windows-portable-app-bundle

name	windows-portable-app-bundle
description	Use when the user wants a Windows application packaged into a shareable portable folder or ZIP, especially when they ask to include their real configuration, backups, launcher, manifest, checksum, or one-click import/restore flow for another machine.

Windows Portable App Bundle

Core Workflow

1. Verify the real install directory instead of guessing.
2. Locate the live user config directory and any backup config directories.
3. Decide what belongs in the bundle:
   • app runtime,
   • active config,
   • backup config,
   • launcher,
   • manifest,
   • checksum,
   • excluded logs or toolchains.
4. Create a staging folder.
5. Copy the app tree and selected config trees into the stage.
6. Add a launcher that backs up recipient-side config, imports packaged config, then starts the packaged executable.
7. Remove only explicitly unwanted files such as Git/toolchain folders when requested.
8. Compress the stage into a ZIP.
9. Generate SHA256 for shareable artifacts.
10. Inspect archive entries directly before handoff.

Decision Rules

• Warn when packaging real user configuration could expose accounts, tokens, subscriptions, or private settings.
• Use robocopy /E for large Windows trees, excluding noisy logs when appropriate.
• Do not assume ZIP entry separators; inspect actual entry names.
• Do not delete source app or source config while packaging.
• Keep launcher paths relative to the packaged folder.

Verification

• The real app executable is present in the stage.
• The intended config files are present in the stage.
• The launcher points to packaged paths, not the original install paths.
• The ZIP opens successfully.
• Expected app, config, launcher, manifest, and checksum files are present.
• Any excluded files were intentionally excluded.