features request

[pyg]

Hello world!

Just saw 1.3.3 version of AppSnap. Great changes since my first
download!! :)

By the way, may I suggest a few improvments (searches in this forum
are not easy, so please excuse me if there is duplicates) :

First, Design improvments by config.ini
It would be great if user could, by modifying config.ini :
- choose font (I really don't like Comic Sans : http://bancomicsans.com
;) ) "font = Arial"

- choose background color. I don't ask for theme, just some variables
to display wanted colors (backgroung & rows) : "background_color =
#EAEAFF"

- add the possibility to ad an image at top of the application
"top_banner = .\mylogo.jpg" (its christmas ? able to launch an action
"top_banner_action = ..\some_local_page.html"

- choose custom picture for the left menu : "menu_install_icon = ..
\install.png"

- define our own link for the "report a bug" option :
"report_a_bug_link = http://www.foobar.org/bug"



Next, db.ini.
- should it be possible to keep in mind that many people use "portable
applications", so it would be great if AppSnap could not only work
from USB Key, but also work with portable Apps.

Imagine we have a new variable :
[PortableFirefox]
"local_install_dir = #INSTALL_DIR#\PortableFirefox"

So it would be possible (and great !) for instversion to had a method
to look into a file :
instversion = FILE_SEARCH:#local_install_dir#
\version.txt=PortableFirefox ([0-9]+\.[0-9]+)

- it would be alse possible to add two optionnals variables :
"details_file = #local_install_dir#\description.txt"
"launch_app = #local_install_dir#\firefox.exe"

This way, it would become possible for appSnap to display a
description of the app (even offline) and launch the app! This would
get AppSnap in a killer app, especially on USB Key


I have other requests, but I think that's a good start :P

Thanks again for all the work already done :)

pyg

[Ganesh Viswanathan]

Hello,
Thanks for your suggestions, please see my comments as below:-

First, Design improvments by config.ini
It would be great if user could, by modifying config.ini :
- choose font (I really don't like Comic Sans : http://bancomicsans.com
;) ) "font = Arial"

I've already fixed the Comic Sans goof. Go ahead and self-update AppSnap and you will get relief from Comic.
 

- choose background color. I don't ask for theme, just some variables
to display wanted colors (backgroung & rows) : "background_color =
#EAEAFF"
- add the possibility to ad an image at top of the application
"top_banner = .\mylogo.jpg" (its christmas ? able to launch an action
"top_banner_action = ..\some_local_page.html"
- choose custom picture for the left menu : "menu_install_icon = ..
\install.png"

Looks like you'd like to customize AppSnap for your needs. This makes sense. The best way to do it would be to allow for some level of themes. I'll look into it.
 

- define our own link for the "report a bug" option :
"report_a_bug_link = http://www.foobar.org/bug"

I'll move this to the config.ini. Makes sense again.
 

Next, db.ini.
- should it be possible to keep in mind that many people use "portable
applications", so it would be great if AppSnap could not only work
from USB Key, but also work with portable Apps.

Actually, I did speak to one of the Portable Apps developers who expressed interest in AppSnap supporting them. I'm yet to receive any details on how to achieve the integration. When I get a chance, I'll look into implementing it for AppSnap.
 

- it would be alse possible to add two optionnals variables :
"details_file = #local_install_dir#\description.txt"
"launch_app = #local_install_dir#\firefox.exe"

This way, it would become possible for appSnap to display a
description of the app (even offline) and launch the app! This would
get AppSnap in a killer app, especially on USB Key

AppSnap as a launcher... hmm, that's a longer shot. Don't Portable Apps already have a launcher?
 

I have other requests, but I think that's a good start :P

Thanks again for all the work already done :)

Thanks for your comments and feedback. I'll get to them as soon as possible.

Regards,
Ganesh

[pyg]

Thanks Ganesh for your quick reponse :)

comments below

On 10 avr, 06:57, "Ganesh Viswanathan" <ganesh...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hello,
> Thanks for your suggestions, please see my comments as below:-
>
> First, Design improvments by config.ini
>
> > It would be great if user could, by modifying config.ini :
> > - choose font (I really don't like Comic Sans :http://bancomicsans.com
> > ;) ) "font = Arial"
>
> I've already fixed the Comic Sans goof. Go ahead and self-update AppSnap and
> you will get relief from Comic.

Great :) Thanks

>
> > - choose background color. I don't ask for theme, just some variables
> > to display wanted colors (backgroung & rows) : "background_color =
> > #EAEAFF"
> > - add the possibility to ad an image at top of the application
> > "top_banner = .\mylogo.jpg" (its christmas ? able to launch an action
> > "top_banner_action = ..\some_local_page.html"
> > - choose custom picture for the left menu : "menu_install_icon = ..
> > \install.png"
>
> Looks like you'd like to customize AppSnap for your needs. This makes sense.
> The best way to do it would be to allow for some level of themes. I'll look
> into it.

Thanks. I do not ask for complex themes, just freedom to choose some
colors and insert logo

>
> > - define our own link for the "report a bug" option :

> > "report_a_bug_link =http://www.foobar.org/bug"

>
> I'll move this to the config.ini. Makes sense again.

