Portable Sublime

[jps]

I've had several requests for a portable (i.e., setup-less) version of Sublime Text, and while there is currently the --data command line parameter that is enough to enable it, it's still more work to setup than it needs to be. My current plan for this is:

• If there's a directory called 'Data' in the same directory as sublimetext.exe, then use that as the data directory, and not %APPDATA%/Sublime Text.
• Provide a downloadable .zip in addition to the setup exe, that would be otherwise identical, but contain a Data subdirectory to trigger the above behaviour.

Are there any scenarios for a portable version that the above wouldn't cover?

Also, I'm vaguely considering moving to an automatic update system in the future, is there some sort of consensus about whether a portable version should participate in this or not?

[guillermooo]

Jon,

Maybe I'm missing the obvious, but what would the point of an installed version then? If you'd put the unzipped folder in your %APPDATA% you get roughly the same result.

Maybe the context menu entry to open files?

I'm all in favor of a portable version and I don't anticipate any problems with automatic updates.

[jps]

The advantage of the installed version is that it requires a little less thinking - you don't have to worry about where to put it, just double click the installer, hit next a few times, and you'll have a entry in your start menu for it. The explorer context menu is a handy thing to have too, as you mention.

[edanm]

The installed version does make sense.
When I install SublimeText, I expect it to do all sorts of things like set up a Start Menu entry, add itself to the Add/Remove programs dialog, put itself in Program Files, etc.

As for auto-updating, I'd actually stay away from auto-updating the portable version, since most people will be carrying it around in a flash disk, and you don't want to start messing around with files there.
On the other hand, if it *asks* whether it should update itself (which it should do anyway, I suppose), I don't see any harm in it.

[gpfsmurf]

If there's a directory called 'Data' in the same directory as sublimetext.exe, then use that as the data directory, and not %APPDATA%/Sublime Text.

I like this idea. It would certainly make things simpler and more seamless in my case.

This is my current "portable" setup:
SublimeText is installed in my DropBox folder, which is substed to drive X:
This way, the path to sublime (and my custom data folder) is the same on my two machines.
I only need to update Sublime on one machine; however, I need to run a .reg file after updating to add a --data option to the Open with sublime text function.

re: automatic update system: How would that work for users using the beta versions (which I believe is the majority of users?)

Oh and if you ever add an option to add/remove file associations, please don't remove it from the portable version

[khebs]

I would favor to Portable Sublime, in an obvious of mobility i can code anywhere anytime, using my favorite editor sublime .. hack-on-the-go..

[spirit]

Hey!

I'm currently testing the portable version (20100913), I've manually installed PackageDownloader to help me download the others packages.
Even if I create a shortcut for sublime sublimetext.exe --data Data, PackageDownloader keeps wanting to download them in %APPDATA%...

Am I missing the obvious?

Note: I also have a version of ST installed locally.

[jps]

I can't speak for PackageDownloader, but to install a .sublime-package file manually in the portable version, place it within the "Data/Installed Packages" directory and restart.

[willi297]

Yeah, I don't think the Package Downloader has been touched since before portable Sublime came to be. I didn't write it, but may be able to take a look at it. Should be a pretty easy fix.