hi
I still have WW installed and use it.
I wonder how to make my WW version portable, so that I can use it on other PCs with the same settings.
I guess to backup the settings I have to backup the regkey HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\VB and VBA Program Settings\Weather Watcher, right?
But which file I have to backup too? These in the install folder of WW?
Check out this thread cska133: viewtopic.php?f=17&t=2217
If you config the portable WW to use the Store user files in the Weather Watcher program folder option it is totally self contained, no host Registry entries are involved.
hth :icon_smile:
I do use this option Store user files in the Weather Watcher program folder but I noticed that when I backup the install folder and start WW from there , the settings are not saved untill I install the regisstry key HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\VB and VBA Program Settings\Weather Watcher.
Is it right?
cska133, most of the settings are stored in the Windows registry. If you start Weather Watcher with the “-i” command line parameter, your settings will be stored in a .INI file inside of the Weather Watcher program folder.
hi Mike,
what does mean “to start Weather Watcher with the “-i” command line parameter”? How to do this?
And what will be the result of that when the settings are stored in INI file? Then I dont neet to backup the registry key, only the INI file?
Hello cska133.
Review the !WWPortable.cmd in this posting viewtopic.php?f=17&t=2217 for an example of how to start WW with the -i switch.
And what will be the result of that when the settings are stored in INI file? Then I dont neet to backup the registry key, only the INI file?
With the settings in the INI file you don’t need to backup the Registry key.
do you mean this code?
@title Starting Weather Watcher Portable
@start /min ww.exe -id
What about this written below the code:
I keep both scripts in a folder named My Files in the WW install folder. If you locate them differently you need to change the SET commands.
Which is the SET command? I need the INI file to be just in the WW install folder, no subfolder.
How would look the code/commands in this case?
thanks
Yes
What about this written below the code:
It’s misleading, disregard it.
I need the INI file to be just in the WW install folder, no subfolder.
That’s where it will be.
Do note if you don’t use the “d” option with the “i” option the ini will be named your WindowsUserid.ini, thus if you have multiple user ids or use multiple pcs WW may not always find it. The “d” fixes the name to be Default.ini regardless of Windows userid.
Ok?
Note 2, the setting of the -i option does NOT copy the Registry entries to the ini. It initially establishes the ini with all default WW options, you have to customize all the settings to fit your needs.
hth
ok, some more question:
what to do exactly with this code? Do I have to open CMD and then write this there?
The “d” fixes the name to be Default.ini regardless of Windows userid.
so with the -d the name of the INI will be “Default.ini”, did I understand right?
Note 2, the setting of the -i option does NOT copy the Registry entries to the ini. It initially establishes the ini with all default WW options, you have to customize all the settings to fit your needs.
exactly what I wanted to aks 
Unfortunatly I dont understand it. Could you please explain it again :oops:
When I do this with the -i commands, the settings will be stored in the INI. Or at the first time the INI will be empty???
It initially establishes the ini with all default WW options, you have to customize all the settings to fit your needs
It means all of my setings now will be lost???
sorry I am little nit confused regarding to point 3 :oops: :???:
cska133, you could add the command line parameter by doing the following:
1) Right-click the Weather Watcher shortcut on your desktop (or wherever you placed it) and choose “Properties”.
2) In the “Target” box of the Weather Watcher Properties window, add " -i" or " -id" to the end. The final target will look something like this:
“C:\Program Files (x86)\Weather Watcher\ww.exe” -d
3) Click the “OK” button to save your changes and close the Weather Watcher Properties window.
ok, and then what?
Oh My Goodness!!!
You could, if you wanted to do those steps every time you boot, but the intended and easier method would be to open a text editor, ie Notepad, copy those lines into the text editor then save the file with a name than ends in .CMD. To invoke the ini option you dbl click on the .cmd file or on a shortcut on your desktop that points to it.
Close, to get the file with that name you need both the i and the d as in the code posted. -id
No it means all your Registry setting will not be used with the -id option and since they aren’t used your .ini file will start with the default WW settings. You will need to input your WW settings that you have in the Registry into the version of WW running with the -id option which will save them in the .ini file.
Ok?
In answer to your question to Mike;
Then you dbl click on the modified shortcut.
