Notes

Creating a portable app using the PortableApps.com Format (PAF) and the PortableApps.com Installer involves several steps. Here's a general overview:

### 1. **Understand the PortableApps.com Format (PAF):**
PAF is a specification for portable apps. It ensures that apps have a specific directory structure and that they store settings and data in a consistent manner, so they can be run portably.

### 2. **Prepare the App:**
Before you can make an app portable, you need to ensure that it doesn't leave traces on the host system. This might involve modifying the app to ensure it doesn't write to the Windows registry or leave files outside its directory.

### 3. **Create the App Directory Structure:**
A typical PAF directory structure looks like this:
```
AppNamePortable
|-- App
| |-- AppInfo
| | |-- appicon.ico
| | |-- appinfo.ini
| |-- AppName
|-- Data
|-- Other
| |-- Help
| |-- Source
|-- AppNamePortable.exe
|-- AppNamePortable.ini
```

### 4. **Write the Launcher:**
The launcher (`AppNamePortable.exe` in the above structure) is responsible for setting up the environment for the app, launching the app, and then cleaning up afterward. This might involve setting environment variables, redirecting file/registry writes, etc.

### 5. **Create the PortableApps.com Installer:**
Once you have your app in the PAF format, you can use the PortableApps.com Installer to package it into a single `.paf.exe` file. This installer is a simple wizard that asks you for the location of your app and then packages it.

### 6. **Test Your Portable App:**
Before distributing your portable app, you should test it on different systems to ensure it works correctly and doesn't leave traces on the host system.

### Are there any apps this can't be done with?
While many apps can be made portable, there are some challenges:

1. **Apps that Require Driver Installation:** Some apps require drivers to be installed on the host system. These can't be made portable in the traditional sense because drivers need administrative privileges to install.

2. **Apps with Deep System Integration:** Some apps integrate deeply with the system (e.g., antivirus software) and can't be made portable without losing significant functionality.

3. **Apps that Require Activation:** Some commercial software requires activation on each system it's run on. Making such software portable might violate its license agreement.

4. **Complex Dependencies:** Apps that rely on numerous external dependencies or specific system configurations might be challenging to make portable.

5. **Legal Restrictions:** Even if you can technically make an app portable, you must ensure you have the legal right to modify and distribute it.

Remember, the goal of a portable app is to run on any Windows system without installation and without leaving traces. If an app can't meet these criteria, it might not be suitable for portability.