4.0.4
Table Of Contents
- ThinApp User’s Guide
- Contents
- About This Book
- Installing ThinApp
- Capturing Applications
- Deploying Applications
- ThinApp Deployment Options
- Establishing File Type Associations with the thinreg.exe Utility
- Building an MSI Database
- Controlling Application Access with Active Directory
- Using ThinApp Packages Streamed from the Network
- Using Captured Applications with Other System Components
- Performing Paste Operations
- Accessing Printers
- Accessing Drivers
- Accessing the Local Disk, the Removable Disk, and Network Shares
- Accessing the System Registry
- Accessing Networking and Sockets
- Using Shared Memory and Named Pipes
- Using COM, DCOM, and Out-of-Process COM Components
- Starting Services
- Using File Type Associations
- Sample Isolation Mode Configuration Depending on Deployment Context
- Updating Applications
- Application Updates That the End User Triggers
- Application Sync Updates
- Using Application Sync in a Managed or Unmanaged Environment
- Update Firefox 2.0.0.3 to Firefox 3 with Application Sync
- Fix an Incorrect Update with Application Sync
- Application Sync Effect on Entry Point Executable Files
- Updating thinreg.exe Registrations with Application Sync
- Maintaining the Primary Data Container Name with Application Sync
- Application Link Updates
- View of the Application using Application Link
- Link a Base Application to the Microsoft .NET Framework
- Set up Nested Links with Application Link
- Affecting Isolation Modes with Application Link
- PermittedGroups Effect on Linked Packages
- Sandbox Changes for Standalone and Linked Packages
- Import Order for Linked Packages
- File and Registry Collisions in Linked Packages
- VBScript Collisions in Linked Packages
- VBScript Function Order in Linked Packages
- Storing Multiple Versions of a Linked Application in the Same Directory
- Using Application Sync For a Base Application and Linked Packages
- Application Sync Updates
- Application Updates That the Administrator Triggers
- Automatic Application Updates
- Upgrading Running Applications on a Network Share
- Sandbox Considerations for Upgraded Applications
- Application Updates That the End User Triggers
- Monitoring and Troubleshooting ThinApp
- Configuring Package Parameters
- Package.ini File Structure
- Parameters that Apply to Package.ini or ##Attributes.ini Files
- Configuring the ThinApp Runtime
- Configuring File System and Registry Isolation
- Configuring File and Protocol Associations
- Configuring Build Output
- Configuring Permissions and Security
- Configuring Objects and DLL Files
- Configuring Storage
- Configuring Processes and Services
- Configuring File and Block Sizes
- Configuring Icons
- Configuring Logging
- Configuring Versions
- Configuring Locale Information
- Configuring Individual Applications
- Configuring Dependent Applications with Application Link
- Configuring Application Updates with Application Sync
- Configuring MSI Files
- Configuring Sandbox Storage and Inventory Names
- ThinApp Sandbox
- Snapshot Commands and Customization
- ThinApp Virtual File System
- ThinApp Scripts
- Callback Functions
- Use Scripts in a ThinApp Environment
- API Functions
- Glossary
- Index
ThinApp User’s Guide
84 VMware, Inc.
Configuring Dependent Applications with Application Link
TheApplicationLinkutilitykeepssharedcomponentsordependentapplicationsinseparatepackages.Inthe
Package.inifile,youcanusetheOptionalAppLinks and RequiredAppLinks entriestodynamically
combineThinApppackagesatruntimeonend‐usercomputers.Thisprocessenablesyoutopackage,deploy,
andupdatecomponentpiecesseparatelyandretainthebenefits
ofapplicationvirtualization.
ThinAppsupportslinkingupto250packagesatatime.Eachpackagecanbeanysize.
Sandboxchangesfromlinkedpackagesarenotvisibletothebasepackage.Forexample,youcaninstall
AcrobatReaderasastandalonevirtualpackageandasalinkedpackagetothebaseFirefoxapplication.When
youstartAcrobatReaderasastandaloneapplicationbyrunningthevirtualpackageandyoumakechanges
tothepreferences,ThinAppstoresthechangesinthesandboxforAcrobatReader.WhenyoustartFirefox,
FirefoxcannotdetectthosechangesbecauseFirefoxhasitsownsandbox.Openinga.pdf
filewithFirefoxdoes
notreflectthepreferencechangesthatexistinthestandaloneAcrobatReaderapplication.
FormoreinformationabouttheApplicationLinkutility,see“A p p l i c a t i o n LinkUpdates”onpage 41,
“OptionalAppLinks”onpage 85,and“RequiredAppLinks”onpage 84.
Application Link Path Name Formats
TheApplicationLinkutilitysupportsthefollowingpathnameformats:
Pathnamescanberelativetothebaseexecutablefile.Forexample,
RequiredAppLinks=..\SomeDirectoryresultsinc:\MyDir\SomeDirectorywhenyoudeploythe
baseexecutablefiletoc:\MyDir\SubDir\ Dependency.exe.
Pathnamescanbeabsolutepathnames.AnexampleisRequiredAppLinks=c:\SomeDirectory.
PathnamescanuseanetworkshareoraUNCpath.Anexampleis
RequiredAppLinks=\\share\somedir\Dependency.exe.
Pathnamescancontainenvironmentvariablesanddynamicallyexpandtoanyoftheprecedingpath
names.AnexampleisRequiredAppLinks=%MYAPP_ADDONS%\Dependency.exe.
Pathnamescanspecifymultiplelinksordependencieswithasemicolonthatseparatesindividual
filenames.AnexampleisRequiredAppLinks=Dependency1.exe; Dependency2.exe;.
RequiredAppLinks
TheRequiredAppLinksparameterspecifiesalistofrequiredpackagestoimporttothebasepackageat
runtime.YoucanconfigurethisparameterinthePackage.inifileofthebasepackage.
Iftheimportoperationforanydependentpackagefails,anerrormessageappearsandthebaseexecutablefile
exits.Youcan
usetheOptionalAppLinksparameterinsteadtocontinueevenwhenloaderrorsoccur.Ifyou
useawildcardpatterntospecifyapackageandfilesdonotmatchthewildcardpattern,ThinAppdoesnot
generateanerrormessage.
Importingpackagesinvolvesthefollowingoperations:
RunningVBScriptsfromimportedpackages
Startingautostartservicesfromimportedpackages
Registeringfontsfromimportedpackages
RelocatingSxSDLLfilesfromWindowsXPtoWindowsVista
Youmustcreatealinktotheprimarydatacontainerofapackage.Youcannotlinktoothershortcutpackages.