Igloo Core Engine
Igloo Core Engine
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Portable Install

What is a Portable Install?

The installer for Igloo Core Engine has a portable mode which allows you to install and run the application without making system-wide changes. This mode is useful for keeping installations self-contained, allowing multiple versions to exist on the same machine without conflicts.

How Does Portable Mode Work?

  • Portable Mode Flag: Running the installer with the /portable=1 flag triggers custom script logic to modify the installation process.

  • No System-Wide Changes: The installer avoids writing registry entries and does not use system folders like %ProgramData% for storing application data. Instead, all files are placed within a user-specified directory.

  • Multiple Test Versions on a Single Machine: Since portable installations do not interfere with each other, multiple versions of Igloo Core Engine can run independently.

How to Install a Portable Version

Step 1: Run the Installer with the Portable Flag

To install portably, execute the installer with the /portable=1 command-line argument. Example:

IglooCoreEngine-v1.5.0.250224-3.exe /portable=1

If the installer is running in portable mode, you will see the following

image-20250224-131603.png

Step 2: Select Destination Folder

This sets the portable folder which should be empty unless you are updating an existing portable version. The installer will create two folders IglooCoreEngine and igloo-core-service and copy all necessary files to these folders.

Step 3: Migrate Data (Optional)

Do not simply copy the entire data folder from C:\ProgramData\Igloo Vision\IglooCoreEngine

The portable version uses its own data, separate from standard installations data folder.

Standard installation data location - C:\ProgramData\Igloo Vision\IglooCoreEngine

Portable installation data location - "YOUR DESTINATION FOLDER\IglooCoreEngine\data

If you wish to copy data from the standard install to the portable install you can do so, however limit this to the following files and folders.

  • ice.db

  • \warping

  • \models

  • \settings\EditorWindowSettings.xml

  • \settings\ScreenWindowSettings.xml

  • \settings\TruePerspective.xml

How to Use a Portable Version

Step 1: Stop the System Services Version of Igloo Core Service

The system service version of igloo-core-service may already be running in the background. To prevent conflicts, you need to stop it before launching the portable version.

  1. Open Task Manager

  2. Go to the Services tab.

  3. Find igloo-core-service in the list.

  4. Right-click it and choose Stop.

Step 2: Start the Portable Version of Igloo Core Service

  1. Navigate to the portable installation folder you selected during installation.

  2. Open the igloo-core-service folder.

  3. Run igloo-core-service.exe.

Step 3: Launch Igloo Core Engine from the Portable Folder

  1. Go to the IglooCoreEngine folder inside your portable installation directory.

  2. Run IglooCoreEngine.exe directly from this folder.

Step 4: Restart the System Service After Use

Once you are done using the portable version, restart the system service

  1. Close the portable igloo-core-service command prompt window

  2. Restart the system service using Task Manager (Start the igloo-core-service service)