1.1. Introduction

PickMeApp is a portable tool to capture and transfer installed programs from one Windows-based computer to another.

1.2. What is meant by capture and transfer of software programs?

The capture  of applications enables you to create a personalized software package from programs installed on  your PC.  This software package is a snapshot of  the application itself and its customary settings.

Then this software package may be used to recovery the application on the PC, or to transfer the application on any compatible Windows operating system.

1.3. When is it time to use PickMeApp?

• You want to have a backup of your installed programs and their settings;
• You purchased a new computer, and you want to move your customary programs and their settings to a new computer.
• You have to install an application with the same predefined settings on several computers.
• You often reinstall Windows, and you want to save time on the installation of applications.

2.1. Download PickMeApp client

• Click the “download” icon on the left of nearly every page of the www.pickmeapp.com site.
  - For new users a registration dialog will be opened.
  - For log-in users a redownload dialog. will be opened.
• After filling a registration form or a re-download form  you will be able to to obtain the latest version of PickMeApp. 
• Download a PickMeApp distribution on your computer,  usually named PickMeApp_[version number].exe
• The distribution is a self-extracting archive guiding  you through an easy deployment of the PickMeApp client.

  The newest versions of PickMeApp may have additional features and can transfer more applications; therefore, you are advised to update frequently.

VERY IMPORTANT!!!: Each PickMeApp downloaded directly from the PickMeApp site receives an unique PickMeApp ID. Only those PickMeApp installations that have their unique PickMeApp generated by the PickMeApp Site are valid applications. Only those installations can request support, receive updates, and enjoy many other features available for registered users.

2.2. Deployment

• Launch the self-extracting archive:

   

• Extract PickMeApp files to a destination folder on your computer.

  PickMeApp was designed as a portable tool. Therefore,  for effective usage, we suggest that you deploy PickMeApp to any removable storage device (e.g., USB flash memory).

  Note:  A destination folder path name needs to be less then 255 characters . ( for example G:\PickMeApp )

   

• By default, PickMeApp is run when deployment is completed.

3.1. Starting PickMeApp

• Following PickMeApp deployment, a program folder named PickMeApp[version number] is created in the chosen location.
• A PickMeApp folder contains configuration files, the PickMeApp executables, and a TAPPS folder for default storage of captured applications.
• To start PickMeApp, run the PickMeApp.exe executable from the PickMeApp folder.

Note: Make sure that you have administrative rights on the computer before attempting to start PickMeApp.

3.2. Running PickMeApp

PickMeApp makes application capture and  transfer as simple as possible. The program interface is very straightforward. Usually, you need only three clicks to make capture or transfer operations: Run, Select, Capture or Run, Select , Install.

Left Panel: Installed Applications Panel

The Installed Applications panel lists applications installed on the source computer that PickMeApp can capture.

Right Panel: Captured Applications Panel

The Captured Applications panel lists captured applications and their locations.

Transfer Management Bar

The Transfer Management bar (middle) contains following buttons:

• Capture marked application(s).
• Install marked application(s).
• Create new profile .

Process Bars

Process bars show the status of the capture/deployment processes, and enable the user to interrupt their execution.

Session Log

Session Log provides detailed reports about the PickMeApp execution.

Upper Button Bar

The button bar includes the following:

• Settings:          Opens a setting window
• Help:                 Opens an online help in the browser
• About:              Opens a dialog box in which your PickMeApp version number is shown
• Support:           Opens a support page in the browser
• Donate:            Opens a donation page in the browser
• Update:            Checks PickMeApp updates

3.3. Exiting PickMeApp

After you exit PickMeApp, no trace of its usage will remain in your operating system, outside of the PickMeApp folder.

All PickMeApp settings and captured applications are placed in the PickMeApp folder, ready to be used again the next time you start PickMeApp.

After you have captured an application, all application data is saved in the PickMeApp personalized installation package.

The installation package is contained in a single file with a .tap extension, and includes all the data necessary for the application transfer.

3.4. Updating PickMeApp

Periodicaly, PickMeApp checks for new updates.

As soon as a new update is availabe PickMeApp "Update" button will turned red.

Pressing the Update buttion the "Update dialog" will be presented

You may check the content of the update by pressing "Details".
To download update press "Download" button. A download progress dialog will be shown.

After the update will be downloaded you willl see  "Install" button.
After installation of a new PickMeApp version you will be asked to restart PickMeApp.

You  may check which version of PickMeApp is running by presing "About" button.
 

4.1. How does it work?

• Start PickMeApp
• Choose the desired applications from the list and check the box beside them.
• Click the Capture button in the middle bar :

• Wait while the applications are being captured (as indicated in the progress bar).
• When the progress bar turns gray, the transferred applications have been saved in the default profile referenced to the folder TAPPS, located within the main PickMeApp folder.

