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gmgfarrand
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Registered: Jun 2005
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OS: XP

How to add your programs to the U3 Menu

Ok,
Here it is.
I started off trying to make my apps that I have collected into U3 apps, I don't seem to have the patience right now to figure out how to do it.

So basically what I have done is sort of a shortcut hack.
The program I started with was PSTART from [url]www.pegtop.de/start/[/url]

I downloaded and installed to my flash drive in the System\Apps\pstart directory.
Now for the fun part.

Download pstart.u3p.zip from this post and extract it.
You will find 3 files in the manifest directory, rename manifest u3i to an .xml file by adding .xml att the end of it.
Open & edit the xml files either with Frontpage or Equiv, or whatever you like.

Take notice of the uuid= you want that to match the directory name you have your app in.

The icon file can be any icon you want.

The working directory entry, the path to the folder your app is in, and lastly, the cmd is the path to the executable.

Once you are done adding your info to both the .xml files in the manifest directory, rename the manifest.u3i.xlm back to manifest.u3i

ZIP the entire manifest directory up into a file named pstart.zip, move to the pstart application folder, and rename to pstart.u3p

Open up your System\Apps directory on your U3 drive and open LPDB.xml.

Take note of the < > 's , the post would not allow them, you can also download the readme.doc in the next post, it will have them in it.

add this:
APPLICATION guid="pstart" launchOnStart="Y" lastUsed="11/7/2005 10:03:12 AM">\pstart.u3p</APPLICATION
Save and exit the file.

Open LPGDB.xml.
add this to the top section listed as RUNNINGTIME:
APPLICATION guid="pstart" time="11/21/05 08:58:25"/

** I am not sure this step is needed**
Goto the next section ""PROGRAMS and add:
APPLICATION guid="pstart" order="*"/
TAKE NOTE THE * IS WHATEVER IS AFTER THE LAST NUMBER IN YOUR LIST, for example, you have 8 enties, you will put this app as order="9"

Save and close both of these files, eject drive, insert drive, and you will have the Pstart entry on your U3 menu, it will even autorun if you select that option.

I have used this method to add Pocomail, Portable Firefox and several other programs to my U3 menu.

Let me know if you guys have found this helpful, and have fun with it.

Attachment: pstart.u3p.zip
This has been downloaded 1703 time(s).

Last edited by gmgfarrand on 12-18-2005 at 09:29 PM

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11-21-2005 04:21 PM

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gmgfarrand
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Registered: Jun 2005
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OS: XP

Doc file

Attachment: readme.zip
This has been downloaded 993 time(s).

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11-21-2005 04:41 PM

Ian Chiu
EverythingUSB
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So this is sorta like making your own U3 apps?

Just wondering, does Pocomail already come in U3 version?
[url]http://software.u3.com/Product_Details.aspx?ProductId=27&Selection=2[/url]

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11-22-2005 06:34 PM

gmgfarrand
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This is more like making a u3 shortcut.
Pocomail PE is a U3 app, but alot of the developers want you to purchase the U3 version, even if you have already purchased the other version.

Last edited by gmgfarrand on 11-23-2005 at 04:00 AM

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11-23-2005 03:56 AM

Ian Chiu
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I'm giving my editor a look at this. If this works, he's going to feature it on the homepage with proper credit.

Thanks again.

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11-23-2005 04:21 PM

gmgfarrand
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That would be great, I am also looking at how to actually make the U3 files.

Last edited by gmgfarrand on 11-26-2005 at 08:14 PM

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11-24-2005 03:34 AM

TheTwig
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It's probably PEBKAC, but I can't get the thing to work with portable firefox rc3.

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11-24-2005 12:34 PM

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gmgfarrand
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Registered: Jun 2005
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Must be a problem with how you are editing it.

Here's the file for PortableFirefox.

I tried it for the newest Beta of the portable version.

Make sure you have to correct path in the Manifest.u3i file.
The path for the file I have provided is:
Drive*\system\apps\portablefirefox

Attachment: portablefirefox.zip
This has been downloaded 321 time(s).

