5.1

VirtualComputerName Parameter
The VirtualComputerName parameter determines whether to rename the computer name, to avoid naming
conflicts between the capture process and the deployment process.
Applications can use the name of the computer on which they are installed, or connect to a database and use
the name of the computer in the connection string. Because the capture process is different from the
deployment process, captured applications that require a computer name must add the computer name to
the virtual package to ensure that the application can run on any machine.
ThinApp comments out the initial setting of the VirtualComputerName parameter. This parameter uses a
string that the GetComputerName and GetComputerNameEx API functions return in a virtual application.
Example: Including a Virtual Computer Name
This example shows how the VirtualComputerName parameter creates a second name for a computer named
LOCALHOST, which will be captured in the virtual application. The application uses the second name to
connect to a virtual machine. If the capture system lacks the LOCALHOST name, ThinApp comments out
the VirtualComputerName parameter.
;VirtualComputerName=<original_machine_name>
If you rename a clean machine as LOCALHOST before performing the capture process, the Package.ini file
activates the name that the VirtualComputerName parameter created. The virtual application works with the
renamed LOCALHOST name because any computer that the application runs on receives this value as the
computer name.
If you run a GetComputerName or GetComputerNameEx command, the computer returns LOCALHOST. If the
Windows system requires the GetComputerName and GetComputerNameEx commands to operate in a standard
way and return the actual name of the computer where the application runs, do not rename the machine as
LOCALHOST.
VirtualComputerName=LOCALHOST
Example: Including an Environment Variable
In addition to specifying a literal string such as LOCALHOST, you can include an environment variable.
When you specify an environment variable, the value returned is the value of the environment variable. If
the value of the VirtualComputerName parameter is %VCOMPNAME%, and the %VCOMPNAME%
environment variable is set to EnvCompName, the GetComputerName API returns EnvCompName.
VirtualComputerName=%VCOMPNAME%
Wow64 Parameter
The Wow64 parameter simulates a 32-bit environment for 32-bit applications that cannot run on a 64-bit
Windows operating system.
If a 32-bit application tries to handle its own 64-bit registry redirection, you can activate this parameter
before building a project. ThinApp comments out the initial setting to prevent Windows on Windows 64-bit
(WOW64) emulation.
ThinApp Package.ini Parameters Reference Guide
16 VMware, Inc.