creating my mobile toolbox (for windows) I

I am somewhat tired to re-install the same set of software again and again, every time I (have to) switch to a new PC. Probably it's me, not the PCs, but it takes some tome to have the system setup, and me productive again.
Somehow it's like a craftsman has to setup a new labor space with new tools in every house they visit. But craftsmen are clever, they bring your tools with them - and take them away if not needed anymore. In best case they do not leave any traces (except the work done).
I try to mimic this approach: I'm creating my own toolbox. Mine is not made of leather or plastic, it's made of an USB-stick, portableapps.com and some additional modifications.

First I chose the programs available in portableapps app directory: Notepad++, Google Chrome, KeePass,  PuTTY and WinSCP. I tried to keep the list small, but you can make your own decisions,  of course.

Unfortunately I need some more tools: As a DBA, sometimes I not only like  to access the database servers, but the database directly. I did not find any proper tool in the app directory, therefore I decided to include Oracles SQL Developer into my toolbox and followed the Portable Apps Format Specification. It's not that complex it looks at first sign. Here my steps:

1. create the proper directory structure:
   

   SQLDeveloperPortable
   + App
     + AppInfo
     + DefaultData
   + Data
   + Other
     + Help
       + Images
     + Source

   
   
2. download SQL Developer and unzip it into the App folder
   
   
3. in AppInfo create the file appinfo.ini:
   

   [Format]
   Type=PortableApps.comFormat
   Version=2.0
   
   [Details]
   Name=SQLDeveloper Portable
   AppID=SQLDeveloperPortable
   Publisher=^/\x
   Homepage=berxblog.blogspot.com/2012/03/creating-my-mobile-toolbox-for-windows.html
   Category=Utilities
   Description=Oracle SQL Developer is a graphical version of SQL*Plus that gives database developers a convenient way to perform basic tasks
   Language=Multilingual
   Trademarks=Oracle
   InstallType=
   
   [License]
   Shareable=false
   OpenSource=false
   Freeware=false
   CommercialUse=true
   EULAVersion=1
   
   [Version]
   PackageVersion=3.1.07.42
   DisplayVersion=3.1
   
   [SpecialPaths]
   Plugins=NONE
   
   [Dependencies]
   UsesJava=no
   UsesDotNetVersion=
   
   [Control]
   Icons=1
   Start=sqldeveloper.bat
   ExtractIcon=App\sqldeveloper\icon.png
   

   
   
4. In SQLDeveloperPortable create the file sqldeveloper.bat:
   

   REM ^/\x
   SET IDE_USER_DIR=%~d0\PortableApps\SQLDeveloperPortable\Data
   start /b %~d0\PortableApps\SQLDEveloperPortable\App\sqldeveloper\sqldeveloper.exe

   By setting IDE_USER_DIR all configurations will be stored on the USB-stick, not on (changing) PCs.
   
   
5. creating a proper icon for App\sqldeveloper\icon.png
   
   

That's it - works like a charm!

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Next I prepared Xming for the portable world. X11 is still needed in the world of an Oracle DBA.
The steps where similar to those of SQL Developer, therefore I only describe the differences here:
As I don't want to extract the installer of Xming, I just let it install onto my PC into C:\Program Files. Then I copied the full structure C:\Program Files\Xming into XmingPortable\App.
Also in this case a bat file as a wrapper is needed, as Xming needs some parameters to go into tray without a window:

start /b %~d0\PortableApps\XmingPortable\App\Xming\Xming.exe :0 ‑clipboard ‑multiwindow

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By these 2 examples you can see it's nice and easy to have the private toolbox at your hands all the time.
I do not provide the packages for any of these programs. First, I don't want to take care of any legal implications. Second, I have no interest in this kind of work. I just have no skills in doing so. period.