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11-26-2005 06:04 PM

jpearn
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Hi,

Thanks for the above post, I've managed to add Portable Firefox / Openoffice and a few other apps to my Kingston U3 device, seems better than waiting for the u3.com site to update

Jason.

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11-30-2005 08:37 PM

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yehaskel
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gmgfarrand:

Nice. Very nice. This is exactly what I was looking for. Nice job.

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12-05-2005 08:58 AM

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furrowed
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Registered: Dec 2005
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OS: Windows XP

having trouble

I'm really, really having trouble with this.
Might you happen to have a shortcut done up
for Portable Open Office that I could look at?

Thank you!

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12-14-2005 12:32 AM

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gmgfarrand
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Here you go...
Make sure that when you make your .U3 files that the syntax for the folder names are correct.
For example, in the LPDB.xml, I had the folder for open office as portableopenoffice, that did NOT work.
the folder name was PortableOpenOffice.
Works fine.

Remember to have the path as Drive*\system\apps\portableopenoffice or the file will not work.

Attachment: portableopenoffice.u3p.zip
This has been downloaded 287 time(s).

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12-17-2005 12:36 AM

furrowed
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Thanks,
I figured out what I was doing wrong.
I was zipping the contents of the manifest folder, not the entire folder structure itself.

Thanks for your help!

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12-17-2005 07:31 AM

dstormz
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thank you so much

everything seems to work perfectly.

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02-08-2006 03:31 AM

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jenocin
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I have found a better way to do this, in essence you are actually making a u3p. If anyone is interested I will post it up. Once made, you can actually add the program via the add programs on the menu. BTW not using a guid for the guid field is not good practice and can lead to issues.

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02-23-2006 07:27 AM

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mendelec
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Tell me more... I hate having to juggle Pstart and the U3 launchpad. I've added apps the the U3 launchpad as described in the above post, but I'd sure love to hear about a better way.

Elliot

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02-23-2006 05:52 PM

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jenocin
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[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by mendelec [/i]
[B]Tell me more... I hate having to juggle Pstart and the U3 launchpad. I've added apps the the U3 launchpad as described in the above post, but I'd sure love to hear about a better way.

Elliot [/B][/QUOTE]
Here's a little teaser:
[IMG]http://jenocin.com/u3.JPG[/IMG]
[IMG]http://jenocin.com/u3-2.JPG[/IMG]

Its similar to the way it was done at the top of the post, but there are a few changes. I will write up a tutorial tonight to post. If anyone would like any of the programs in my menu, let me know, I already have them packaged and all you would have to do is download and install via the u3 menu.

Jenocin

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02-23-2006 06:57 PM

Ian Chiu
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Hi jenocin,

Just curious, how can you be sure the home-made U3 programs won't make registery changes?

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02-23-2006 07:03 PM

jenocin
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[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Ian Chiu [/i]
[B]Hi jenocin,

Just curious, how can you be sure the home-made U3 programs won't make registery changes? [/B][/QUOTE]

Home made program you can't be sure of. Just getting them on the menu is one thing. Most portable apps that I have been turning into U3P's say that they don't use registry settings and are open source. If they do use registry settings they are minimal. As I learn more of the sdk, I will start recoding to use the full U3 system instead of just adding the apps to the menu. Hope that makes sense.

From the posts, it sounds like people already have the programs running from the usb drives, just not in the menu. They are using programs like pstart to get them running. So that is really what I am targetting.

Last edited by jenocin on 02-23-2006 at 07:12 PM

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02-23-2006 07:08 PM

Ian Chiu
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heh, i take it you aren't exactly fond of U3. I suppose geeks like to have complete control over software they use. U3 is really for newbies and laymen who don't want to make a mess.

Actually, there's a security software company that works with U3 to develop a program that tracks employees' file activites. The file encryption won't allow them to copy files to another PC. And the sysadmin can remotely upload the file or delete it if necessary.

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02-23-2006 07:14 PM

jenocin
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That sounds interesting. I don't have that big of a problem with u3. I do have one system the memstick won't load on, but other than that I think It can be a good idea. Think the only other problem I have with it is the fact companies want to charge you twice, once for a full program and once for a u3 enabled one.

