Firefox on a USB memory stick!

jedbro · Post by **jedbro** » January 29th, 2004, 4:42 pm

I know there are about 20+ different discussions about this already here.
Unfortunatly none of them contain answeres, only links to more and more discussion.
In one of those avih posted the bug link <a href="http://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=211628#c3">BUG #211628</a> where he has an answer.

I've done it, and now succesfully have Firebird 0.7 running completely off my 128 PNY USB memory stick

I've decided to re-post this here, so others who have been looking for this can easily find it.

1. create your sandbox directory (i.e. d:\sandbox\px-0.6). we'll consider it as
<sandbox>.
2. inside it, create a folder named "Application Data" the name must be exact.
3. in your sandbox directory, put the bin directory of the application
(mozilla/mozillafirebird).
4. put this batch file inside your sandbox dir as well (change myAppName to your
actual executable name, and myRoothPath to your root sandbox dir).
you get this:

<sandbox>\run.bat
<sandbox>\Application Data (should be created empty prior to running the batch file)
<sandbox>\bin (this is the actual directory of the application.

here's my (winXP) batch file. i'm not sure how it will work on other windows
versions.

rem directory 'Application Data' MUST be created prior to running this file.
rem not creating the 'Application Data' will result in c:\windows\phoenix and
c:\windows\mozilla created
rem the name 'Application Data' MUST NOT be changed. it's expected exactly with
this name.

set myAppName=phoenix.exe
set myRootPath=D:\tmp-extract\sandbox\px-04-mar

set USERPROFILE=%myRootPath%
set APPDATA=%USERPROFILE%\Application Data
start %USERPROFILE%\bin\%myAppName% %1 %2 %3

hope it helps.
cheers
avih

Here is my batch file:

Code: Select all

 
run.bat
=========
set myRootPath=E:\MozillaFirebird\Firebird0.7
set USERPROFILE=%myRootPath%
set APPDATA=%USERPROFILE%\Application Data
if exist "bin\mozilla.exe" start %USERPROFILE%\bin\mozilla.exe %1 %2 %3
if exist "bin\MozillaFirebird.exe" start %USERPROFILE%\bin\mozillafirebird.exe %1 %2 %3

Enjoy!

*NOTE* this only works if you are running FB under an OS with your same languages.
i.e. I tried it on my GF's laptop with WindowsXP in spanish, and it created a new profile due to the different location for
"Aplication Data" --> "Datos de Aplicaciones".

lladnar1 · Post by **lladnar1** » January 29th, 2004, 10:57 pm

This works great as long as you are using the E: drive. Anyone figured out a way to easily auto-assign the drive letter?

chuonthis · Post by **chuonthis** » January 30th, 2004, 1:10 am

I think you might be able to use "set myRootPath=%cd%" or even just use the %cd% variable instead of myRootPath. I tested it in WinXP and the variable returns the current working directory so just put your batch file in the X:\MozillaFirebird\Firebird0.7 or whatever directory and it should work?

Slimeboy · Post by **Slimeboy** » January 30th, 2004, 2:03 am

My school blocks .exe files so i cant run firebird. But i will talk and see if i cant get a special provesion.

I seem to rember a post where a student wrote to the school saying why firebird was better. Anybody got a copy?

gutzalpus · Post by **gutzalpus** » January 30th, 2004, 8:25 am

Using the above batch file causes all the file dialog boxes not to work (save link target as, save page as, etc).

Azhrabi · Post by **Azhrabi** » January 30th, 2004, 9:00 am

I can run it off a CD no problem. But it keeps my bookmarks and losses everything else. Is there a way around this? So that I can run it 'fully featured' on any random english windows XP computer of my CD?

Post by **alanjstr** » January 30th, 2004, 12:49 pm

This sounds like a good FAQ item. Making sticky til djst sees it.

jedbro · Post by **jedbro** » January 30th, 2004, 12:58 pm

chuonthis wrote:I think you might be able to use "set myRootPath=%cd%" or even just use the %cd% variable instead of myRootPath. I tested it in WinXP and the variable returns the current working directory so just put your batch file in the X:\MozillaFirebird\Firebird0.7 or whatever directory and it should work?

