How do I install all my applications on my storage card (in a specific subdirectory)?

http://smartphonemag.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=19017

Q: How do I install all my applications on my storage card? What if, in addition, I'd like to do this in a way so that they are stored in a specific subdirectory in there? A: It's, unfortunately, impossible to automatically redirect all installs to your storage card, let alone a specific subdirectory on it. 1. ActiveSync-based redirection If you use ActiveSync on the desktop to install your programs, a question dialog window will be presented, asking you whether you want to install the app in the default RAM (Yes) or would like to have the ability to choose an alternative medium (File Store/Storage card(s)): click for image (In the figure, I tried to install the Flash player. When you install other apps, the text will be different.) If you click 'No', you'll be taken to another (Select Destination Media) dialog where you have to choose the destination from the drop-down list: click for image Just choose the file and it will be installed in the root directory of the card. Note that this will only work if the setup application uses ActiveSync by default. Most apps do; there're some PPC applications which, while having desktop installers, don't use ActiveSync at all: for example, all apps created by Phelios Inc. - Easy Pocket PC Installer (current version 1.21) (I'll discuss desktop installer tools – I was also a judge in the Developers/Installation and Distribution category in the 2005 Best Software Awards voting so I've tested and know everything about them – in a forthcoming roundup some day). Further examples of individual apps that can't be installed into memory cards are, for example, Destinator and RVGSM (see my complete roundup on mobile phonehandler apps and some posts here on relocating it). 2. Fine-tuning your device so that you can install your programs anywhere I've emphasized apps can't be installed in a subdirectory on a card if you install them via ActiveSync, only straight in the root directory. If you still want to avoid a lot of subdirectories in the root, other tools and/or means must be used. 2.1 Additional tools: CabInstl and Mad Programmer's FileDialogChanger The tools that you should resort to depend on the operating system of your PDA: 1. If it's WM2003SE, then, the only tool I recommend and capable of doing this is the free CabInstl. With this tool, you'll be able to install your app (as long as you can find the CAB files it uses) in any subdirectory on your memory card, so, the root directory of the card won't be cluttered up with application/game subdirectories. To be able to do this, first, you have to acquire the so-called CAB installation file for the program. If you're lucky, you can get it from the developer right away (for example, the people at Resco use this very good practice) or from using online repositories like FreeCabs (see my PPCT frontpaged article on these services/online repositories). In most cases, however, you'll need to hunt for them yourself in the file system of your PC (or, try to unzip them right from the installer EXE files). Please read my tips on doing this. Once you've found the CAB file, just transfer it to the PDA and, assuming you've already associated (see the "Associate CabInstl with CAB files" checkbox in CabInstl) CabInstl with CAB files, just click the CAB file. Then, you'll only need to set the destination path by clicking the Path button at the top and choosing a target directory and click Install at the bottom left. 2. if your PDA runs an older operating system (PPC2k, PPC2k2 or WM2003), then, Mad Programmer's FileDialogChanger may be an even better choice because it doesn't make it necessary to hunt for CAB files – even if you install the application via a standard desktop installer, on the PDA, you'll be able to choose its destination. You may want to read this thread (alternatives: iPAQ HQ, AximSite, PPC Magazine, FirstLoox, BrightHand, PocketMatrix) on setting this up. Incidentally, why I don't recommend the clearly superior File Dialog Changer over CabInstl with WM2003SE devices, you may ask. The explanation is simple: not all CAB's will work. This is a generic WM2003SE-related problem; the same bug has been reported by several other WM2003SE users as well, see for example this thread. You may also want to read this thread on some other tips of using directory names starting with, say, an underscore to be able to find them as easily as possible (they'll be at the directory listing in both File Dialog Changer and CabInstl when you browse the file system to choose the target directory). 2.2 Manual relocation – the not recommended way of installing Please also note that some people recommend (see this thread) installation to anywhere followed by a manual relocation (moving the files in the file system) to another directory (or even card). This is NOT recommended: you may end up having to modify the InstlDir and/or InstallDir values in the Registry under \HKLM\SOFTWARE\Apps, and, albeit with very few apps, also track down where the system stores (mostly in \HKCU\Software\) other references to the (original) home directory. Another problem with manual file-moving based relocation that Remove Programs won't find the files relocated this way because \Windows\programname.unload will contain the old location, and it's by getting the full file paths from .unload files that Remove Programs removes installed applications. This means you won't be able to (automatically) remove applications that you've installed into a directory and, later, relocated it to somewhere else – you have to do this by hand. EDIT on 31/10/2005: I've retested File Dialog Changer with non- WM2003SE devices and found out it works flawlessly with them. Thanks to Gerard for pointing out this omission, which made me re-test the "problematic" CAB files. Also, added a lot of new stuff / broken up the article into sections so that it is more readable. EDIT on 25/11/2005: version 1.60 for WM5 released. Please read this blog entry. EDIT on 11/Jan/2006: please make sure you read this blog entry for the latest bug/problem reports