There does not appear to be any good software to mount an FTP to a local drive letter (see here for details SF Question) so I was thinking why not just write it myself, but I have very little experience dealing with windows (at the programming level) so what would be involved in doing something like this? What needs to be done to get a new "drive" listed under "My Computer"? What needs to be done to then get the contents of the FTP (or other remote resource) listed that "drive"?
My initial thought would be you would need to write a shell extension to be able to show your FTP site, and that it would best be shown as a special folder in Windows Explorer. Your extension would ideally be written in a non-managed language that supported COM (C++, VB 6, etc). It would need to respond to events like:
The user highlighting a folder on the server
The user double-clicking on a folder on the server
The user dragging and dropping files to and from the server
The user wanting to disconnect/reconnect from the server
When you intercept these events you would issue the appropriate FTP command to accomplish the task (use LIST to get the contents of a directory, MKD to create a directory, STOR to upload a file, etc). You would have to take the results of these commands and show them in the folders view and the listview within Windows Explorer, and for that you will likely need to get up close and personal with the Win32 API. For that you can turn to books like Charles Petzold's classic Programming Windows. Also check out this tutorial on writing shell extensions.
It sounds like an interesting project.
Related
I would like to know if it is possible to map a web directory in windows.
That is to say, that a user, can have access only to a web directory, for example, www.site.com/directory/ and that from the windows explorer can add, delete, modify, etc... as if it were a computer unit. And that all this is in the safest way possible.
I tried to add it from "Connect network drive" but I didn't get it. I don't know the procedure to follow in this case or even if this is possible to do.
It seems that what you want to do is called an FTP server. You should check it out ;)
I need to perform some tasks related to workflow customization.
Currrently, I am using the Workflow Script Editor to add a vbscript.
Can the same thing be achieved without logging in to HP ALM and without using the script editor.
Say, I have the vbscript ready with me, can I place it in proper location inside HP ALM folder and register, if required..?
Can anybody help me with the steps to be performed to achieve the same functionality as the Workflow script editor does, but I need to do it manually without HP ALM log in ?
Short answer:
It is possible, but not into some ALM Folder on the client. You need to include a VBS file that would be stored on a shared folder. This is ugly and if you have the ALM Edition, it is better to rely on the template mechanism.
Long answer:
First of all, you need to understand how the Workflow Script works. The VBScript that you write with Workflow Script Editor is executed on the various computer of the connected Quality Center (or QC, TD, ALM, PC 11+, etc.) users. It is not executed on the server side.
In line with the first point The Workflow Script is called when some events are triggered. For example, when a field changes or when a user access a module, create a new object, etc. And again, I speak about a connected user and this piece of code is executed on its computer. Morvever Workflow Script can change some part of the web ui. For example, you can hide or show a field or make a field mandatory.
#TheBlastOne suggested to have a look at ALM´s automation interface. But if OTA (Open Test Architecture) allows you to perform all actions that can be done manually on QC web user interface, it doesn't allow you to create a code that will be trigered by the actions of connected users. Because OTA is executed on your computer.
Can I place it in proper location inside HP ALM folder and register, if required..? You cannot easily modify most of the files in the repository of a project. ALM can emulate an FTP server to read the content of a project's repository but you cannot access anymore to the VB scripts since QC11. And remember that Workflow Script is project specific.
Well, easy answer: yes you can.
You have to activate ftp on admin site (just create the "FTP_PORT" parameter in Site Adminstration with the FTP port you want to use - 2121 or 21), and you can connect to the QC FTP Server with a client like Total Commander with :, and identify with your user and password, but I think you have to be Site Administrator - more information in QC documentation on Admin parameters: FTP_PORT.
Once connected, you'll se a tree with domains/projects, and for each project, different folders. The one for workflow scripts is ... "Scripts".
I have standard instalations of some programs, and althou they are freeware and i can download them and install on any machine, things are not that easy always. When system crash and i dont have working machine or working internet connection or lan card or drivers for lan card i always struggle to find them and make them work if some dependency file is not on that version of windows.
