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63 lines
2.8 KiB
Markdown
63 lines
2.8 KiB
Markdown
---
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title: U3Helper vs. PackageFactory
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language: en
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alternatives:
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- language: de
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url: /software/autohotkey/u3helper/u3helper-vs-packagefactory-de.html
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layout: default
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created: 2009-09-12 09:30:53 +0200
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updated: 2009-09-12 09:30:53 +0200
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toc: false
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tags:
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- software
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- autohotkey
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- u3helper
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---
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[Diese Seite auf Deutsch.]({% post_url 2009-09-12-u3helper-vs-packagefactory-de %})
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Maybe somebody wonders why to choose the complicated U3Helper variant for packaging an app for U3 when there's the
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[Package Factory](http://www.eure.ca/)?
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There are some good reasons:
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First of all, Package Factory can't handle programs which use the registry. Such programs would miss their settings if
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launched on another PC or at least find their settings from the last start on that particular PC. Settings do not get
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transported to another PC.
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This brings us to the second reason: Package Factory doesn't clean up registry entries after use.
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And reason #3: Using Package Factory, every application uses twice the space on the U3-stick because it's stored once
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in compressed form inside the U3-package and also uncompressed to the `%U3_DEVICE_EXEC_PATH%`
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(usually `\System\Apps\{UUID}\Exec`) on the stick.
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So Package Factory works mainly like putting a normal portable application (which runs on every USB-stick) into a
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special folder on the U3-stick and sticking an icon for it into the LaunchPad. Nothing more.
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Here again, an overview:
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***PRO Package Factory:***
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* simple conversion of all portable applications
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* no research on used files and registry-entries needed
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Problems with Package Factory:
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* registry-entries don't get watched/cleaned or even transported between different systems
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* paths in programs may - on a different PC - point to completely different locations, so that data files may not be found
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* non-portable applications CAN NOT made U3-compliant
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* programs use double the space on the U3-stick (see above)
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***PRO U3Helper:***
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* manages registry-entries, transports settings between PCs, cleans entries after use
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* the program files (.exe, .dll, etc.) are stored only once and compressed on the U3-stick and get uncompressed to the
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host PC when needed. Only the data files are stored uncompressed on the stick.
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* data files are copied to the PC upon application launch and are used/changed from that location. This drastically
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increased the life-time of the Flash-memory. After use, all data files are copied back to the stick.
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* manages paths in .ini, .xml-files and registry, so that applications find their files on different PCs
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* can manipulate environment variables so that non-USB-stick-capable applications store their data on the U3-stick
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instead of the PC
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* can register .dll and .ocx-files in Windows and de-register them after use (e.g. needed for older versions of CCleaner)
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Commercial use of U3Helper **requires my permission**.
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