Portable Version

A portable version of Macro Express is available for use on a USB drive or similar portable device. Install Macro Express Portable on the device and run it from that device rather than the local computer. This version will not leave traces of the program on the hard drive of the machine where the program is run.

Macro Express Portable includes the following differences from the standard version.

•No 30-day trial available.

•The options to import or export the program preferences have been removed.

•There is no uninstaller. Use Windows Explorer or File Explorer to delete the files.

•The "Run when Windows starts up" preference option is not available.

•The "Save settings as defaults for all users" preference option has been removed.

•There is no support for playable (.mxe) macros.

•The .mex file association is not linked to Macro Express Portable. You cannot double-click on a .mex file to load it into the program.

•Default locations for the .mex macro file, temp directory, etc. are stored on the portable drive.
 

To Run Macro Express Portable

When a portable drive is connected to the computer, the AutoPlay menu will typically appear. Click on ‘Open folder to view files’ in the AutoPlay menu. Double click on LaunchApps to display a menu similar to the one shown below. The menu displays the programs you have installed that are recognized by LaunchApps. Click on the program that you want to load.

Or open File Explorer to the portable drive and double click on LaunchApps to open the menu.

AutoRun

You may be able to specify a program to automatically run when the portable drive is inserted into your computer. The file autorun.inf allows this to happen (if it is supported by your version of Windows). Autorun.inf will only load one program at a time and may be disabled if the AutoRun feature in Windows is disabled.

When Macro Express Portable is installed it will create an autorun.inf file in the root directory of your portable drive if one does not already exist. If your portable drive already contains an autorun.inf when you install you may choose to edit it.

The autorun.inf file will load the program LaunchApps. LaunchApps may be configured to automatically load more than one program.

The file autorun_ISS.inf demonstrates how autorun.inf could be set to load LaunchApps.

To close Macro Express Portable

Before instructing Windows to eject the portable drive, close Macro Express Portable and any other open programs. Macro Express interfaces with Windows at a low level and each program that is running loads the Macro Express hook into its memory space. 

Even after closing Macro Express other programs may still have the hook loaded.  If this is the case, Windows will display a message saying the drive is currently in use when you attempt to eject the drive.

If closing all open programs does not release the hook you will need to log off of Windows and then remove the portable drive.