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. 61
Chapter 4 Updating and Linking Applications
sbmerge.exe Commands
The sbmerge.exe Print command displays sandbox changes and does not make modifications to the
sandbox or original project.
The sbmerge.exe Apply command merges changes from the sandbox with the original project. This
command updates the project registry and file system to reflect changes and deletes the sandbox directory.
Usage
"C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware ThinApp\sbmerge" Print [<optional_parameters>]
"C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware ThinApp\sbmerge" Apply [<optional_parameters>]
Optional Parameters
The optional sbmerge.exe parameters specify project and sandbox paths and block progress messages and
merging of sandbox files.
Automatic Application Updates
If an application can update automatically, its update mechanism functions with ThinApp. If the application
downloads the update and runs an installer or patching program, this activity occurs inside the virtual
environment and ThinApp stores the changes from the update software in the sandbox. When the application
restarts, it uses the version of the executable file in the sandbox and not the executable file from the original
package.
For example, if you capture Firefox 1.5, your autoupdate mechanism might prompt you to upgrade to Firefox 2.0.
If you proceed with the upgrade, the application downloads the updates, writes the updates to the sandbox,
and prompts you to restart the application. When you run the captured application again, Firefox 2.0 starts.
If you delete the sandbox, Firefox reverts back to version 1.5.
To merge changes that an auto update mechanism makes with the original package to build an updated
executable file, use the sbmerge.exe utility. See “Application Updates That the Administrator Triggers” on
page 58.
Table 4-2. Optional sbmerge.exe Parameters
Parameter Description
-ProjectDir <project_path> If you start the sbmerge.exe command from a location other than the application
project folder, use the absolute or relative path to the project directory using the
-ProjectDir <project_path> parameter. A sample command is "C:\Program
Files\VMware\VMware ThinApp\sbmerge" Print –ProjectDir
"C:\<project_folder_path>"".
-SandboxDir <sandbox_path> When you start a captured application, it searches for the sandbox in a particular
order. See “Search Order for the Sandbox” on page 67.
If you use a custom location for the sandbox, use the –SandboxDir
<sandbox_path> parameter to specify the location.
-Quiet Blocks the printing of progress messages.
-Exclude <excluded_file>.ini Prevents the merging of specific files or registry entries from the sandbox.
You can specify a .ini file to determine the content for exclusion. This file
contains separate sections to specify files, such as the FileSystemIgnoreList
and the RegistryIgnoreList.
The sbmerge.exe utility uses the snapshot.ini file in the ThinApp installation
folder by default to exclude certain content from the merge process. This option
enables you to specify another .ini file to ensure the additional exclusion of
content.
NOTE If you use the Application Sync utility to perform application updates, disable the auto-update
capabilities of the application. See “Using Application Sync in a Managed or Unmanaged Environment” on
page 51.