General discussion about UltraEdit portable UEP - the mobile edition of UE

jbarr · May 13, 2009#12009-05-13T14:53+00:00

So I received an email this morning stating that a new "Mobile" version compatible with the PortableApps menu is now available. Holy crap! This has been my dream app!

I purchased the upgrade, uninstalled my UltraEdit full install, and installed the Mobile edition. So far, everything works very well.

Some points of note:
UEM seems to start faster than before.
So far, UEM works well under Windows 7 RC1 32-bit.

My only issue at this point is that I don't know how to get it to do file associations properly. For example, if I associate.TXT files through the Advanced > Configuration screen, UEM does not open when I double-click on a .TXT file. When I associate .TXT files through Windows (ie: Open With...) it does launch UEM, however the file does not open within UEM. I must either manually open or drag-and-drop the file. While this is obviously a trade-off for having an official portable version of UltraEdit, it is something that I'd love to be able to get to work. Suggestions?

mjcarman · May 13, 2009#22009-05-13T16:12+00:00

This is good news. Now that the portable version isn't U3 only I can at least consider using it. I wish portability was a feature instead of a separate product, though.

My only issue at this point is that I don't know how to get it to do file associations properly.

File associations and other things like integration into the Explorer context menu won't work with portable versions because those features require changes to the host machine. (e.g. file associations are stored in the registry)

deckyon · May 13, 2009#32009-05-13T18:14+00:00

Downloaded and installed this version to my way-overused usb key. Spent about an hour and it now looks/works exactly like my normal version. I have had the UE3 version for a while, but hardly used it as with every upgrade/install, the settings would be lost. Now, I have reinstalled over top the existing one and bam, settings stay.

What I wish is that there was a way to convert the licensing from the normal UE to the UEm. I have the unlimited upgrades (since v5) but don't see where I would do that again for the portable version. However, I would convert in a heartbeat now if I could maintain the unlimited upgrades.

The USB key version is way more useful for me now than even the normal version because of the portability.

sklad2 · May 14, 2009#42009-05-14T17:30+00:00

There is another editor, not to name names, but one you install it, you have the option to create a mobile edition from the editor itself. Maybe UE should consider this route.

mwb1100 · May 17, 2009#52009-05-17T01:48+00:00

jbarr wrote:When I associate .TXT files through Windows (ie: Open With...) it does launch UEM, however the file does not open within UEM. I must either manually open or drag-and-drop the file. While this is obviously a trade-off for having an official portable version of UltraEdit, it is something that I'd love to be able to get to work. Suggestions?

I'm running WinXP, and setting up an association using Explorer's "Folder Options/File Types" panel worked just fine for me.

You might also try setting up the association using the "ftype" and/or "assoc" command line programs.

[email protected] · May 20, 2009#62009-05-20T16:39+00:00

I'm disappointed... if you have bought the UE15 desktop version .... why you have to pay another 29US$ for this mobile version ?!?!
Some famous professional editor are already in portable version if you install it with some settings

s0uza · Jul 22, 2009#72009-07-22T07:52+00:00

Hello everyone,

I just registered the mobile version of UE (15.10.0.1018) and I'm quite happy about this new member of my PortableApps selection where it will replace a well known open source editor.

However I found no way to have it run in "single instance" mode. The options dialog simply does not show this option, the ini-file however contains a line with <Multiple Instances=0> but still it will start a new instance no matter how I start UE.

I tried on Vista SP1 both 32- and 64 bit. Am I doing something wrong? Any help is highly appreciated since this behavior is quite annoying to the way I work.

Thanks

rhapdog · Oct 17, 2009#82009-10-17T01:52+00:00

I've been using UltraEdit for PHP Application Development. I have recently gone "portable" and have all my work files, programs, everything I use, EXCEPT UltraEdit, on a USB Drive. No, not a thumb drive or flash drive, a 320GB Hard drive.