So.. thanks again :)

>
> > Next, db.ini.
> > - should it be possible to keep in mind that many people use "portable
> > applications", so it would be great if AppSnap could not only work
> > from USB Key, but also work with portable Apps.
>
> Actually, I did speak to one of the Portable Apps developers who expressed
> interest in AppSnap supporting them. I'm yet to receive any details on how
> to achieve the integration. When I get a chance, I'll look into implementing
> it for AppSnap.

In my (humble) opinion, you should't stick with a unique portable app
provider, because we're a lot around the world :)
The preferable format for a portable app is just... .zip :)

If you want, you could try my first appsnap test
http://download.framakey.org/dev/fk_appsnap.zip
It runs on a USB key.

The main thing lacking is a substitution for registry version
checking.
So I think that just having in db;ini a new variable like :
"local_app_file = #local_install_dir#\appsnap.txt"
and the ability to parse this file content for version, details and
executable file would just be ... fabulous :)
e.g.
db.ini
------ 8< --------------
[PortableSumatraPDF]

category = Bureautique
describe = Lecteur PDF
website = http://www.framakey.org/Portables/PortableSumatraPDF
download = http://download.framakey.org/apps/
version = version:([0-9]\.[0-9]+)
scrape = http://www.framakey.org/Portables/PortableSumatraPDF
filename = PortableSumatraPDF-#VERSION#-fr-r01.zip
instparam = /S
upgrades = false
chinstdir = /D=#INSTALL_DIR#
local_app_file = #local_install_dir#\appsnap.txt
instversion = LOCAL_SEARCH:<version>([0-9]\.[0-9]+)</version>
details_file = LOCAL_SEARCH:<description>(.*)</description>
launch_app = LOCAL_SEARCH:<executable>(.*)</executable>
launch_param = LOCAL_SEARCH:<launch_params>(.*)</launch_params>
------ 8< --------------
And, in the PortableSumatraPDF-#VERSION#-fr-r01.zip, once unzipped,
there should be a appsnap.txt file with :
------ 8< --------------
PortableSumatraPDF AppSnapp file
<version>0.7</version>
<description>Here is the description of PortableSumatraPDF. What a
great app ;) </description>
<executable>PortableSumatraPDF\portableSumatraPDF.exe</executable>
<launch_params>sample.pdf</launch_params>
------ 8< --------------
Of course, XML style is just an example...

So if the local_app_file exist, that means that the app is installed.
And if "LOCAL_SEARCH" method is able to get the file infos, you're
done :) :
- you can test the local app version
- you can compare it to the distant website app version (and update it
if needed)
- you can display a longer description
- you can launch it from AppSnap

>
> > - it would be alse possible to add two optionnals variables :
> > "details_file = #local_install_dir#\description.txt"
> > "launch_app = #local_install_dir#\firefox.exe"
>
> > This way, it would become possible for appSnap to display a
> > description of the app (even offline) and launch the app! This would
> > get AppSnap in a killer app, especially on USB Key
>
> AppSnap as a launcher... hmm, that's a longer shot.

Why ?
If you know the .exe location, is it hard to execute file from
appsnap ?
(Of course, the hard part is mostly in implement sort of the
LOCAL_SEARCH method, I suppose :P )

Don't Portable Apps
> already have a launcher?

Yes, but :
- it's not synchronized with AppSnap DB
- not everyone is happy with the portableApps launcher.
- one tool is better than two

>
> > I have other requests, but I think that's a good start :P
>
> > Thanks again for all the work already done :)
>
> Thanks for your comments and feedback. I'll get to them as soon as possible.

Thanks to you, Ganesh, it's very kind of you for answering so fast and
positively to those requests :)

Cheers,
Pierre-Yves

[pyg]

Woops, one error :-/
I wrote:
local_app_file = #local_install_dir#\appsnap.txt

Of course, you should have read :
local_app_file = #local_install_dir#\PortableSumatraPDF
\appsnap.txt

It's the file that appsnap should look for content, so if in
config.ini we have
install_dir = ..\apps
Appsnap should looking for :
..\apps\PortableSumatraPDF\appsnap.txt


Oh, and I forgot another (simpler) feature request ! ;)
Should it be possible to empty cache on demand, I try with :
cache_timeout = 0
but it doesn't work.

An option like :
cache_timeout = nofilecache
should tell to appsnap to delete downloaded files just after
installation. Wich is very usefull on USB keys, because if you use it
on a cybercafe for example, you have to use a cache on the key (many
cybers refuse to give access to Windows dir) and you don't want to
keep donloaded files.


PY

> If you want, you could try my first appsnap testhttp://download.framakey.org/dev/fk_appsnap.zip

> It runs on a USB key.
>
> The main thing lacking is a substitution for registry version
> checking.
> So I think that just having in db;ini a new variable like :
> "local_app_file = #local_install_dir#\appsnap.txt"
> and the ability to parse this file content for version, details and
> executable file would just be ... fabulous :)
> e.g.
> db.ini
> ------ 8< --------------
> [PortableSumatraPDF]
>
> category        = Bureautique
> describe        = Lecteur PDF
> website         =http://www.framakey.org/Portables/PortableSumatraPDF

> download        =http://download.framakey.org/apps/

> version         = version:([0-9]\.[0-9]+)

> scrape          =http://www.framakey.org/Portables/PortableSumatraPDF