Here's a solution to the need for automatic updates. It's a kludge, but it works (for me at least).
But first some background. The reason I use LiberKey instead of PortableApps is simply because LiberKey has features which PortableApps doesn't, the main one being File Associations. I like being able to right-click on an image file, for example, and have the option to open it in GIMP (LiberKey). Without that functionality, using portable applications becomes a pain in the arse. And, apart from that, the whole 'LiberKey experience' is leaps and bounds ahead of PortableApps.
However, now that it appears the LiberKey project is dead, the lack of updates for apps (particularly web browsers, which quickly become a security hole if not kept up to date) means that the PortableApps platform has a distinct advantage because its auto update system works. So here's what I did:
I installed the PortableApps platform in a folder (named
PortableApps) in the
LiberKey\MyApps folder. Then I made a shortcut, which I named
PortableApps Menu, in the
LiberKey|Office|Application Launcher category, which points to
Start.exe in the
MyApps\PortableApps folder.
I then opened the
PortableApps Menu (via my newly created shortcut), and used the PortableApps platform to install the PortableApps versions of Google Chrome, Notepad++, GIMP, and so on, after which I created shortcuts in the LiberKey menu to the newly installed PortableApps versions of those apps.
Then I used the LiberKey
Add/Remove programs utility to discover the file associations for each of the old LiberKey versions of those apps. You can do this by following the uninstall procedure until the 'page' before the final warning that proceeding will remove the application entirely, where you can click to look at
Deleted file associations.
At this point, I opened LiberKey's
KEY Files Assoc' program from the icon in the system tray, located the file types listed under
Deleted file associations (see previous step), and changed them to point at the newly installed PortableApps versions of the app in question.
Next, I used FreeCommander to copy over profile data, ini files etc, from the LiberKey versions of apps to the newly installed PortableApps versions. It needs a bit of examination of folder structures to figure out what to copy and where to put it, but it's not rocket science
I then launched the new PortableApps versions (via the shortcuts in my LiberKey menu) to check that they were configured correctly, and finally, after I was certain that the old LiberKey versions were no longer needed, I uninstalled them from LiberKey.
Now, to get automatic updates, I open the PortableApps Platform via my
PortableApps Menu shortcut, let it check for updates and install them, and then close the PortableApps Platform. The LiberKey shortcuts to those apps will open the updated versions.
Et voilà! I can still use LiberKey AND have app updates
It's not a procedure for the timid, and there are gotchas to look out for, particularly in adjusting File Associations. It's laborious, but I'd recommend making a copy of the contents of all three fields in the
Modify window which appears after clicking the
Advanced... button.
I take no responsibility for ANYTHING if you attempt to do what I have done. I offer this for your consideration, but you USE IT AT YOUR OWN RISK!