4.2. Using the Installed Applications list (Left Panel)

Using the Filter

 

To use the filter:

1. Start PickMeApp
2. Type some characters from the application name in the filter input line, or choose one of the predefined filtering options*.
3. Check the desired applications, or choose the “Mark All” option.
4. Click the “Capture” and transfer your application to the default profile.
5. During the capture, you can skip/pause an application transfer, using buttons at the progress bar.
6. Please wait until the progress bar turns gray, and the “Capturing process finished” message appears.

Note: During the capture, deployment or deletion of an application, the filter is disabled.

 

Predefined filter options

 

There are four pre-defined filter options:

• <captured>         Shows only applications already captured in the selected profile.
• <not captured>   Shows only applications not captured in the selected profile.
• <selected>          Shows only previously marked applications.
• <clear>                 Cancels the previous filter, and causes the applications list to revert to the default state.

Some ways to use the filter options:

• <captured>          To see applications captured in the current profile.
• <not captured>   To select a new application to capture.
• <selected>          To see a list of applications you chose to capture.

The Mark All button

 

This button selects all applications available for a capture under a chosen filter.

The Unmark All button

This button clears the selection of all applications under a chosen filter.

Capturing multiple applications

With PickMeApp, you can transfer several applications at once. For this purpose, it is necessary to find all the desired applications in the list, and check each of them in turn.

 

To capture multiple applications:

• Start PickMeApp.
• Using filters or manual selection, check each application to be captured.
• Click the Capture button, and transfer your applications to the default profile.
• During the capture, you can skip/pause an application transfer, using the buttons at the progress bar.
• The capture is complete when the progress bar turns gray, and the “Capturing process finished” message appears.

Using a destination profile

After an application is captured, all application data is stored in the PickMeApp personalized application package. The application package consists of a single file with a .tap extension that contains all the data necessary for application deployment. This file is saved in a “destination profile” selected by the user.

 

By default, all captured applications are saved in the profile “My captured applications,” located in the folder TAPPS within the PickMeApp folder.

 

To create a new destination profile, do the following:

• Start PickMeApp.
• Click on the “Create new profile” button.
• Enter a unique profile name
• Type in the name of a destination path or browse for a unique destination path.
• Click the “OK” button

A new profile will be created at the chosen destination.

 

Changing the destination profile

 

To activate a destination profile for capturing applications:

• Start PickMeApp.
• Choose one of the available profiles in the right panel, and click on the profile name.
• The chosen profile becomes the destination for applications captured.

Note: During the capture, deployment or deletion of an application, the filter is disabled.

Marking of installed applications

Installed applications on the list can be marked by a colored circle:

Yellow :  the application is currently running 

Green : the application is already captured in the current profile on the right panel

Blue : the application is already captured in one of non-active profiles on the right panel

Expanded Application entry

To learn more about an application, click on its name in the application list.

 

 

 

The Expanded Application entry includes:

1. Est. Size                : Estimated size of the application package when captured.
2. Est. Time               : Estimated time taken for the capture of the application.
3. Version                  : Version of the application, as provided by the application vendor.
4. Support Info          : Provides a link to detailed information about the application.
5. Capture button     : Starts capturing the application immediately
6. Repair button       : Repairs the application. Active only if the repair feature is available.
7. Uninstall button   : Uninstalls the application from your system *

* Warning:   Uninstalling an application via PickMeApp will not cause its capture.

 

Repairing an application

 

The expanded application entry contains the "Repair" button. When the button is pressed PickMeApp will run a repair tool for the application. The button activates only if the repair feature is available for the application.

5.0. Pre-deployment checklist

It is recommended to upgrade Windows Installer to version 3.1 when working with PickMeApp.

Many programs require a runtime environment to be installed on the destination system. As for now PickMeApp Beta doesn’t check if the required environment is installed. Therefore it is recommended to download and install the following:

Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5

Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 SP1 Redistributable Package (x86)

Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 SP1 Redistributable Package (x86)

Java Runtime Environment

5.1. How does it work?

 To deploy an application:

1. Start PickMeApp.
2. Find the required unique package in the destination profile and check the box beside it.
3. Click the “Start Installation” button to deploy your application.

1. Wait until the progress bar turns gray, and the “process finished” message appears.

Note: An application cannot be deployed twice.

5.2. Using the Captured Application list (Right Panel)

Using the Filter

5.3. Using Profiles

Profiles are specific locations where captured applications are stored.
 
Typically, several profiles for diverse purposes are created (e.g., for backup, mobilization for different platforms, and the like).

Adding a profile

This option enables you to create an empty profile with a chosen name and location.
 
