5.8 InstallShare: The Special Built-In Peer-to-Peer Profile

Peer-to-Peer Profile

The Peer-to-Peer Profile is a powerful feature in PickMeApp Pro that enables seamless synchronization of installation packages across multiple PCs. This profile leverages the open-source Syncthing framework, a robust technology that ensures secure and efficient data synchronization without relying on centralized servers, thereby enhancing your control and privacy. For more details on Syncthing and its capabilities, click here.

To activate the Peer-to-Peer Profile, ensure your email and password for PickMeApp.com are correctly configured in the License Tab of the Settings Dialog, and verify that the peer-to-peer option is enabled for the profile.

Once enabled, the Peer-to-Peer Profile synchronizes and shares its content across all profiles with the same name within the PickMeApp Cluster. This cluster is defined as a group of at least two instances of PickMeApp running on different PCs, each with the same PickMeApp ID and a valid connection, where credentials are correctly authenticated with the PickMeApp.com backend.

Like other profiles, the Peer-to-Peer Profile supports various operations on the installation packages within it, including capturing applications, importing packages, and performing packing, repacking, and cleaning tasks.

However, the distinguishing feature of the Peer-to-Peer Profile is its advanced synchronization capabilities. When actions such as capturing, importing, or repacking result in a new or updated installation package within a peer-to-peer profile in the PickMeApp Cluster, that package automatically propagates to all peer-to-peer profiles with the same name across the cluster. Similarly, deleting a package from a peer-to-peer profile on one PC will cause it to be removed from all peer-to-peer profiles with the same name throughout the cluster.

By utilizing the Peer-to-Peer Profile, users can ensure that their software installation packages are available across multiple devices, enhancing productivity and reducing the complexities typically associated with managing multiple installations.

InstallShare as Peer-to-Peer Profile

Currently, PickMeApp Pro features a built-in peer-to-peer profile named InstallShare, which is enabled by default. You can manage the InstallShare profile through the Profile tab in the Settings Dialog.

Note: Ensure that the correct email and password are configured in the License Tab of the Settings Dialog before enabling InstallShare.

Once InstallShare is correctly enabled and credentials are verified, the contents of the InstallShare profiles are synchronized across all active instances of PickMeApp that share the same PickMeApp ID.

InstallShare Profile Usage

InstallShare profile allows you to effortlessly propagate applications captured on a source PC to a destination PC.       

How to Propagate Captured Applications Between Source and Destination PCs Using InstallShare 

1. Install PickMeApp Pro on both the source and destination PCs. 
2. Set the same PickMeApp.com email and password on both PCs via the License Dialogs. 
3. Enable the InstallShare profile on both instances of PickMeApp.  
4. Select the InstallShare profile as the active profile on the source PC 
5. Capture the application within the InstallShare profile on the source PC. 
6. Confirm captured application appears in the InstallShare Profile on the destination PC.

Note: There is no need to manually set the PickMeApp ID in the License tab of the Settings dialog. Once the email and password are correctly entered, PickMeApp will automatically retrieve the correct PickMeApp ID from the backend. 

InstallShare Profile with "Automatically Install Packages" Setting Enabled

When the "Automatically Install Packages" setting is enabled for the InstallShare profile, it not only synchronizes packages between PCs but also triggers the installation of captured applications on the destination PC. This ensures that any applications propagated through InstallShare are ready for use on the destination system without further user intervention, streamlining the process and enhancing productivity across devices.

Viewing Connected Instances in Your PickMeApp Cluster

To view all currently connected PickMeApp instances within your PickMeApp Cluster, simply log in to your account on the PickMeApp.com website. Upon logging in, you will have access to the "Online Devices" section, which displays a table of all active instances. This table includes detailed information for each device, such as:

• Code: A unique identifier for each instance.
• Name: The name of the computer on which the PickMeApp instance is running.
• License: The PickMeApp ID associated with each instance.
• Created: The date when each instance was initially registered.
• Changed: The most recent time the instance info was refreshed.

This functionality allows you to easily monitor and manage all instances of PickMeApp running within your cluster, ensuring efficient synchronization and coordination across multiple PCs.