The u3 kind of did what I wanted it to. I use keepass and wanted it to autolaunch when I installed the memstick. So when I repacked keepass to run from the u3 menu, I could also add it to autolaunch. So now I just put in my mem stick and my passwords are ready to use. Same for truecrypt. Don't worry, didn't code my passwords in and I still have to key those ;-)

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02-23-2006 07:25 PM

derekthegeek
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[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by jenocin [/i]
[B]Here's a little teaser:
[IMG]http://jenocin.com/u3.JPG[/IMG]
[IMG]http://jenocin.com/u3-2.JPG[/IMG]
Its similar to the way it was done at the top of the post, but there are a few changes. I will write up a tutorial tonight to post. If anyone would like any of the programs in my menu, let me know, I already have them packaged and all you would have to do is download and install via the u3 menu.
Jenocin [/B][/QUOTE]

I would be VERY intersted in reading your tutorial. Thanks!

- DTG

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02-23-2006 11:38 PM

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gmgfarrand
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I think another way to install them that would be easier would be great!!

I haven't had any time to work on it since I posted the original post, hell, I don't even have a U3 drive anymore..

I don't see the U3 platform as just for beginners...
I have always needed a way to run AV form a USB drive, but since I don't code and I don't program, it wasn't working out.
Until U3 came along with Mcafee and Avast...

Now, if we can just easily add out programs to it.

I also do not agree with software companies charging twice for the software, I think I posted (ranted) about it in these forums months ago....

Just keep in mind, in order for it to be considered a "portable app" it has to leave ZERO traces, no reg entries, nothing.....
Keep it in mind...

Lastly, I have all the developer DOCs that instruct how to develop U3 programs from scratch, i don't have the time or patience to deal with it, or a drive, so if anyone needs em, let me know. I got them off the U3 page in the developer's section.

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02-24-2006 06:56 AM

jenocin
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I have the same docs. Not trying to step on any toes. Just wanted to get this out there. As for the portable app, that I guess would depend on the user making the package. I have been grabbing my apps off of different sites that label them as portable in one way or another. I more or less just wanted a way to launch them without browsing the folder or running pstart manually. I am sure there is room for improvement if people want to totally recompile the programs, as for getting them on the menu easily, that is what I am after. A lot of the progs I use are from portableapps and nedwolf. Been working great for me.

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by gmgfarrand [/i]
[B]I think another way to install them that would be easier would be great!!

I haven't had any time to work on it since I posted the original post, hell, I don't even have a U3 drive anymore..

I don't see the U3 platform as just for beginners...
I have always needed a way to run AV form a USB drive, but since I don't code and I don't program, it wasn't working out.
Until U3 came along with Mcafee and Avast...

Now, if we can just easily add out programs to it.

I also do not agree with software companies charging twice for the software, I think I posted (ranted) about it in these forums months ago....

Just keep in mind, in order for it to be considered a "portable app" it has to leave ZERO traces, no reg entries, nothing.....
Keep it in mind...

Lastly, I have all the developer DOCs that instruct how to develop U3 programs from scratch, i don't have the time or patience to deal with it, or a drive, so if anyone needs em, let me know. I got them off the U3 page in the developer's section. [/B][/QUOTE]

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02-24-2006 07:09 AM

gmgfarrand
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Yeah, I see your point with the Pstart issue also..
That's why I got started with it, because it was such a pain to start it manually all the time, having the U3 drive autorun it makes things ALOT easier.

I tried to use the U3 developer docs, but I just don't care enough right now to try to make U3 apps.

If you have an easier way to port them over, it would be great to see!!

I pretty much just stumbled my way into getting my programs into the menu, if you look at the forums, I actually posted the question as to how to do it, and since nobody answered.. I started screwing around with it. My method is a pain in the butt if you haven't done it about a BILLION times trying to get stuff to work.

An installer would rock, I had to make Pocomail and Barca Pro into portable apps, the main problems were importing the reg entries, running the app, and having it erase all traces from the registry.
Pain in the butt.....

It's great to see these forums are alive and kicking, maybe we can get some programmer types on board and get somewhere since U3 doesn't want to give us the functionality we want.

