[IDEA] Basic tools for creators

[MarcoRavich]

I wonder if including some (post-installation) "creators' tools" might be an opportunity...

[PearPony]

What could be some interesting tools the playbook could include?

[MarcoRavich]

Sorry for the delay, it's a bit busy period for me (I have to release 2 festival videos - read 10x4-5min live videos, 1 for each band - and a live classical concert - ~130min video - by december)...

This is my personal approach, so I'm not sure if it can be taken as a "model" for everyone...

1. In order to limit - as much as possible - any "influence" on main creativity-softwares (which the OS should be dedicated on), I always favor portable versions for non-fundamental ones: in my personal case, the NLE (MAGIX Vegas) is the principal software - so is completely installed on the system - everything else is just secondary (therefore is configured and used as portable, where possible).
2. To simplify and favor the app moving (to other workstations and/or OS-installations) I finally choose to use the Public - and, of course, Public desktop - folder(s) to store all those portable-apps.

That said, here's the list of basic/common - mostly open source - softwares that I usually need on my workstations:

DRIVERS

• @dechamps' FlexASIO + @ramiro-uziel's Fluent GUI (${\color{red}NOT \space portable}$)
• (@gtumanyan's ?) Snappy Driver Installer

CODECS (stored in C:\Users\Public\_codecs and added to system paths)

• @BtbN's FFmpeg-Builds
• @rigaya's *Encs
• RareWares' LAME, FLAC and OGGENC-aotuv/lancer builds
• @nu774's QAAC + makeportable to exploit Itunes64

VIDEO

• MediaInfo
• @mifi's LosslessCut
• @cdgriffith's FastFlix and/or @HandBrake's HandBrake
  
• @zhongfly's mpv-winbuild / @shinchiro's mpv-winbuild-cmake (still don't know which is better) and/or VLC and/or SMPlayer portable
• @Vouk's Voukoder Pro or Classic (and connector for classic)

AUDIO

• Foobar2000 (${\color{red}NOT \space open \space source}$, but really cool/useful) or @audacious-media-player's Audacious
• @audacity's Audacity (+ @RyanMetcalfeInt8's OpenVINO AI plugins since my workstations are Intel-based)
• @protyposis' AudioAlign
• DeltaWave Audio Null Comparator (${\color{red}NOT \space open \space source \space nor \space portable}$)

SUBS

• @niksedk's Subtitle Edit

GRAPHIC/IMAGE

• GIMP Portable
• @darktable-org's Darkwave portable
• XNview MP (${\color{red}NOT \space open \space source}$) or @Ruben2776's PicView

FILES UTILS

• 7-Zip
• @shirouzu's FastCopy
• Ant Renamer or @qarmin's szyszka;
• MKVToolNix + gMKVExtractGUI;

DISC/MEM

• @pbatard's Rufus
• @elektronoide's SD-Card Format and/or Archive USB Format)
• @gchudov's CUETools (.NET + VC++ redist required);
• CDBurnerXP (${\color{red}NOT \space open \space source}$) or cdrtfe;

OTHER (not strictly/directly content-creation oriented, but useful anyway)

• @notepad-plus-plus's Notepad++
• Librewolf and/or Chromium / @Alex313031's Thorium (if SSE, AVX or AVX2 are supported by used hardware)
• Filezilla
• @monkeyWie's Gopeed or @agalwood's Motrix
• @rustdesk's Rustdesk
• @setvisible's ArrowDL
• @tonikelope's MegaBasterd
• @DrEm-s's WireGuard portable

note: for many (but unfortunately not all) of them you could alternatively just adopt PortableApps.com Platform of course !

[MarcoRavich]

Of course, thanks !

[PearPony]

Thanks for providing a solid list of utilities, most of these should be able to be installed with Chocolatey which in return would also make updating them as easy as typing in a command in CMD/PowerShell.

In the near future I'll attempt to make the user select (on an online installation process) if they want to install some utilities with the playbook and give full control over what utilities would be installed.

[MarcoRavich]

most of these should be able to be installed with Chocolatey which in return would also make updating them as easy as typing in a command in CMD/PowerShell.

I honestly don't know much about Chocolatey (except by hearsay) but, as sayed, I think the most important thing is to have the ability to "install" softwares tools in portable mode to avoid any possible interference with the "main" app(s).