When a profile already exists at the location you provided, the applications captured there are automatically included within it.
 
Import
 
The Import option allows you to import an existing .tap file of a captured application into the selected profile. The file will be copied to the profile folder from its original location.

Edit

The Edit option enables you to change the profile name, or its location.
 
If you change the profile location, all application packages currently in the profile will be imported into the new location from the old one. The former profile will then be deleted.
 
Remove

The Remove option deletes all applications in the selected profile, and the profile itself.
 
The default profile cannot be removed.
 
Hide / Show inactive profiles

If at start PickMeApp does not discover the profile folder in the specified path, it marks the profile as inactive (red folder icon). This may occur because the profile is located on a disconnected mobile drive, or network storage.
 
You can hide or delete inactive profiles; you cannot edit them.

6.1. User Interface Preferences

6.2. Network Preferences

In the Settings window, you can configure your proxy server, if you need one to get through your company's firewall.

6.3. Automatic Updates configuration

You can enable an automatic check for PickMeApp updates, and specify the manner in which the check will proceed.
 
There is also an option to rollback to a previous PickMeApp version.

6.4. Advanced options

You can enable capture and installation of an application with the current custom user settings. This is an experimental feature.

To make application capture safer you can disable capturing of applications that are currently run.

To make an installation process quicker you may disable a PickMeapp checking integrity of installed applications.
Note: some of applications are fixed automatically by PickMeApp during that test.

6.5. PickMeApp Command Line Interface

You can work with the PickMeApp using command line.  PickMeApp supports the following convention

  pickmeapp.exe  <command> <argument>

 Commands   
  /l    receive list of installed software
  /g   capture application
  /i     install application
  /u   uninstall application

Examples:
   pickmeapp.exe /l

The example above creates PMAOutput.txt file in the PickMeApp folder.
This file contains ID of installed applications and corresponding software names.

Example of the PMAOutput.txt:

{90140000-0011-0000-0000-0000000FF1CE}    Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2010
{90140000-00A1-0409-0000-0000000FF1CE}    Microsoft Office OneNote MUI (English) 2010
 …

PickMeApp uses software ID instead of software names, so you should use this file to select software to work with.

    pickmeapp.exe /g {90140000-001A-0409-0000-0000000FF1CE}    Outlook.tap capture.log

The example above
  - captures the Microsoft Outlook application (using  number {90140000-001A-0409-0000-0000000FF1CE}
  - creates the Outlook.tap file with captured application.
  - creates the capture.log file

   pickmeapp.exe /u {90140000-001A-0409-0000-0000000FF1CE} uninstall.log

The example above uninstalls  the Microsoft Outlook application (by its number {90140000-001A-0409-0000-0000000FF1CE}  from the PC.  Note Run backup or recapture this application to be able to restore it and its data in any time.

   pickmeapp.exe /i Outlook.tap install.log

The example above
 -installs application captured before inside the TAP file
 -creates the install.log file.

7.1. PickMeApp fails to capture an application

Check that there is no other install/uninstall operation in progress.

Check that the application to be captured is not running.

Check that you have an administrator rights on the computer.

Check that the application is not listed as Currently not Supported

Restart PickMeApp and try again. If the problem persists, report it to the PickMeApp support service.

Note: Some applications cannot be captured / installed due to their dependency on specific hardware configurations.

7.2. PickMeApp fails to deploy an application

Check that the application is not listed as Currently not Supported

Ensure that there is no other version of the same application on the computer.

Check that you have an administrator rights on the computer.

For better comparability we recommend to switch off UAC  before running PickMeApp. 
You may enable UAC after finishing deployment.

7.3. Applications installed on the computer are not present in the left panel

PickMeApp shows only the applications it can capture in the left panel.
 
Check that the application is not hidden by a current filter.
 
Check that you are using the latest version of PickMeApp.

7.4. PickMeApp hangs during or after capture/installation

hat there is no other install/uninstall operation in progress.
 
Ensure that the application to be captured/installed is not running.
 
Restart PickMeApp and try again. If the problem persists, report it to the PickMeApp support service.

7.5. After deleting an application from the installed applications list (left panel), it is still listed there

Restart PickMeApp and try again.

7.6. PickMeApp does not allow you to choose an application to create a personalized package

This application has already been captured within the currently active profile. Either remove the application from the active profile, or select another profile.

7.8. PickMeApp does not remove an application installed on your computer

It is possible that the application registration entries are corrupted. Try to remove the application using its own uninstall option, or via the add/remove programs option in the control panel.

7.9. PickMeApp does not show the Profile Name, or the personalized packages are not present

Check that the profile location is accessible, and the profile folder is there. Check that all package files are in the profile location.
 
Add the profile again using the “Create New Profile” button, and supplying a path to the profile location.