ThinApp User’s Guide ThinApp 4.0.3 EN-000117-03 ThinApp User’s Guide You can find the most up-to-date technical documentation on the VMware Web site at: http://www.vmware.com/support/ The VMware Web site also provides the latest product updates. If you have comments about this documentation, submit your feedback to: [email protected] © 2009 VMware, Inc. All rights reserved. This product is protected by U.S. and international copyright and intellectual property laws. VMware products are covered by one or more patents listed at http://www.vmware.com/go/patents. VMware, the VMware “boxes” logo and design, Virtual SMP, and VMotion are registered trademarks or trademarks of VMware, Inc. in the United States and/or other jurisdictions. All other marks and names mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective companies. VMware, Inc. 3401 Hillview Ave. Palo Alto, CA 94304 www.vmware.com 2 VMware, Inc. Contents About This Book 9 1 Installing ThinApp 11 ThinApp Requirements 11 Operating Systems, Applications, and Systems That ThinApp Supports 11 Applications That ThinApp Cannot Virtualize 11 Recommendations for Installing ThinApp 12 Using a Clean Computer 12 Using the Earliest Operating System Required For Users 13 Install ThinApp 13 2 Capturing Applications 15 Reviewing the Capture Process 15 Assessing Application Dependencies Before the Capture Process 15 Recommended Tasks Before the Capture Process 16 Capture an Application with the Setup Capture Wizard 16 Specify Entry Points, Data Containers, and Inventory Names 17 Specify Active Directory Access and Sandbox Locations 18 Specify Isolation Modes 18 Specify Location, MSI, and Compression Options 21 Review Project Files and Build Application Packages 21 Modifying Isolation Modes 22 Modifying Settings in the Package.ini File 22 Edit the Package.ini File 23 Modifying Settings in the ##Attributes.ini File 23 Edit the ##Attributes.ini File 23 3 Deploying Applications 25 Reviewing ThinApp Deployment Options 25 Deploying ThinApp With Deployment Tools 25 Deploying ThinApp in the VMware View Environment 25 Deploying ThinApp on Network Shares 26 Deploying ThinApp Using Executable Files 26 Establishing File Type Associations with the thinreg.exe Utility 26 Application Sync Effect on the thinreg.exe Utility 26 Run the thinreg.exe Utility 27 Optional thinreg.exe Parameters 27 Building an MSI Database 29 Customizing MSI Files with Package.ini Parameters 29 Modify the Package.ini File to Create MSI Files 30 Controlling Application Access with Active Directory 31 Reviewing Package.ini Entries for Active Directory Access Control 31 Using ThinApp Packages Streamed from the Network 32 How ThinApp Application Streaming Works 32 Reviewing Requirements and Recommendations for Streaming Packages 33 Stream ThinApp Packages from the Network 34 VMware, Inc. 3 ThinApp User’s Guide Using Captured Applications with Other System Components 34 Performing Paste Operations 34 Accessing Printers 34 Accessing Drivers 34 Accessing the Local Disk, the Removable Disk, and Network Shares 35 Accessing the System Registry 35 Accessing Networking and Sockets 35 Using Shared Memory and Named Pipes 35 Using COM, DCOM, and Out‐of‐Process COM Components 35 Starting Services 35 Using File Type Associations 35 Sample Isolation Mode Configuration Depending on Deployment Context 36 View of Isolation Mode Effect on the Windows Registry 36 4 Updating Applications 39 Application Updates That the End User Triggers 39 Reviewing the Application Sync Utility 39 Reviewing the Application Link Utility 41 Application Updates That the Administrator Triggers 45 Force an Application Sync Update with AppSync.exe 45 Reviewing the sbmerge.exe Workflow 45 Automatic Application Updates 47 Dynamic Updates Without Administrator Rights 47 Upgrading Running Applications on a Network Share 48 Reviewing File Locks 48 Upgrade a Running Application 48 Sandbox Considerations for Upgraded Applications 48 5 Monitoring and Troubleshooting ThinApp 49 Providing Information