5.1
Table Of Contents
- ThinApp User’s Guide
- Contents
- About This Book
- Installing ThinApp
- Capturing Applications
- Phases of the Capture Process
- Preparing to Capture Applications
- Capturing Applications with the Setup Capture Wizard
- Create a System Image Before the Application Installation
- Rescan the System with the Installed Application
- Defining Entry Points as Shortcuts into the Virtual Environment
- Set Entry Points
- Manage with VMware Horizon Application Manager
- Set User Groups
- Defining Isolation Modes for the Physical File System
- Set File System Isolation Modes
- Storing Application Changes in the Sandbox
- Customize the Sandbox Location
- Send Anonymous Statistics to VMware
- Customize ThinApp Project Settings
- Defining Package Settings
- Customize Package Settings
- Opening Project and Parameter Files
- Build Virtual Applications
- Advanced Package Configuration
- Capturing Internet Explorer 6 on Windows XP
- Capturing Multiple Application Installers with ThinApp Converter
- ThinApp Package Management
- Deploying Applications
- ThinApp Deployment Options
- Establishing File Type Associations with the thinreg.exe Utility
- Building an MSI Database
- Controlling Application Access with Active Directory
- Starting and Stopping Virtual Services
- 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 and Linking 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
- Completing the Application Sync Process When Applications Create Child Processes
- 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
- Application Synchronization Using Group Policy Object
- Sandbox Considerations for Upgraded Applications
- Updating the ThinApp Version of Packages
- Application Updates That the End User Triggers
- Locating the ThinApp Sandbox
- Creating ThinApp Snapshots and Projects from the Command Line
- ThinApp File System Formats and Macros
- Creating ThinApp Scripts
- Callback Functions
- Implement Scripts in a ThinApp Environment
- API Functions
- Monitoring and Troubleshooting ThinApp
- Glossary
- Index
VMware, Inc. 57
Chapter 4 Updating and Linking Applications
3 Capture Application B.
4In the Package.ini file for Application B, specify Application C as a required or optional application link.
For example, add RequiredLinks=\AppFolder\AppC\AppC.exe to the file.
5 Capture Application C.
If you start Application A, it can access the files and registry keys of Application B and Application B can
access the files and registry keys of Application C.
Affecting Isolation Modes with Application Link
ThinApp loads an Application Link layer during application startup and merges registry entries and file
system directories. If ThinApp finds a registry subkey or file system directory that did not previously exist in
the main package or layer that is already merged, ThinApp uses the isolation mode specified in the layer being
loaded. If the registry subkey or file system directory exists in the main package and a layer that is already
merged, ThinApp uses the most restrictive isolation mode specified in any of the layers or main package.
The order of most restrictive to least restrictive isolation modes is Full, WriteCopy, and Merged.
PermittedGroups Effect on Linked Packages
If you link two applications and you specify a value for the PermittedGroups parameter, the user account
used for starting the application must be a member of at least one of the Active Directory groups for this
parameter in the Package.ini files of both applications. For information about the PermittedGroups
parameter, refer ThinApp Package.ini Parameters Reference Guide.
Sandbox Changes for Standalone and Linked Packages
Sandbox changes from linked packages are not visible to the base executable file. For example, you can install
Acrobat Reader as a standalone virtual package and as a linked package to the base Firefox application. When
you start Acrobat Reader as a standalone application by running the virtual package and you change the
preferences, ThinApp stores the changes in the sandbox for Acrobat Reader. When you start Firefox, Firefox
cannot detect those changes because Firefox has its own sandbox. Opening a .pdf file with Firefox does not
reflect the preference changes that exist in the standalone Acrobat Reader application.
Import Order for Linked Packages
ThinApp imports linked applications according to the order of applications in the RequiredAppLinks or
OptionalAppLinks parameter. If either parameter specifies a wildcard character that triggers the import of
more than one file, alphabetical order determines which package is imported first.
The OptionalAppLinks parameter might appear as OptionalAppLinks=a.exe;b.exe;plugins\*.exe.
Using a.exe and b.exe as sample executable files, ThinApp imports linked packages in the order described
in Table 4-1.
For information about nested links, see “Set Up Nested Links with Application Link” on page 56.
Table 4-1. Imported Linked Packages
Import
Order Linked Package
1 Base application
2 a.exe
3 b.exe
4 Plug-ins loaded in alphabetical order
5Nested plug-ins for a.exe
6Nested plug-ins for b.exe
7 Nested plug-ins for the first set of plug-ins in this list