Please not that since the recent update of ChromePlus to 1.2.5.0, I have now changed my opinion as to which product provides the best solution, I am now firmly in favour of ChromePlus ...

The main reason for this change is based on CPs implementation of Mouse Gestures (17 customisable gestures with 42 options), IE Mode (with managed URL list) and Bookmark syncing (by default) ...

You can find my review of ChromePlus here ...ChromePlus 1.2.5.0 - Is This The Future of Chrome ?

Please feel free to continue to read this review (in conjunction with my CP post) for a full comparison of both products ...

Those of you who know me, know that I have been searching for a portable version of Chrome based on the dev build for quite a long time now ....

At last I have succeeded in my quest ...

SunChrome, first posted here (Sunchrome from China ) is my recommendation for anyone looking for the same solution.

I know there is ChromePlus and will comment on that later (wouldn't you know it. the day I posted this, ChromePlus got updated and the comments on Gestures no longer applies !).

Interesting that both solutions origins are in China ;-)

I was looking for a solution that was easy to use, self contained and gave me what I had in my Live Chrome (Dev build) installation, predominantly extension support, mouse gestures and bookmark syncing...

SunChrome (SC)has that in abundance ...

Based on the Chromium build 4.0.206.0 (there’s also a build based on 3.0.193.0), it’s as simple as download and unzip (I chose a USB) and you’re off and running...

http://www.lovechrome.com/en/index.htm

Before you start, there is a nice little folder in addition to the installation folder called Helpful which has 6 screenshots of what is available in SC ...

The installation has 2 main configuration screens (Select Sunchrome Options on the Tools menu), Startup Options (SO) and Mouse Controls (MC)....

SO allows you to select (Or not) ...

Enable Bookmark menu (default), Enable Bookmark sync (default), Extensions (disable), Images (disable), Javascript (disable), Java (disable), User Data Portability (default) and Tab processing modes ...

MC has 12 pre configured gestures where you can select (from a drop down list) what you want the gesture to do (strangely there are only 10 options!!)...

You can also run it in IE mode (which you access from the Page menu)

You have a number of options for configuring your installation to be exactly like your Live installation...

I chose the easiest, just copied what I wanted from my Live User Data Default folder over to the User Data Default folder in SunChrome .(don’t forget if you want to take your extensions with you, you need both the Extensions folder and Preferences file)...

You could of course sync your bookmarks and download/install extensions (both methods work – I’ve tested them)...

The only extension that didn’t work for me was nkGestures (currently working on trying to get that to work)...

All in all, it took me less than 3 minutes to download, install and configure my Portable Chrome ;-)

I said I’d mention ChromePlus (CP)...

This is also based on the 4.0.206.0 build of Chromium (they also have other builds available)

http://www.chromeplus.org/

The original CP didn’t have a User Data folder of its own (it used your Live installation – it screwed mine !!),

I’m glad to say they have now corrected that, however they have a strange way of installing it ...

When you unzip CP you have to run it before the User Data folder is installed (not quite sure what the thinking is here!!) and it goes through a complete installation exercise (exactly like when you first install Chrome or Chromium)...

As for customising CP, there is one screen which is an extra tab on the Options menu (Tools menu) that allows you to enable Drag’n Drop, mouse gestures (only 7, non customisable) and define URLs for the IE tab function...

NB - Mouse Gestures are now customisable in the latest version (will be posting proper update later this week when I've had time to check it out)

If you want to have anything other than a standard installation you’ll need to create a shortcut and add your command line tags (eg --enable-sync, --bookmark-menu)

PS:
My local library was used for testing purposes...

Enjoy ;-)

Very helpful. Thank you, Steve!

The only thing that stops me from trying out Sun Chrome and Chrome Plus is that both projects are closed source. No source available. Maybe I'm paranoid ... but I can't help

You'd probably have a problem if it was open source anyway...

If its like their help forums, its Chinese ;-)

LOL good one!

why do people try so many ways to try to get portable chromium/chrome when you can just download the .zip version and change the user directory...

Does the zip version of Chromium give you added functionality though ?

Originally Posted by StevePaul

Those of you who know me, know that I have been searching for a portable version of Chrome based on the dev build for quite a long time now ....

................

Thanks for your extensive commentary. I've been playing with SunChrome for a little while and it seems rather nice and has some nice stuff in it. No crashes - yet - but it is still early in the game.

I copied over my bookmarks and profile files. I noted that none of the icons associated with my Google Chrome bookmarks came along; I had blank folder or blank page type icons. As I accessed and loaded the links in the bookmarks bar, most of the icons came back. But not all. Have you had a similar experience? I wish there was a simple way to control or change the icons associated with the bookmarks as in many cases for me, just the icon is all that I need to see.

Got to be honest I can't remember now ...

Since my initial install I've had my bookmarks synced with my Google Docs so they're all alright now anyway ...

Just as a matter of interest ChromePlus updated on the day I posted and I've since been back and looked at it and have to say I would probably be recommending that over SunChrome now if you particularly liked mouse gestures or want an IE tab interface ...

I'll be posting a full review in the next couple of days probably called something like ...

SunChrome Vs ChromePlus the arguments for both (or either) ...

If you want to know a bit more in advance just ask ;-)

Originally Posted by StevePaul

Got to be honest I can't remember now ...

Since my initial install I've had my bookmarks synced with my Google Docs so they're all alright now anyway ...

Just as a matter of interest ChromePlus updated on the day I posted and I've since been back and looked at it and have to say I would probably be recommending that over SunChrome now if you particularly liked mouse gestures or want an IE tab interface ...

I'll be posting a full review in the next couple of days probably called something like ...

SunChrome Vs ChromePlus the arguments for both (or either) ...

If you want to know a bit more in advance just ask ;-)

I'll be interested in your comments on ChromePlus. Mouse Gestures are not of much interest to me; the IE Tab, if it does not slow down performance too much, might be quite useful until Chrome is more widely accepted.

I wonder what would happen re: my missing icon issue if I sync my Google Chrome and SunChrome bookmarks, using Google Chrome as the source. I might try that - after making backups.

Google Chrome - Chromium - Sun Chrome - ChromePlus - and I think there is another one out there - reminds me of what my mother used to tell me when I was young, something along the lines of: "Don't go looking for trouble; it will find you." Of course I never paid much heed to her advice then; why should now be different.

I currently sync between Chrome - ChromePlus - SunChrome. it works pretty well ...

The IE Tab is pretty good too, there's actually an option on the ChromePlus Options tab in tools to enter the URLs for sites where you always want the IE Tab opened ...

For instance at the moment I can't post on the Google Chrome Help site with Chrome (Chrome problem), so just have it configured as opening with the IE Tab ...

I actually find this incredibly handy 'cos there's a couple of my homepages where I actually need this and because Chrome doesn't have a facility to load multiple homepages (only at startup) when you use the 'Home' button, what I did a long time ago was to have a folder on my bookmarks bar called 'Home' that I open at startup or when I need to reinstate my homepages ...

I know you said you weren't into mouse gestures but you can actually customise the gestures to open an IE Tab (saves going to the tools menu all the time)

I was never a great one for mouse gestures, but would find it hard to live without them now (especially as CP has 17 that you can configure with anything of 40 options)...

I'm using CP as my default now (especially since the problems with the latest dev update) ..