Personally I would recommend you make a copy of the current WW shortcut and make the changes Mike described to the copy. Yes you end up with two WW shortcuts BUT one invokes WW with your Registry setting and one invokes WW with your new .ini settings. :thumbright:
hth
hallo and happy New Year.
Ed_p and Mike, I appresiate your efforts to explain this to me.
But unfortunately I am getting more and more confused.
So before I will try to go deeper into the expanation and tests I would like to ask this: till now I have always back up my WW settings by saving/exporting the Registry key HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\VB and VBA Program Settings\Weather Watcher. Is this an appropriate method? And why do I have to do this through INI file?
Are the backup of WW settings through Registry and through INI file 2 similar ways of doing this?
PS:
If an INI file is created and I make changes to WW settings, when this changes will be saved in the INI - automatically e.g. after closing WW or do I have to do it manual by doing something?
thanks and please dont get angry about my incompetence :oops:
Yes. It works.
And why do I have to do this through INI file?
You don’t if you use the .ini approach.
Are the backup of WW settings through Registry and through INI file 2 similar ways of doing this?
Yes. If you are using the -i start option backing up the .ini file is similar to backing up the Registry settings.
If an INI file is created and I make changes to WW settings, when this changes will be saved in the INI - automatically
Yes
e.g. after closing WW
More immediate than that, after clicking on the Ok or Accept buttons
And a Happy New Year to you also.
ok, then I will stay at backing up my WW settings throu the Registry. Thanks
One more question… Everything here was about backing up the WW settings, but if I want to run WW on different PC which files do I have to back up? The files in the install folder of WW (for my on D:) ? Or are there also files on C:, I am not sure if I have seen WW folder on C: too?
Then install WW on the different pc. It’s the easiest way, you only need one file, the compressed install file. If you then add your WW Registry backup to the different pc’s host system it will have everything you have, and you only need to have two files, the compressed install file plus your Registry backup. Functions that reference the Windows User Id such as the location of Sounds may not work but those kind of things are minor.
If you simply want to run WW on many differnet pcs, with your WW settings, then running WW with the -id option is the easiest way, you simply backup the WW program folder and run WW on the different pcs from your backup WW folder.
It depends on how flexible you want to be and how much of an impact you want to have on different pc’s host systems. I run WW from my USB sticks on many pcs via using the -id option. And when I remove my USB stick from the pcs all references to my WW are gone from their hosts.
Then install WW on the different pc.
Yes, but this is the problem because I started this thread here. On some PCs it is not allowed to install. So thats way I was thinking of backing up my WW and the its settings and uploading them on my uploading page.
Then I can download the archived backup, decompress it on the other PC and from there start WW and put the Registry key with the WW settings. Done!
This is my theory, I havent try it completely , so I hope it will work. What do you think, is this a appropriate method?
Another question:
Do the both backup alternatives exclude each other? I mean if I when I use the id option and the changes are stored in the INI file, are the changed settings also saved in the registry key or only in the INI (in this case)?
Ah, we are making progress. So you’re not looking to run WW on a different pc rather on different pcs. Ok, now I think I understand your goal.
So thats way I was thinking of backing up my WW and the its settings and uploading them on my uploading page.
Then I can download the archived backup, decompress it on the other PC and from there start WW and put the Registry key with the WW settings. Done!
This is my theory, I havent try it completely , so I hope it will work. What do you think, is this a appropriate method?
Your approach/method/plan won’t work. PCs that don’t allow installs certainly don’t allow Registry additions either. Doing what you’re doing as a backup of your pc will work, but using it on different pcs will not work 100% of the time.
Another question:
Do the both backup alternatives exclude each other?
No.
I mean if I when I use the id option and the changes are stored in the INI file, are the changed settings also saved in the registry key or only in the INI (in this case)?
Only in the ini.
Do what was suggested in a post up the line here, create a second WW desktop icon and have it use the -id parameter. Dbl click on it and set some WW options different from your normal WW settings. Choose a different city for example. Then exit it. Now click on your normal WW icon. As you will see it starts with the same city you always see.
In the WW program folder find the ini file. Open it with a text editor like Notepad and you will see that the data is unique and not the same as the WW settings in the Registry.
You are sharing the WW program but not the settings or skins.
And for portability you can’t beat running WW portable from a USB stick. You can run it directly from it’s folder on the USB stick using PStart or make it into a PortableApp app or a U3 app.