"default browser" not sticking

[mbraner]

Hello world! Thank you all, and especially MoonChild, for offering PaleMoon.

I'm using the XP/Atom Portable version 25.6, on Win XP SP3, and have tried twice now to make it the "default browser" (via the Options dialog). But still, when I click on a URL in an email (in Thunderbird), it opens up in Firefox (which was my previous default browser). Is the "default browser" feature perhaps not really available in the portable version of PM?

[Moonchild]

Is the "default browser" feature perhaps not really available in the portable version of PM?

Exactly so! This is also mentioned on the Pale Moon portable page on the website.

If you require integration of any kind, including "default browser" behavior, you should use the normal installation version of Pale Moon. The portable is specifically designed to not integrate into the OS it's plugged into (It's designed for removable media to take with you from PC to PC).

[jumba]

Should that option be hidden on the portable edition? There are quite many topics about this.

[New Tobin Paradigm]

That would require compiling a separate version of the browser.

TECHNICALLY SPEAKING.. The portable version is literally the same as the normal version.. What makes it portable is the stub/wrapper launcher. As it sends some prefs and helps to keep it isolated.

Making specific alteration for a portable target would not only increase releng by three more compiles and standard ability to debug would require the same duplication as well as additional testing and development. The wrapper is a more elegant solution.

[jumba]

Possibly, we could extend Pale Moon to have a pref to disable/enable the "set as default" and then extend the portable wrapper to use this option.

How is the button currently made ineffective in the portable edition?

[Nikolas1]

Is there any hidden way to force portable Palemoon utilize "default browser" behavior? Vanilla Firefox portable can set itself as "Default" using above mentioned option.

[jumba]

The usual way is to install default browser locally. A portable browser won't be portable anymore if it is set as default browser.

[mgagnonlv]

You can have your cake and eat it, sort of.

1. Install Pale Moon for Atom / Windows XP (non-portable version) on your computer. Define it as your default browser. Don't do any other customization, because it won't be needed. Quit Pale Moon.

2. Start Pale Moon Portable. Because of the wrapper, Pale Moon Portable will use your portable profile as it did before. When you are in another program and click on a link, the link will be directed to your default browser, which is now Pale Moon. However, if Pale Moon Portable is already opened, the link will be opened in Pale Moon Portable.

[Mooner]

If you would like to register the Pale Moon portable as the default browser you could use a program made for Firefox portable.

http://www.winhelponline.com/blog/regis ... -in-vista/

It basically results in any "open with default browser" requests working as one would expect and opening via Pale Moon portable, though it won't alter things that specifically try to open with "iexplore.exe", so that may still happen on occasion.

...A portable browser won't be portable anymore if it is set as default browser.

I don't agree with this. The portable browser itself would still be just as portable, however any such OS integration would have to be done on each OS that it's used on and removing it from an OS may leave something of a hole or problem as in "default browser not found" presuming the OS doesn't fall back onto a plan B of sorts such as the previous default or original default browser.

Sure I can't speak for everyone, though for me the main appeal of portable applications, especially ones which take time to set up just the way one wants, is that it can be backed up and restored without going through all that legwork again which could easily amount to hours. Getting my browser just the way I want it alone can take hours because there's so much I always forget something, be it a specific version of an extension or one of many about:config tweaks, and tweaks/settings to extension which on their own can be quite ridiculous in quantity. Not to mention the complete reliable backup before trying any updates.

[jumba]

...A portable browser won't be portable anymore if it is set as default browser.

I don't agree with this. The portable browser itself would still be just as portable, however any such OS integration would have to be done on each OS that it's used on and removing it from an OS may leave something of a hole or problem as in "default browser not found" presuming the OS doesn't fall back onto a plan B of sorts such as the previous default or original default browser.

And the integration with OS doesn't brake your idea of portable application?

[Mooner]

...A portable browser won't be portable anymore if it is set as default browser.

I don't agree with this. The portable browser itself would still be just as portable, however any such OS integration would have to be done on each OS that it's used on and removing it from an OS may leave something of a hole or problem as in "default browser not found" presuming the OS doesn't fall back onto a plan B of sorts such as the previous default or original default browser.

And the integration with OS doesn't brake your idea of portable application?

A bit odd to quote me, asking a question, which said quote addresses and answers.

As such I'm not sure how I could reword it or expand upon it. Even if I were to expand upon it I would only end up reiterating the part of my post you cut from the quote. Though I could try.

Perhaps if I tried to put it as succinctly as I can. This specific "integration" makes the application no less portable, no less able to be backed-up and restored or able to be moved to another system while even keeping all its settings, also no more dependent on the OS.

So to answer your question. No. Not in any way shape or form.

I have many portable applications I use as my default applications, associated with many files and actions, to many such applications for me to bother to go and count. I fail to see how anyone would think doing such a thing has any effect on how portable the application is, the only effect would be on the OS *if* the portable application that is a default application were to be removed, at which point the OS simply asks you what program you would like to use instead, in the worst case scenario.

[dapgo]

I am using Palemoon portable Version: 26.4.1 (x64) and if I register the following exe files (with the app from winhelponline):

[*] --\Palemoon_264\\Palemoon-Portable.exe
when i open a http link and palemoon is being executed and winpopup show the following error message:

"Pale Moon is already running, but is not responding. To open a new window, you must first close the existing Pale Moon process, or restart your system."


[*] --\Palemoon_264\Bin\Palemoon\palemoon.exe
wheni open a link it works fine even if this executable is already open, but unfortunately this executable is not using the same profile than the previous specific portable executable.

Any trick?
Maybe a batch file with a modifier?

If you would like to register the Pale Moon portable as the default browser you could use a program made for Firefox portable.

http://www.winhelponline.com/blog/regis ... -in-vista/

It basically results in any "open with default browser" requests working as one would expect and opening via Pale Moon portable, though it won't alter things that specifically try to open with "iexplore.exe", so that may still happen on occasion.

...A portable browser won't be portable anymore if it is set as default browser.

I don't agree with this. The portable browser itself would still be just as portable, however any such OS integration would have to be done on each OS that it's used on and removing it from an OS may leave something of a hole or problem as in "default browser not found" presuming the OS doesn't fall back onto a plan B of sorts such as the previous default or original default browser.

Sure I can't speak for everyone, though for me the main appeal of portable applications, especially ones which take time to set up just the way one wants, is that it can be backed up and restored without going through all that legwork again which could easily amount to hours. Getting my browser just the way I want it alone can take hours because there's so much I always forget something, be it a specific version of an extension or one of many about:config tweaks, and tweaks/settings to extension which on their own can be quite ridiculous in quantity. Not to mention the complete reliable backup before trying any updates.