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Table Of Contents
VMware, Inc. 45
Chapter 4 Updating Applications
Forexample,abasepackagemightcontainthea.vbs andb.vbsfilesandadependentpackagemightcontain
theb.vbsandc.vbsfiles.Becauseafilenamecollisionexistsbetweentheb.vbsfiles,theVBScriptinthelast
importedpackagespecifiedinaRequiredAppLinksorOptionalAppLinksparameteroverridesany
previouslyimportedscripts
withthesamename.Inthiscase,ThinAppcondensesthepooloffour.vbsfiles
intoasinglepoolwiththea.vbsfilefromthebasepackageandb.vbsandc.vbsfilesfromthedependent
package.
VBScript Function Order in Linked Packages
InapoolofVBScriptsforpackageslinkedwithApplicationLink,functionsinthemainbodiesofthescripts
runinalphabeticalorderofthescriptnames.ThinAppcallbackfunctionsinthescriptsruninreverse
alphabeticalorderofthescriptnamesinthepool.
Storing Multiple Versions of a Linked Application in the Same Directory
Ifthedirectoryholdsalinkedpackage,andyouaddanupdatedversionofthelinkedpackageinthesame
directory,theApplicationLinkutilitydetectsandusestheupdatedversion.
Using Application Sync For a Base Application and Linked Packages
IfyouuseApplicationLinktolinkpackagestoabasepackage,andyoustartthebasepackage,Application
Synccanupdateonlythebasepackage.Forexample,ifyoubuildaMicrosoftOffice2007packagewith
ApplicationSyncentriesinthePackage.inifile,buildanAdobeReaderpackagewithApplication
Sync
entriesinthePackage.inifile,useApplicationLinktolinkthetwopackages,andstartMicrosoftOffice2007,
ApplicationSynconlyupdatesMicrosoftOffice2007.YoucanupdatebothMicrosoftOffice2007andAdobe
Readerbystartingeachapplicationseparately.
Ifyoudonotupdatealltheapplicationsandlink
abaseapplicationtoanexpiredplugin,thebaseapplication
canstillloadandusetheplugin.
Application Updates That the Administrator Triggers
ThinAppprovidestheAppSync.exeandsbmerge.exeutilitiesforadministrators.
TheAppSync.exeutilityforcesanApplicationSyncupdateonaclientmachine.
Thesbmerge.exeutilitymakeincrementalupdatestoapplications.Forexample,anadministratormightuse
theutilitytoincorporateapluginforFirefoxortochangethehomepageofa
Websitetopointtoadifferent
defaultsite.
Forcing an Application Sync Update on Client Machines
YoucanusetheAppSynccommandtoforceanApplicationSyncupdateonaclientmachine.Youmightwant
toupdateapackagestoredinalocationwherestandardusersdonothavewriteaccess.Inthissituation,you
cannotuseApplicationSyncparameterstocheckforupdateswhenanapplication
startsbecauseusersdonot
havetherequiredrightstoupdatethepackage.YoucanscheduleadailyAppSync.exerununderanaccount
withsufficientprivileges.TheApplicationSyncparameters,suchasAppSyncUpdateFrequency,inthe
Package.inifiledonotaffecttheAppSynccommand.
ToforceanApplicationSyncupdate,use
theAppSync <Application_Sync_URL>
<executable_file_path>command.ThevalueoftheURListhesameastheApplicationSyncURLinthe
Package.inifileandtheexecutablefilepathisthepathtotheexecutablefilethatrequirestheupdate.
Updating Applications with Runtime Changes
Thesbmerge.exeutilitymergesruntimechangesrecordedintheapplicationsandboxbackintoaThinApp
project.Atypicalworkflowforthisutilityinvolvesthefollowingtasks:
Capturinganapplication.
Buildingtheapplicationwiththebuild.batfile.