\
Hmm I'll have to try that out.
So instead of the whole:
set myRootPath=E:\MozillaFirebird\Firebird0.7
whould I put
set myRootPath=%cd%\MozillaFirebird\Firebird0.7
??
Thanks for the aclaration.

*EDIT*
Nevermind, you are right!
My new batch file looks like this and works perfectly!
Thank you!

Code: Select all

run.bat
=========
set myRootPath=%cd%
set USERPROFILE=%myRootPath%
set APPDATA=%USERPROFILE%\Application Data
if exist "bin\mozilla.exe" start %USERPROFILE%\bin\mozilla.exe %1 %2 %3
if exist "bin\MozillaFirebird.exe" start %USERPROFILE%\bin\mozillafirebird.exe %1 %2 %3

It no longer depends on what Drive Letter your usb stick has been assigned to.! (thanks chuonthis)

And yes, the run.bat has to be in the directory where your *.exe file is found.
What I do as a work around is have a shortcut to run.bat on the X://run.bat of my memory stick for quicker access.

David, you might want to update the FAQ.

Post by **alanjstr** » January 30th, 2004, 1:16 pm

Um, why are you hard coding the name "Application Data" there? Does it really need "Application Data" or can it use "myprofiledir"

Post by **djst** » January 30th, 2004, 1:17 pm

alanjstr wrote:This sounds like a good FAQ item. Making sticky til djst sees it.

Added. Will not show up on the site until the 0.8 launch though. Thanks for the tip!

jedbro · Post by **jedbro** » January 30th, 2004, 2:22 pm

alanjstr wrote:Um, why are you hard coding the name "Application Data" there? Does it really need "Application Data" or can it use "myprofiledir"

I think it really needs "Application Data", or whatever your OS's dir is.
I wouldn't know of a way to set "myprofiledir". (?)

djst wrote:
alanjstr wrote:This sounds like a good FAQ item. Making sticky til djst sees it.

Added. Will not show up on the site until the 0.8 launch though. Thanks for the tip!

You might want to update it with my latest run.bat example, thanks to chuonthis.

Also, just to note.
The original information is by avih, i've just modifed it a bit to work better for myself.

opaiev · Post by **opaiev** » January 30th, 2004, 3:01 pm

that 0.8 shit out yet? damn holmes

Post by **alanjstr** » January 30th, 2004, 3:17 pm

jed-
Is it looking for the string literal "application data" or the environment variable? Or both?

Will Rickards WT · Post by **Will Rickards WT** » January 30th, 2004, 3:26 pm

It is looking for the string literal.

APPDATA and USERPROFILE are environment variables in windows 2K.
APPDATA just happens to usually be "%USERPROFILE%\Application Data"
By setting them in the batch script I believe you are changing them for firebird.
from the command line type
echo %APPDATA%
echo %USERPROFILE%
to see what they are normally set to.
you can also run
set | more
to see the list of variables
Unfortunately APPDATA seems to use a localized version of the string "Application Data" as the last folder in the path.

I think the batch file can be condensed to:

Code: Select all

run.bat
=========
set USERPROFILE=%cd%
set APPDATA=%cd%\Application Data
if exist "bin\mozilla.exe" start %USERPROFILE%\bin\mozilla.exe %1 %2 %3
if exist "bin\MozillaFirebird.exe" start %USERPROFILE%\bin\mozillafirebird.exe %1 %2 %3

Post by **alanjstr** » January 30th, 2004, 4:54 pm

Yes, I know what the variables are in W2k. But since you're setting the variables USERPROFILE and APPDATA in the script, that implies that it is looking at the environmental variables, and should not care that it says "Application Data"

Firefox on a USB memory stick!

Firefox on a USB memory stick!

How to I keep it from lossing my plugins and extensions?