Powertoys: Installation as zip, portable installation

[perost-l14]

Summary of the new feature/enhancement

Distribute releases in a zip file. When extracted the command can be executed right away without any installation process. At first run, the necessary integration with explorer etc. can be installed.

This would make it easier to use across multiple machines as I can simply update in one place and synchronize files (like via OneDrive).

[enricogior]

Hi @DavidXanatos
thanks for the suggestion.

[crutkas]

no plans to do this at this time

[Deide]

It would be better for the integration not to happen during install/run, but from an action in the configuration view. This gives people the most knowledge and control of what's happening.

[github-account1111]

Also having settings be saved in the program's folder instead of AppData and persist throughout different Windows installs.

This is the kinda tool that would really benefit from a portable functionality.

[GitMensch]

no plans to do this at this time

@crutkas Is this a "final" statement for the repo? If not I suggest to reopen and tag with "patches accepted" or similar. As mentioned in the referenced issues: It may not be possible to support a portable mode for every of the PTs (I doubt that FileExplorerAddOns would), but it should be possible at least for some applications.

[crutkas]

It is a scenario we would have to support and have to continually test against. Due to that, it is not something we plan to do. If you submit a PR, our team still needs to test it every release moving forward. If it breaks, it is on us to fix it then.

Fyi Some utilities currently can be run as standalone and how we dev against most. But things like issue #6060 and making sure we overcome elevated apps end to end is proving interesting for mouse / key hooks. And one proposed solution would need an installer.

[ErikAnderson3]

@crutkas, which utilities can be run as standalone? How would we get our hands on a no-install zip of these utilities?

Corporate lockdown is a thing, and it seems to be becoming more and more common from my own anecdotal experience and things I hear. Tools that rely on admin permissions and installation are becoming unavailable to many power users in corporate environments. It would do the Windows ecosystem well if Microsoft would better support the userspace ↔ systemspace distinction and do more to allow userspace (read: non-admin) use cases.

[Foadsf]

It would be great if we could have a PortableApps package of the PowerToys.