InstallAware, a company that provides software installation and repackaging solutions, announced a new tool that allows developers to easily port Windows apps to GNU/Linux or macOS.
The Application Porting Toolkit works by installing the open-source Windows compatibility layer, Wine, then translating the setup instructions from the original Windows installer into instructions that can be used on other operating systems.
For example, the original Windows setup instructions might specify to create files in “C:\Program Files” and the Application Porting Toolkit will redirect the files into “~/.wine/drive_c/Program Files.” Areas of the setup instructions that refer to the Windows Registry will be forwarded to Wine’s registry hives: “~/.wine/system.reg” and “~/.wine/user.reg.”
According to John Gaver, director of InstallAware Skunkworks, this toolkit was inspired by Apple’s Game Porting Toolkit.
“Instead of targeting only games, we figured we could support all kinds of applications,” he said. “Instead of targeting only macOS, we figured we could support GNU/Linux, too. And instead of having a command line only kit which required programming skills, we figured we could build a fully graphical, guided process that could be utilized even by non-technical users.”
The Application Porting Toolkit is available for download now from InstallAware’s website.
