5.1

VMware, Inc. 53
Chapter 4 Updating and Linking Applications
Application Sync Effect on Entry Point Executable Files
The Application Sync utility updates entry point executable files. For example, assume you deploy a
Microsoft Office 2007 package that does not include Microsoft PowerPoint. The Microsoft Office
PowerPoint 2007.exe entry point does not exist for the original package. If you rebuild the
Microsoft Office 2007 package to include Microsoft PowerPoint, and you use the Application Sync utility to
update client machines, the end users can access an entry point executable file for Microsoft PowerPoint.
Updating thinreg.exe Registrations with Application Sync
If you register virtual applications on the system using thinreg.exe and update applications with the
Application Sync utility, you can update registrations by placing a copy of thinreg.exe, located in
C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware ThinApp, alongside the updated package on the server.
Maintaining the Primary Data Container Name with Application Sync
The Application Sync utility requires that the name of the primary data container, the file that stores virtual
files and registry information, is the same for the old and new versions of an application. For example, you
cannot have an old version with Microsoft Office Excel 2003.exe as the primary data container name
while the new version has Microsoft Office 2007.dat as the primary data container name. To verify the
name of the primary data container, see the ReadOnlyData parameter in the Package.ini file. For more
information about the primary data container, see “Defining Entry Points as Shortcuts into the Virtual
Environment” on page 17.
Completing the Application Sync Process When Applications Create Child Processes
When a captured application creates child processes, ThinApp cannot complete the Application Sync process.
For example, you might create Microsoft Office 2003 and Microsoft Office 2007 packages, modify the
AppSyncURL parameter in the Package.ini file for both packages, and copy the Microsoft Office 2007 package
to a Web server and the Microsoft Office 2003 package to a client machine.
If you start the Microsoft Office 2003 package before the expiration time set in the AppSyncExpirePeriod
parameter of the Package.ini file, ThinApp can download the update in the background as you work with
the application but is unable to show the updated version the next time you start the application. If you start
the application after the package expires, ThinApp is unable to download the update in the foreground and
restart the application when the download is ready.
Microsoft Office 2003 and Microsoft Office 2007 are examples of applications that create child processes.
ThinApp cannot complete Application Sync updates until all child processes stop. You can perform one of the
following tasks to resolve the issue:
 Log out and log in to the machine to stop the child processes.
 Create a script to end the child processes.
For example, you can create a script to end the ctfmon.exe and mdm.exe child processes associated with
Microsoft Office 2003 and Microsoft Office 2007.
 Prevent the startup of the child process, such as the ctfmon.exe process associated with Microsoft Office
and Internet Explorer applications.
Prevent the Startup of the ctfmon.exe Process for Microsoft Office and Internet Explorer
Preventing the startup of the ctfmon.exe process requires knowledge of the ThinApp sandbox and
sbmerge.exe utility. For information about the sbmerge.exe utility, see “Updating Applications with
Runtime Changes” on page 60.