What i need is to know is how can i make applications portable so i can run them from my usb or just copy them from my usb on pc and run, what dependency files application require, and what files and where specific application install?
It's a complicated story but let's try to summarize. Starts from the part "why?"
I'm an obsessive guy who seriously "hates" installers. I love to have a clean system without bloated in files reg entries and DLL's. Thats why I make nearly all (at least 97%) of programs that I use portable. I made more than 600 up to today and what I can say is;
You need:
1- A program to watch file system (what included after installation)
I use this. Simple and straight (sorry not freeware, but you can find tons of alternates)
http://www.samsunsegman.com/um/
2- A program to watch registry (what changed or included after installation)
I use this in HTML mode. Free fast and simple. And portable in nature.
http://sourceforge.net/projects/regshot/
Now scan the system with these 2, and than run the installer. After open the installed program and make your settings as you want. And than use this 2 program to find the added files and registry entries.
For files, delete them to trash can and take them back from trash in batch (easy to do like that) to the folder of application.
Registry, open the related branches in registry, delete any entries containing addressings like (plugins folder = c:\prog.... etc) After right click on main branch and select export. This is your reg settings...
3- Download this program http://ctuser.net/?reg2exe
This will convert your reg file to an exe file.
4- Download this application http://download.cnet.com/FilePacker/3000-2216_4-10414081.html
Note: Click on "Direct Download Link" if not you'll cnet will welcome you with their installer :)
And with this program (I use this because have no interference with any application) pack the program that you want to make portable. In wizard, first choose your reg-exe file after main programs file. Launcher will execute them with this order. And in setting choose "delete after terminate" will delete the extracted files on exit.
You can discover the further details. This helps you to portabilitize nearly 75% of simple applications.
5- For complicated programs or complicated needs you even can make home made loaders like
Before executing the app, put the user files under appdata folder (that I hate)
Put settings in registry (even with dynamically modified "path" addresses)
Choose which to execute (x86 or x64)
Execute in admin mode if needed
Execute the app... And when application is terminated...
Delete the settings from registry
Take the user files from appdata folder and put under programs folder (usb etc) back.
Delete left-over files under the system...
I just wrote these last ones to make you understand how far you can go. And for all these extra tricks, I use just and just bat files. And I convert them to exe also with this software. http://www.f2ko.de/programs.php?lang=en&pid=b2e (also free)
All the softwares that I use except "uninstall manager" are free. And with this technique, amazing but some of programs are running even faster.
Actually you can just use JauntePE or portable apps packer things but... Jaunte and similar sandbox making programs are so slow and not compatible with all. Even causing crashes. Portable apps approach is a bit bloated regarding to my strict spped and size standards. That's why I do it myself about for 10 years (yes even people was not talking about portability)
Note: I'm not a programmer, and you also don't need to be to do these.
I never released my portables, and you also shouldn't (read EULA's) for respect to authors.
But never forget to demand portable version from all authors. Force them to quit installers ;)
Best regards
inovasyon did a great job!
If you want to make some portable app that will work on every computer you move it to, then 99.9% of apps can be made portable.
If you also expect the app to not leave any files, folders or registry entries behind and not change or break things on the host PC's setup, then that limits things a bit further.
Apps requiring admin privileges to write to protected areas of the registry or file system will break when used on PCs with locked-down privileges.
Apps requiring services to be installed on the host PC will often leave them behind.
You must to know there are apps that are locked to specific PCs - Microsoft's recent versions of Office are a great example of this. They simply will not run when moved to another PC.
Also, you'll need some tools for making portable app: cameyo, thinapp, boxedapp, portableapps, spoon, app-v and other.
Portable applications will run from a flash drive, and from the computer.
Good Luck!
Here is a primer for setting up a portable app using the PortableApps.com tools. They have a page for developers that is quite helpful for some specifics, but the overall process is not well summarized. Here is the general outline for creating a portable application:
1. Investigate your application's footprints
Find all the files, registry locations and settings of the application you want to make portable (make use of point (1) and (2) in inovasyon's answer, and maybe take a look at Zsoft). It is usally a good idea to fire-up a virtual machine and track the application's changes without much clutter.
