5.1

ThinApp User’s Guide
12 VMware, Inc.
Checking ThinApp Installation Files
The ThinApp installation generates the VMware ThinApp directory in C:\Program Files\VMware. You might
check the files in this directory to perform operations such as starting the Log Monitor utility to view recent
activity.
The following key files in the VMware ThinApp directory affect ThinApp operations:
 AppSync.exe – Keeps captured applications up to date with the latest available version.
 logging.dll – Generates .trace files.
 dll_dump.exe – Lists all captured applications that are currently running on a system.
 log_monitor.exe – Displays the execution history and errors of an application.
 relink.exe – Updates existing packages to the latest ThinApp version installed on the system.
 sbmerge.exe – Merges runtime changes recorded in the application sandbox with the ThinApp project
and updates the captured application.
 Setup Capture.exe – Captures and configures applications through a wizard.
 snapshot.exe – Compares the preinstallation environment and postinstallation environment during the
application capture process. ThinApp starts this utility during the setup capture process.
 snapshot64.exe - Compares the preinstallation environment and postinstallation environment during the
application capture process on a 64-bit operating system.
 snapshot.ini – Stores entries for the virtual registry and virtual file system that ThinApp ignores during
the process of capturing an application.
The snapshot.exe file references the snapshot.ini file. Advanced users might modify the
snapshot.ini file to ensure that ThinApp does not capture certain entries when creating an application
package.
 template.msi – Builds the MSI files.
You can customize this template to ensure that the .msi files generated by ThinApp adhere to company
deployment procedures and standards. For example, you can add registry settings that you want
ThinApp to add to client computers as part of the installation.
 thinreg.exe – Registers captured applications on a computer.
This registration includes setting up shortcuts and the Start menu and setting up file type associations
that allow you to open applications.
 tlink.exe – Links key modules during the build process of the captured application.
 vftool.exe – Compiles the virtual file system during the build process of the captured application.
 vregtool.exe – Compiles the virtual registry during the build process of the captured application.
Disable Entry Point Shortcuts
You can create a group policy to reconfigure and disable the entry point shortcuts associated with an
application. The following example shows how to reconfigure the 7-zip application and disable the 7-zip
help shortcut associated with it. To know more about group policy see, “Group Policy Administrative
Template” on page 34.
1Run gpmc.msc to open the Group Policy Management Console.
2Expand Group Policy Management > Default Domain Controllers Policy.
3 Under your domain, right-click Group Policy Objects and select New.
4 Type a name for the GPO object (7zip).
5Right-click 7zip and select Edit.