What this feature is not necessarily supposed to do: MM does not need to remember that i SOLEY use portable install, and tick that checkbox automatically for me (when pressing next next next in the installer). If it were to do that, I would be super happy and pleased, but I can leave without.

MM installer only needs to autofill the installation path.

Default installer: https://i.imgur.com/YQi21ns.png

With my feature:
- https://i.imgur.com/BDY1AoD.png
- https://i.imgur.com/2L77av7.png
Lowlander
Posts: 56465
Joined: Sat Sep 06, 2003 5:53 pm
Location: MediaMonkey 5

Re: [REQ] Installer should remember the portable path

Post by Lowlander »

The point of the Portable Install is that it doesn't use the Registry so I doubt that this will be implemented.
BMF
Posts: 281
Joined: Sun Jul 01, 2007 5:11 am
Location: Berlin, Germany

Re: [REQ] Installer should remember the portable path

Post by BMF »

Hi there,
the idea isn't that bad. A little bit of luxury is always okay ;-). And there is an ini file under mm5/portable. Maybe the needed information can be stored in this place.

greetings
bmf

Edit: Silly idea of mine. The installer does not know where to look ... more ideas please ;-)
nothing but a bmf ....
--------------------------
Windows 10 Professional (64 Bit); MM 5 (lifetime licence);
iPod Classic, Sonos
Barry4679
Posts: 2398
Joined: Fri Sep 11, 2009 8:07 am
Location: Australia
Contact:

Re: [REQ] Installer should remember the portable path

Post by Barry4679 »

BMF wrote: Fri Jun 11, 2021 12:50 am Edit: Silly idea of mine. The installer does not know where to look ... more ideas please ;-)
Just have two registry sub-nodes for MM5 ... one for a non-portable install, and the other for the last portable installation
Similar to here. where I I have two different versions of Python installed.

I think that the installer should get smarter, including the OP's good idea here.
Want a dark skin for MM5? This is the one that works best for me .. elegant, compact & clear.
TIV73
Posts: 229
Joined: Sat Nov 12, 2011 1:31 pm

Re: [REQ] Installer should remember the portable path

Post by TIV73 »

Installation artifacts like registry entries, environment variables, user settings outside the installation folder, etc. created by a portable application will remain on the host indefinitely because there's no uninstallation mechanism to clean them up like there would be for a regular installation. Since the user is in most cases not aware of these additional objects it's a surefire way to leave the host in an unclean state after the application has been removed.

Besides, it's a common expectation for portable applications to be self-contained and leave no traces on a system after its installation directory has been deleted. While having external artifacts makes an application, technically speaking, not less portable because you can still copy it to a different location while preserving all settings, I would definitely consider it bad design and/or a bug.
Barry4679
Posts: 2398
Joined: Fri Sep 11, 2009 8:07 am
Location: Australia
Contact:

Re: [REQ] Installer should remember the portable path

Post by Barry4679 »

Hi TIV73,

you make good points that I had not given consideration to.
TIV73 wrote: Sun Jun 13, 2021 2:49 am Besides, it's a common expectation for portable applications to be self-contained and leave no traces on a system after its installation directory has been deleted. While having external artifacts makes an application, technically speaking, not less portable because you can still copy it to a different location while preserving all settings, I would definitely consider it bad design and/or a bug.
There would be a very small footprint if a MM5 Portable install stored the install path as a new data value in SOFTWARE\MediaMonkey, only if that node pre-exists.

I know that it wouldn't directly help the OP, who solely installs MM as a portable install.
And I suppose it is a kludge, but it would be of some small assistance to anyone who is frequently installing fresh portable (ie. beta testers).

And assuming that this not going to happen, you appeared to have answered the OP's rhetorical question. :D
TheBestPessimist wrote: Thu Jun 10, 2021 11:31 pm I use portable MM (why wouldn't anyone use that?).
Want a dark skin for MM5? This is the one that works best for me .. elegant, compact & clear.
TheBestPessimist
Posts: 9
Joined: Wed Mar 03, 2021 4:43 am

Re: [REQ] Installer should remember the portable path

Post by TheBestPessimist »

@lowlander and @TIV73

I disagree with your opinion.

Please see another opinion on portable installs here: https://github.com/pbatard/rufus/wiki/F ... ar_version

That registry entry is a very good investment imo, with an extremely small footprint.
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