


Environment variable (%IDE%_PROPERTIES).The order in which IDE will read idea.properties files is as follows: I understand that the zip is a non-zero cost for you, but users who download the ZIP usually don't download the EΧΕ (so it's not a double download).Įven more, since (some of them) automate, the number of downloads from your server is even smaller so.If needed, you can also override the location of idea.properties file using IDE specific environment variable:įor example: IDEA_PROPERTIES=C:\Users\USER\idea.properties It's much easier to redistribute a configured "portable" versionĪn automated script can use the ZIP to modify the required config files, but can't handle the EXE.Įven manually, I simply enter the ZIP with TotalCommander like it would be a directory and modify the required files in a very few seconds (I can't do that with EXE). it's much more appealing to many developers.Īnd yes, generally that's a very good reason because, otherwise there would make no sense to use much weaker IDEs (I'm speaking about some of the IntelliJ concurrent IDEs :-D ) Having something that it's portable and self contained (in one directory everything), without registry entries, things to uninstall (just delete the directory), etc. It's about users who might give your tool a try (and evaluate it). Version, so you can't use the zip distribution from JetBrains and have to Where the user is not allowed to install.Īgain, you need to change idea.properties in order to configure a portable it's simpler to have a portable version on an USB stick on computers Where's the "more work"? Each EAP build by default installs to a separateĭirectory and generates shortcuts with unique names. Versions that simply wont' mix (can be achieved with the installer especially for EAPs is even more practical to have side by side more If you need to perform some additional configuration anyway, you can justĪs easily configure and zip the directory produced by the installer. Inside a network on all computers, so it's less work to admin and It's much easier to redistribute a configured "portable" version Simply hating something without any explanation is not a good reason for Many developers simply hate installers.