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02-24-2006 08:32 AM

echo
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Hi folks,

a few days ago i read some article about portable apps - and i downloaded a lot of stuff to run from my usb-stick ...
Then i noticed they where telling s.th. about "U3" in that article, too - so i read and googled - and finally bought a new UFD labeled "U3" ....
Now a have a lot of nice apps on my old stick (to be started by PStart) and some nice apps on that new one - and i love it!!
Reading this thread I now decided to try to add a non-U3 app to my new UFD. - And it really works :-)
So, why am I telling this?
Well, I'm a programmer. To be exact, a "nomad" programmer, who has to to work at new computers every few weeks ... (thats why I'm so interested in portable and U3 apps).
And as i learned from that last posting, programmers are welcome here to help in getting U3 function in a more customizable or comfortable way:P
So I'd like to learn a little bit more about what your ideas and expectations are about.
Maybe we could find a way/tutorial/tool to "package" or "re-package" apps for that nice new USB-toy.
Btw, my very first step in packaging apps for U3 today was to get some single-file-executables from sysinternals installable and running on U3. Runs (and cleans up) nice ... if anybody is interested, i can post the manifest files ... :-)

ie

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03-10-2006 11:39 PM

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Imperitus
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OS: xp

I am having trouble with config files created by applications.

I have taken portable applications, designed to be run from usb drives, that only create a small text file to hold their config by default in the same folder they run from, but I can't figure out how to set up the manifesto to give them a path to drop this config file on the sub drive.

They seem to run but the configs are never written anywhere that I can find.

Anyone have any luck with this particular aspect of conveting portalbe apps to u3 apps?

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03-28-2006 05:22 PM

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echo
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Hi Imperitus,

i think you propably have added your app to the "host" folder of your package. These files are copied to the host computer by launchpad and the app is run from that folder.
So, all changes that your app will store in a local config file will be lost since the host folder is deleted when the usb-stick is ejected...
You could try to start your app from the folder on your device directly or to set the working dir for your app to point to some place on your device.

Here is how PStart (that uses a local XML file for its configuration) currently is running on my device:

1. Folders in U3 package

data (stays on the device)
- empty -
device (stays on the device)
- empty -
host (will be copied to host computer)
- PStart.exe
- PStop.exe
manifest ( just read by launchpad)
- Manifest.u3i
- PStart.ico

2. device folders

System (hidden, installation goes here)
PortableApps ( i use for non-U3 but portable Apps)
- PStart.xml (the configuration file)
- <subdirs> (subdirectories for my portable apps)

3. manifest file (actions part only)

[CODE]
<actions>

<appStart cmd="%U3_HOST_EXEC_PATH%\Pstart.exe">%U3_DEVICE_PATH%\PortableApps\PStart</appStart>

<appStop cmd="%U3_HOST_EXEC_PATH%\PStop.exe"/>

<hostCleanUp cmd="%U3_HOST_EXEC_PATH%\PStop.exe"/>
</actions>
[/CODE]

<appStart> calls PStart from the host exec directory on the host computer passing path (on the device) and name of the configuration file to it. You can also add an working dir attribute to appStart:

<appStart workingdir="%U3_DEVICE_PATH%\PortableApps" cmd="..." />

This way you dont need to pass the path and your app can find the config file where you placed it.
<appStart> and <appStop> both just call a little tool (PStop) that closes PStart if its still running when i eject the device.

I hope this helps for installing and starting a simple portable app to U3 ...

(btw. its even possible to run non-portable apps that use the registry from the device as i found out today

)

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03-28-2006 08:29 PM

Imperitus
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<appStart cmd="%U3_HOST_EXEC_PATH%\Pstart.exe">%U3_DEVICE_PATH%\PortableApps\PStart</appStart>

This meathod starts the application in that folder, but it doesn't seem to be writting the config file there.

You are right about my putting the exe in the host folder, I am.
The thing is even while the applicaiton is running I don't see the config file being written anywhere... I'm sure I'm missing something and will feel foolish when I figure it out.

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03-28-2006 09:25 PM