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:
- create the proper directory structure:
SQLDeveloperPortable + App + AppInfo + DefaultData + Data + Other + Help + Images + Source
- download SQL Developer and unzip it into the App folder
- 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
- 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 settingIDE_USER_DIR
all configurations will be stored on the USB-stick, not on (changing) PCs.
- creating a proper icon for
App\sqldeveloper\icon.png
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
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.
3 Kommentare:
Hi.
I loved portable apps when I was a Windows user. I have no need for them now, but I'm almost tempted to set a stick up again just for the fun of it. :)
Nice post!
Cheers
Tim...
if you set
SET IDE_USER_DIR= .
that should also work, and a lot less typing!
Thanks Tim for stepping by.
Jeff, there is a small difference:
with SET IDE_USER_DIR= . I get my config directory system.3.1.07.42 in F:\PortableApps\SQLDeveloperPortable\App\sqldeveloper\sqldeveloper\bin
But IDE_USER_DIR=%~d0\PortableApps\SQLDeveloperPortable\Datalocates the configuration in F:\PortableApps\SQLDeveloperPortable\Data.
I prefer my config away from the binaries. Especially when a upgrade path is something like jsut remove the binary directory and replace it by the content of this zipfile.
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