> Edward Z. Yang wrote: > As a dev tool, I don't really see any need to fit in with the Portable > Apps series. However, I'll take a look at their nsis installer framework > when I get some free time, and the bigger issues with msysgit are fixed.
Yes, I mean the "portable" (instead of Portable Apps) concept is good. It was not my suggestion that it is a necessity to re-use the Portable Apps framework. > Johannes Schindelin wrote: > FWIW I regularly just copy an existing C:/Program Files/Git somewhere > else, and it just works. You only have to call the contained msys.bat. I confirm this works. To review, what the current msysgit installer does for you is: 1. Install Git executables in a runnable form. 2. If possible, space-optimally installs the executables. 3. Optionally install program shortcuts in the Start Menu, Quick Launch toolbar and Desktop. 4. Optionally install "Git Bash Here" and "Git GUI here" Explorer Context menu items. 5. Optionally adjust your PATH for 1. 6. Optionally adjust your GIT_SSH for user-supplied PLink. 7. View ReleaseNotes.rtf ;-) 1 is already covered by Johannes Schindelin's suggestion. 4 would be nice to have, but I am at a loss on how to implement that given the "portable" requirement. > Johannes Schindelin wrote: > That is a horrible suggestion. ... I hope you no longer suggest > that, then, unless you are only ever interested in supporting > Windows, in which case I am no longer interested. In light of the discussion about installing executables and what the msysgit installer does, I was merely pointing out 2. Your point about interoperability is considerable and well-taken. > Peter Harris wrote: > Specifically, FAT does not support hard links. A quick > back-of-the-envelope calculation shows over 60MB worth of space saved > in an msysGit install by using hard links... I agree that space should be conserved. NTFS is one way to get there on the Windows platform given the current msysgit implementation. I also agree with the long view of "git <prog>". But perhaps "premature optimization is the root of all evil". Msysgit binaries on FAT32 is adequate for right now. Let's just buy bigger USB memory drives. :-) Srsly, I can haz 2GB USB drives fer teh cheep now, 2000 yen ;-) > Jim Raden wrote: > 1) Provide some sort of support for putting msysgit binaries onto a > USB key, along the lines of the work you've done so far. Yes. However personally I only use 1 and the envvar adjusting 5 and 6, not shortcut creation 3 and 4. I am beginning to think that a simple copy to a USB drive and adjusting PATH and GIT_SSH is enough for me. I use msysgit from cmd.exe so I just need to "source" a cmd script for that and my "portable" app is done. So if I was to modify the msysgit installer to be more portable, I would just install an install-time on-the-fly customized cmd script and tell people to double click or "source" that. > 2) Be agnostic about the file system on the USB key, but sternly > warn the user about the great deficiencies of FAT Perhaps the better thing to do to remain more flexible is to do nothing at all and bury this space-eating issue in the ReleaseNotes.rtf. Less code, less worries. > Perhaps, as was earlier suggested, the future > elimination of git-* in favor of a single git binary will make life > MUCH easier in that regard. (If I'm not mistaken, that's targeted by > Junio for 1.5.6?) I'm not sure of the milestone or timing but I'm glad this is on the table. Best regards, Clifford Caoile
