Is there any way I could make Sourcetree portable?

[Holly Grant]

Beginner to source control here so this might be a stupid question, but I noticed that you can select to download Git 'just for Sourcetree' and it got me wondering if you could install this program on a USB stick and run off it. Is there any way that could work?

I'd like to use Sourcetree at my university but they reset the computers every day and reinstalling each time would be a bit annoying.

[stevestreeting · Accepted solution]

(Assuming Windows version here)

You could run SourceTree just from a file location so long as the entire contents of the install directory are in there, and provided the machine has the .Net 4.5 framework installed. To avoid downloading a Git install each time, the machine would also need to have Git installed, or you would need to have that on the USB stick too and your PATH set up to include it.

[Peter Clotworthy]

To anyone whom needs an immediate copy of SourceTree, but does not have the needed administrator rights:

Step 1.

Verify yourself by opening cmd and executing SourceTree_xxx.exe /? and you should see the /extract switch.

Using SourceTree_xxx.exe /extract will dump the raw contents into the current folder, I was not able to specify a custom directory, but this may be a network drive issue.

Step 2.

If you tried installing the normal way, you might have seen the UAC prompt parameters it was launched with, showing the extracted directory of the MSI, but it was missing the data1.cab that gets extracted after Admin Rights are verified.

https://github.com/activescott/lessmsi/releases/tag/v1.2.0

This tool simply extracts MSI installers, but needs the data1.cab that we got from step one. Drag the SourceTree.msi file onto the application and extract

Done.

Instant useable SourceTree!

[V]

I think you missunderstand the definition of "portable". Installation is not important, it's the settings that has to be saved/used in the same directory where the program is.

[Peter Clotworthy]

You are correct that nothing was changed to make it portable, thus I have removed that word, but my settings always seem to transfer with the application, at least if the software detects it wasn't installed normally. This happened to my dismay when I copied it to someone else's workstation and it had my credentials still active, along with active repositories, referencing projects that didn't exist on the machine.

[Freundschaft]

works without a flaw for me, thanks!

[diogolr]

Worked like a charm for me...

[Urs Schulthess]

perfect, thanks!

[Valeriu Caraulean]

+1 for a portable version that will support updating itself.

[V]

It needs 3-4 lines of code to add to make it fully portable. Why is so hard to be incorporated is beyond common sense.

The logic behind portable apps is first to check for config files in the same directory the program is installed into (let's say it's in separate folder "config") and use them, otherwise fallback to default %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local

Or make a new setting in config file that would control that.

[Diesel Duperoy]

what is the code line?

[Allan Bowe]

+1 for portable!

[Deleted user]

Any news about official portable version?

[Alex Mann-Wahrenberg]

+1000 for portable!

[Dan Hennion]

+1 for portable! I have an install that has become very corrupt. Have tried reinstalling, clearing appdata, registry data, etc. The program still crashes every time I run it. Hoping for a portable version that will stop trying to use whatever corrupt data the program has on my machine. Would like to be able to bring it to work, also. Where I don't have install privilages.

[bandolero perez]

+1 for making a portable version for Windows, main competitor does it, check out SmartGit

http://www.syntevo.com/smartgithg/download

[stevestreeting]

(Assuming Windows version here)

You could run SourceTree just from a file location so long as the entire contents of the install directory are in there, and provided the machine has the .Net 4.5 framework installed. To avoid downloading a Git install each time, the machine would also need to have Git installed, or you would need to have that on the USB stick too and your PATH set up to include it.

[Alan Jay Weiner]

I'm going through the new-machine hell (installing everything, configuring everything, making everything work the way my previous machine did...) - it's a royal pain.

+1 +1 +1 for a portable version.

Portable apps are simple - just copy to the new machine and everything just works.

Everything else is a pain, and a time-waster.

Note:  I'm looking at alternatives to any app not available in a portable version.

[diogolr]

The new version can be installed on c:\users\...\appdata\local folder. So, you don't need to be a system admin to install it anymore.

[V]

Is it "can be" or "will be"?

Last time I've checked SourceTree become the absolute opposite of portabiity with it's forcibly installing itself in the location of no-user-choice whatsoever, without even asking!

Sticking with v1.9 from now on, which is still can be somewhat portable.

[Willem D'haese]

Any news on an official Atlassian portable Sourcetree?

[rk]

I've made SourceTree 1.6.12 portable based on PortableApps.com Launcher 2.2. You are welcome to test it. SourceTreePortable