I have downloaded the trial of the mobile edition (Portable Apps version, as mine is not a U3 device) and was testing. I noticed that the uep.ini file in the Data directory stores absolute paths still, drive letter included.

For example:

Code: Select all

[TagList]
TagListFilename=D:\PortableApps\UltraEdit Portable\Data\TAGLIST.UET

[Settings]
Language File=D:\PortableApps\UltraEdit Portable\Data\wordfiles
Spell Directory=D:\PortableApps\UltraEdit Portable\Data\
Template File=D:\PortableApps\UltraEdit Portable\Data\Power User.te1

This concerns me, as I travel a bit, and need to use this on multiple systems, which is what the portable version is supposed to be designed for.

Since my drive is drive D: at home, but drive E: at another location and drive F: at still another, it seems pointless to upgrade when the INI file uses the absolute drive letters. Not being able to save files for re-opening on another computer system, I am a bit wary about purchasing it.

Will UltraEditPortable automatically fix these INI file settings each time it loads? Or is this yet another obstacle for me to overcome? I'm not buying until it's resolved.

I currently launch a program to "start up" all my programs that need to be running, like my PStart menu, Apache, MySQL Server, etc., and I was going to write a new application to add to the list to "rewrite" my current version of UltraEdit's uedit.ini file to change the drive letter throughout the file where needed through autodetect of the current drive assignment. I believe it would be a feasible workaround, but it's not yet tested. It's also more work that I don't have time for, because I'm already buried in work. I'd rather the portable version work, but am wary of it's ability to preserve my settings from system to system when it uses the same absolute drive paths in the INI file just like the regular UltraEdit. From reading about PortableApps, I didn't think that was allowed.

Mofi · Oct 17, 2009#92009-10-17T14:23+00:00

I don't have UE Portable. But the paths you posted contain the default paths. I would simply test it. Change the drive letter of your flash drive, start UE Portable and check if the files are nevertheless loaded and after closing, if the paths in uep.ini changed.

rhapdog · Oct 17, 2009#102009-10-17T15:37+00:00

I've decided to go another route and avoid the purchase, I'm afraid.

Since I don't use the portable apps launcher (I have a different menu system that works more like the actual windows start menu, with sub-menus, etc.), I have written a launcher to launch this other menu system. When it does, it will check it's config file to see what applications need to be adjusted for the new drive letter, and the config file will give instructions on what file(s) need changes made for absolute drive letter. It will also show the "last" drive letter used since the last time the launcher was executed, and if the drive letter is the same, no changes are made. If the drive letter changes, it will adjust the appropriate config files for any programs listed.

I think that will be the route to go, since it will allow me to add other programs as well that I wouldn't ordinarily be able to load.

pietzcker · Oct 17, 2009#112009-10-17T16:22+00:00

Well, if it's not a feature yet then users of UE portable should by all means request this very reasonable feature. My other editor does adapt to changing drive letters (and the portable version is included in the desktop version for free, too).

rhapdog · Oct 21, 2009#122009-10-21T20:37+00:00

I ended up coding a launcher program for it. Now my full version of UltraEdit 15 is portable. I'm loving being able to use it wherever I go, and leave no traces when I leave. It's great! The launcher was easy enough. Just an ini file for the launcher to record what the previous drive letter was, what the current drive letter is, and where UE's INI file is, so it can go in and do a search/replace of the drive letter in question, if the drive letter changed. So simple. Then it runs UE. Pretty slick, and quite simple.

I picked up a second free program, portable file associator, and now I can have file associations with UltraEdit on other systems as well, which are restored to previous associations when I unplug. Really great. That was the only thing I was missing, except for my favorite programming font... which I am now able to carry along with me with the FontsPortable program, which was also free.

I'm quite happy now! I no longer have any software (other than the OS and stuff that came with it) on my computer. It's all on my portable USB Hard Drive. Everywhere I plug in, it's like I've got my computer with me (except for the speed, keyboard, mouse, monitor, but I adjust.)