In the near future I'll attempt to make the user select (on an online installation process) if they want to install some utilities with the playbook and give full control over what utilities would be installed.

Well, as @dechamps claimed too, basically only software like FlexASIO needs to be installed - always as user's choice of course - during the CS-playbook setup process.

As you rightly pointed out, for everything else it's probably better to leave to users' choice what to install, by letting them use dedicated tools like Chocolatey or the PortableApps.com Platform (I don't know which is better, since I don't use them).

[PearPony]

As you rightly pointed out, for everything else it's probably better to leave to users' choice what to install, by letting them use dedicated tools like Chocolatey or the PortableApps.com Platform (I don't know which is better, since I don't use them).

Another choice for people who like portable apps is Scoop. I haven't used it myself much since I prefer Choco, though. Could be worse than PortableApps.com

[MarcoRavich]

Don't know (I don't use any of), anyway I think the goal should be the least possible "invasiveness".

[MarcoRavich]

ADD
It would be useful - for advanced users, of course - to have some "shortcuts" in context menu like:

• Take Ownership: W10 / W11 (better with Shift+right-click, IMHO)*
• Open command window here (both W10/11)

EDIT * Already implemente by ReviOS' registry mods

[PearPony]

Good idea, will definitely add this in the next release

[MarcoRavich]

ADD 2
Add “Add to Path” to the Context Menu (with Shift+right-click is better, IMHO)

[MarcoRavich]

ADD 2 Add “Add to Path” to the Context Menu (with Shift+right-click is better, IMHO)

Here we go, this (copilot-driven generated) code adds a function in the context menu to add the selected path to User Environment Variables:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\AddToEnvVars]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\AddToEnvVars]
@="Add path to User Environment Variables"
"Extended"=""
"HasLUAShield"=""
"NoWorkingDirectory"=""
"Position"="middle"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\AddToEnvVars\command]
@="powershell -windowstyle hidden -command \"[System.Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable('Path', [System.Environment]::GetEnvironmentVariable('Path', 'User') + ';' + '%1', 'User')\""
"IsolatedCommand"="powershell -windowstyle hidden -command \"[System.Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable('Path', [System.Environment]::GetEnvironmentVariable('Path', 'User') + ';' + '%1', 'User')\""

I've also found this interesting SO answer that pubishes some interesting PS functions:

function Add-Path-User($newPath) {
    $Path = [Environment]::GetEnvironmentVariable("PATH", "User") + [IO.Path]::PathSeparator + $newPath
    [Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable( "Path", $Path, "User" )
}

function Add-Path-Machine($newPath) {
    $Path = [Environment]::GetEnvironmentVariable("PATH", "Machine") + [IO.Path]::PathSeparator + $newPath
    [Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable( "Path", $Path, "Machine" )
}

Function Set-PathVariable {
    param (
        [string]$AddPath,
        [ValidateSet('Process', 'User', 'Machine')]
        [string]$Scope = 'Process'
    )

    $regexPaths = @()
    if ($PSBoundParameters.Keys -contains 'AddPath') {
        $regexPaths += [regex]::Escape($AddPath)
    }
    
    $arrPath = [System.Environment]::GetEnvironmentVariable('PATH', $Scope).Split([IO.Path]::PathSeparator)
    foreach ($path in $regexPaths) {
        $arrPath = $arrPath | Where-Object { $_ -notMatch "^$path\\?$" }
    }

    $value = ($arrPath + $addPath).Join([IO.Path]::PathSeparator)
    [System.Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable('PATH', $value, $Scope)
}

Anyway I'm not able enough to integrate those in the generated code above.

Hope that inspires.

[MarcoRavich]

OK, just found AddToPath by @MaxCarlson too...

[MarcoRavich]

Couple of adds to the (portable) "basic" software list for creators:

GRAPHIC

• Hugin (${\color{red}NOT \space portable}$)

LIVE

• @obsproject's OBS Studio
• @ChurchApps' FreeShow

OTHER

• @Klocman's Bulk Crap Uninstaller

[PearPony]

I won't be able to include PortableApps installation with the playbook since they either lack documentation or don't support unattended installations by CLI.

[MarcoRavich]

Dunno if can actually help in any way, but @marticliment's UniGetUI (formerly WingetUI) seems interesting for...