KiCad EXE-To-Go?

So why can’t you install KiCad normally? You can choose a destination folder other than Program Files.

To be honest, I will have to give it a new try. I believe I once tried and a popup window informed me about missing admin rights for installation.

I have similar restrictions - for me, the simplest solution was to bring my own device to work and plug in screen and keyboard. Although you will probably find the next problem is you can’t print anything directly.

Packaging source and patch to kicad source is provided here https://portableapps.com/node/55837

I tried again. KiCad is recognized as dangerous stuff that wants to change the system in catastrophic ways :wink:

Only admins can continue the installation.
I think the problem is not what KiCad actually does to the system. The problem is that it comes with an installer that is recognised as such.

You can get portable 7-zip and then extract files from installer without running the installer. 7-zip can open it as a plain archive

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That seems to be a different project than kicad4-portable.

Hm, probably. Well, that’s another source then, it even has 5.1.5.

I have 7zip as an office default. And it opens the downloaded KiCad file !!
Thats fascinating !
I will try to extract and use it and tell you about…

Yes, the normal KiCad installer seems to require that when it’s started, even though it would be possible to install to non-admin location.

But for all the hackers :slight_smile: here, I found another trick. Just open the official installer with an unzipper. Unzip the package to some location. Navigate to bin\ folder with a file explorer and open kicad.exe. It seems to work.

(EDIT: @chris9 posted the comment before I completed mine. Yes, it should work. )

Are you sure you can’t use the installer and just install it to your user directory?

Im sure ! This is the “Land-of-forbidden” !

But the 7zip trick works !! Extract anywhere and KiCad feels OK.
Schematic, PCB, 3D no problem. I can run it from a network drive so I can use it even after the next forced laptop-replacement !

This is a great property of KiCad that should be known !

When I install chrome it says: “You have not the necessary permissions - continue anyway ?” And it works. Maybe the KiCad Installer should include this ?!

Many Thanks to you all ! This was VERY, very helpful. Love you people :smiley:

When the .exe installer is run, Win10 asks confirmation. I can just click Yes because I have admin rights, but non-admin users need to write an admin password.

KiCad installer pops UAC elevation prompt when started in all cases.
Some installers can do it at runtime only if necessary and avoid it if installation doesn’t touch program files or system registry and only affects user files. I don’t know if nsis can be configured to do the same but that would be preferable.

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That would make the installer more complex - not only actual files, but shortcuts etc. must be considered. Now the installer installs shortcuts automatically globally which needs admin rights.

That is handled by “install for all users / this user only” switch. Also installer is plenty complex already, if functionality is useful and requested, then it should be considered.

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Matter of fact is I have a netbook for freedom. But it is not ideal or this kind of work. We have “future office” here: every morning you have to carry your stuff to an empty table and in the afternoon you have to leave an empty table. No portable storage room or trolley.
Thats why I am not so eager to bring a powerful laptop every day. And I like to use KiCad to produce at least schematics for my work…

Ha Ha, IT-people working for me ?
Open-Source is the enemy !

Yes, of course. That was only a reminder to you who are going to implement it :slight_smile:

Hmmm, I have no knowledge how complicated such an “anyway”-button would be to implement but i think it would give win-users a lot of possiblities.
I imagine I could now use different versions in different directories. Win-User may even use USB-Sticks for daily work ?

If anyone from the developers would integrate this I can only offer him/her a lot of likes ! :gift_heart: