There are many docking utilities available for Windows like RocketDock, RK Launcher, ObjectDock, etc but personally I love RocketDock. You can take a look at all such docking utilities in our dock collection topic.
RocketDock is very light on system resources and highly customizable. At the same time it doesn't provide unnecessary shadow like features and advance customizable options to confuse you. It provides all basic and required features which you need in a perfect dock utility for Windows.
I'm using RocketDock since many years to organize my essential program shortcuts. I never put shortcuts on Desktop and use RocketDock for them because its quite easy and comfortable to launch the required programs via dock compared to Desktop. I don't need to minimize running programs to access Desktop to launch the shortcut. I just hover the mouse cursor at bottom-center of screen and RocketDock appears and then I can click on the desired shortcut to launch the program. Although you can use Quick Launch toolbar or pin items to Windows 7 Taskbar but it takes lots of space of Taskbar when you want to put lots of items, so dock is a better option for it.
Interesting thing is, I always use portable version of RocketDock which I created when I started using it but I never realized that I have not shared the method to make RocketDock portable here which is quite surprising for me.
So today in this tutorial, I'm going to tell you how to make RocketDock portable so that you don't need to install it. You can carry it on your USB drive or store it in any hard disk partition. Now whenever you install Windows, you can simply run RocketDock EXE file from the stored folder and it'll launch with all pre-defined settings and program shortcuts.
So without wasting time, lets start the tutorial:
1. First of all if you have not downloaded RocketDock yet, download it using following topic:
Download RocketDock for Windows
2. After downloading the setup, install RocketDock in your system.
3. Once you install it, run RocketDock and customize it according to your requirements like changing its settings, adding/removing program shortcuts, etc.
4. Once you have finished customizing it, click on the Dock Settings icon present in RocketDock or right-click on empty area in RocketDock and select "Dock Settings" option.
5. It'll open RocketDock Settings window. In first tab, enable the option "Store Settings in a Portable INI (single-user)" as shown in following screenshot:
Click on OK button. This option will store all your customized settings and program shortcuts in a file "Settings.ini" present in RocketDock's application folder.
6. You have set RocketDock to save your settings in INI file instead of Windows Registry which has made it almost 90% portable.
Now you can copy its folder from "C:\Program Files\" or "C:\Program Files (x86)\" (for 64-bit Windows) to your desired location like any other drive or USB stick.
If you want, you can now uninstall RocketDock from your system as you have already copied it at another location.
7. That's it. Congratulations, you have successfully created portable version of RocketDock. Now you can open the copied folder and can delete following files if you want:
Changelog.html
Credits.html
License.rtf
PunkSoftware.com
unins000.dat
unins00.exe
These files are unnecessary and can be deleted to save space. Although you can keep these files without any worries. It'll not hurt you.
8. Now you can run RocketDock.exe file from the folder and it'll launch RocketDock with all your saved settings and program shortcuts.
Its really very helpful, when you install new Windows in your system. If you have portable version of RocketDock, you don't need to install it again and again and don't need to apply all your desired settings each time. It'll remember all your settings and shortcuts as its storing them in INI file and not registry.
9. One thing to keep in mind! When you'll run RocketDock for the first time in a new system, you'll need to enable "Run at Startup" option present in first tab of RocketDock Settings window to make it start automatically with Windows. As this setting is stored in Windows registry, you can't set it in INI file. But you'll need to do this only one time.
So guys! That's the whole procedure to create portable version of one of the best Windows dock utility "RocketDock". If you have any doubt or suggestion in mind, please feel free to share it in your comment...
Posted by: Vishal Gupta | Categories: Software
ZMOP
I have a question, u know winrar unplugged? The themes doesn't go portable. Ho do u fix it.
eugene
Hi, I'm using Rocketdock with Opera Portable, but it won't let me go to any websites from the dock. Any ideas for a fix please? Other browsers are no problem, - just this one.
VG
^^ Try to delete Opera shortcut from RocketDock and then add a new shortcut again.
nahz
hi, i have a problem to my stack docklets,the problem is when i restarted my computer the warning was showed,!'rocketdock had trouble loading your default icons.last time it was run should rocketdock load the default icon?'please help me how to fix this.
nahz
i forget,im using windows 7 32 bit.
VG
^^ I think you'll need to edit rocketdock's settings.ini file and make sure it doesnt contain references to file or folders which no longer exist.
Luis
Hey, VG. Nice tutorial. Just one question: if u install RK on a flash drive, could it run automatically after inserting the drive in the usb port? if it is, how could one do it? Thanks.
VG
^^ You can try following, not tested:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc144202%28v=vs.85%29.aspx
John
This software need a MAJOR update.
It's obvious that the article is bias.
It doesn't reflect the icons on the dock because the programmer as no idea how to create that effect.
If he could, he would.
Out of every dock I've tried, this one is the worst on memory use.
Nexus use 123,344 K and Rocketdock use 278,888 K, MORE THEN DOUBLE!!!!
Check it out in your task manager!
You can NOT drag and drop anything in the dock, what a pain.
The animated icons disappeared on reboot. The app designer's solution was to install the app differently.
This prove to me that the creator doesn't know how to fix his own app.
The large animated icons are animate so slowly, it's ridiculous.
They work fine on others apps.
To have some cool features you have to add some docket in a very complicated manners, NOT on Nexus.
Most of the functions are already implemented in the app.
Don't try to ask for help to the app designer, he is the rudest person I ever have the misfortune to asked for help.
VG
^^ Hi John
Thanks for your feedback about Rocket Dock. Personally I love Rocket Dock and I'm using it since many years. Its very lightweight and fulfills my needs. I dont want an eye candy dock. Nexus dock is excellent and I have reviewed it too:
http://www.askvg.com/download-winstep-nexus-dock-with-live-icon-reflection/
Towa
This is useful, thanks Vishal~
joseph
what if i accidentally remove all the icons in rocketdock even the setting, and nothing is coming out but its still running, i tried to uninstall and install it again, but still nothing is coming out, no icons nothing, can you help me with it?
VG
^^ You can drag-n-drop an icon to the exact place where it used to show. Its still running but you have removed all icons, thats why you can't see it. Or you can run RocketDock setup again and it'll restore default icons.
The Masked Stranger
Can I make it automatically start when plugged by using an autorun.inf file?
VG
^^ Not tried but it should work.
engin
Is it possible lots of RocketDock bars at the same time?
I use and very pleased about RocketDock bar. But I need more than one RocketDok bars. One of is top another maybe left for ie shortcuts, the other one on the right for my desktop icons shortcuts,.....
I hope for next versions.
wish you success in your works.
VG
^^ You can use similar Dock software such as RKLauncher:
http://www.askvg.com/rk-launcher-one-of-the-best-dock-utility-for-windows/
mehrdad
hi. i want to uninstall this program but i cant anywhere . please heelp me.
VG
^^ Try following:
http://www.askvg.com/how-to-completely-uninstall-remove-a-software-program-in-windows-without-using-3rd-party-software/