2. The PortableApp generator
Download, extract, and open the PortableApps.com Platform, and follow [The system tray icon] →[Apps] →[Get More Apps] →[By Category] to install the PortableApps.com Launcher, and NSIS (Unicode) needed to Portabilize your app. Alternatively, but with some added hassle, download both the PortableApps.com Launcher and NSIS Portable (Unicode version) as standalones.
You can now compile a project by running the PortableApps.com Launcher and pointing it to your project.
3. PortableApp layout and structure
Download the PortableApp.com Application Template (search for it here) to structure the data and files obtained in (1.) according to the specifications. Also, download some apps from portableapps.com for some practical examples of how they are structured, and to learn more about the struggles of portability (such as the substitution of drive letters in settings files to correspond to the movement of a portable drive).
As a "Hello World" example, try portability this simple program: helloworld.bat, with content:
#echo off
echo Hello World > log.txt
It writes all local environmental variables to the log file log.txt. You can play around a bit by trying to writing files to an %APPDATA% subdirectory and see if you can make your project redirect it to a portable directory.
4. Additional usage
If you need to do some additional coding that is not achievable with the default .ini capabilities (such as forcing only one instance of an app), add a NSIS script with file location App\AppInfo\Launcher\Custom.nsh to your project. Note that PortableApps.com's custom code guide incorrectly states the file location as Other\Source\Custom.nsh. It is also quite unhelpful regarding the layout of this script. Rather look at examples from other Apps and learn the NSIS syntax by Google-ing a bit.
I need to make "sandbox" to run scripts and applications (PHP, Perl, exe files, Ruby, and so on). But interpreters needs to be accesible to run and only one folder can be accessible to be changed. Also it will be great to allow application to be launched with quotas on hard drive. What do I need to use in this case?
I need solution in C#
You could just setup windows Security to allow this, select the folder you wish the user to access to and set permissions on it (right click, properties, security). The problem with this approach is you need to find all other folders and revoke access to them if you don't want the user using them (ie EVERYONE and USERS access).
Alternativly have a peek at the WinJail package which does as you require. (CHROOT/JAIL implimentation for windows).
You might need to create some sort of virtual drive.
Look at this
creating virtual hard Drive
and a csharp library to play with virtual drives
http://dokan-dev.net/en/
Hope this help
You can set a filesystem filter on all file operations and control them this way, but such wide filter will slowdown operations significantly, especially if checks are done in user mode (via callbacks). You can test our CallbackFilter product, which lets you do the above in C#, but be ready for slowness.
This is a strange one to me. Let me list the setup:
Application with a manifest (ie: wont get pushed to virtual store)
UAC is turned on (can't write to other program files directories, or other areas, and uac prompt appears)
Can write to "c:\program files\%app_name%\%directory%\" both from within my application (not run as admin) as well as a non admin command prompt
Can not write to "c:\program files\%app_name%\%directory%\%subdirectory%\".
Any ideas? Are there hidden permissions or registry settings somewhere? Could it be that this directory was created when UAC was off, so now its fair game? Could it be that this directory was created in a time of XP, and its fair game?
It makes sense to me why i can't write to the other program files directories and the subdirectory. However I have no idea why i am actually allowed to write to the %directory%?
Side note: If I move the %directory% to another area (appdata), I still can not write to the subdirectory (confused).
Let me know any ideas you may have or anything I can check.
Thanks
EDIT: Arr, sorry, I skimmed your post a little too fast, looks like this is a non-issue!
Have you looked where the written files are actually going?
Vista has a feature where files written into Program Files folders by applications get redirected to a local per user store. This store is located at %userprofile%\AppData\Local\VirtualStore
This is to allow legacy applications which wrote per user settings to Program Files to still operate correctly, also allowing multiple users to use the program without conflict.
There's a button in explorer called 'Compatibility Files' which will take you to this user store.. perhaps your writes are ending up there?
I'm not sure why you cant write to the subdirectory though. Security permissions?