to VMware Support 49 Using Log Monitor 49 Troubleshoot Activity with Log Monitor 50 Perform Advanced Log Monitor Operations 50 Log Format 52 Troubleshooting Specific Applications 56 Troubleshoot Registry Setup for Microsoft Outlook 56 Viewing Attachments in Microsoft Outlook 57 Starting Explorer.exe in the Virtual Environment 57 Troubleshooting Java Runtime Environment Version Conflict 58 A Configuring Applications with Package.ini Parameters 59 Isolation and Virtualization Parameters 59 AllowExternalProcessModifications 59 ChildProcessEnvironmentDefault 60 ChildProcessEnvironmentExceptions 60 DirectoryIsolationMode 60 ExternalCOMObjects 61 ExternalDLLs 61 IsolatedMemoryObjects 61 IsolatedSynchronizationObjects 62 RegistryIsolationMode 62 SandboxCOMObjects 63 VirtualizeExternalOutOfProcessCOM 63 4 VMware, Inc. Contents General Purpose Parameters 64 AddPageExecutePermission 64 AllowUnsupportedExternalChildProcesses 64 AnsiCodePage 64 AutoShutdownServices 65 AutoStartServices 65 BlockSize 65 CachePath 66 CapturedUsingVersion 66 CompressionType 66 DisableTracing 67 ExcludePattern 67 FileTypes 68 LocaleIdentifier 68 LocaleName 68 LogPath 69 NetRelaunch 69 ObjectTypes 69 OutDir 70 Protocols 70 RuntimeEULA 70 Shortcuts 70 UACRequestedPrivilegesLevel 71 UACRequestedPrivilegesUIAccess 71 UpgradePath 71 VirtualComputerName 72 VirtualDrives 72 Wow64 73 Access Control Parameters 74 AccessDeniedMsg 74 PermittedGroups 74 Parameters for Individual Applications 75 CommandLine 75 Disabled 75 Icon 76 ReadOnlyData 76 ReserveExtraAddressSpace 76 RetainAllIcons 77 Shortcut 77 Source 78 StripVersionInfo 78 Version.XXXX 78 WorkingDirectory 78 Application Link Parameters 79 Application Link Path Name Formats 79 RequiredAppLinks 79 OptionalAppLinks 80 Application Sync Parameters 80 AppSyncClearSandboxOnUpdate 81 AppSyncExpireMessage 81 AppSyncExpirePeriod 81 AppSyncURL 81 AppSyncUpdateFrequency 82 AppSyncUpdatedMessage 82 VMware, Inc. 5 ThinApp User’s Guide AppSyncWarningFrequency 82 AppSyncWarningMessage 82 AppSyncWarningPeriod 82 MSI Parameters 83 MSIArpProductIcon 83 MSIDefaultInstallAllUsers 83 MSIFilename 83 MSIInstallDirectory 84 MSIManufacturer 84 MSIProductCode 84 MSIProductVersion 84 MSIRequireElevatedPrivileges 85 MSIUpgradeCode 85 MSIUseCabs 85 Sandbox Parameters 86 InventoryName 86 RemoveSandboxOnExit 86 SandboxName 87 SandboxNetworkDrives 87 SandboxPath 87 SandboxRemovableDisk 88 B ThinApp Sandbox 89 Search Order for the Sandbox 89 Controlling the Sandbox Location 91 Store the Sandbox on the Network 91 Store the Sandbox on a Portable Device 91 Sandbox Structure 92 Making Changes to the Sandbox 92 Listing Virtual Registry Contents with vregtool 92 C ThinApp Directory Files 93 D Snapshot Commands and Customization 95 Methods of Using the snapshot.exe Utility 95 Creating Snapshots of Machine States 95 Creating the Template Package.ini file from Two Snapshot Files 96 Creating the ThinApp Project from the Template Package.ini File 96 Displaying the Contents of a Snapshot File 97 Sample snapshot.exe Commands 97 Create a Project Without the Setup Capture Wizard 97 Customizing the snapshot.ini File 98 E ThinApp Virtual File System 99 Virtual File System Formats 99 Merged and Virtual Views of the File System 99 Using Folder Macros 100 List of Folder Macros 100 Processing %SystemRoot% 101 6 VMware, Inc. Contents F ThinApp Scripts 103 Callback Functions 103 Example Scripts 104 .bat Example 104 Timeout Example 104 Modify the Virtual Registry 105 .reg Example 105 Stopping a Service Example 105 Copying a File Example 105 Add a Value to the System Registry 106 API Functions 107 AddForcedVirtualLoadPath 107 ExitProcess 107 ExpandPath 108 ExecuteExternalProcess 108 ExecuteVirtualProcess 109 GetBuildOption 109 GetFileVersionValue 109 GetCommandLine 110 GetCurrentProcessName 110 GetOSVersion 111 GetEnvironmentVariable 112 RemoveSandboxOnExit 112 SetEnvironmentVariable 112 SetfileSystemIsolation 113 SetRegistryIsolation 113 WaitForProcess 113 Index 115 VMware, Inc. 7 ThinApp User’s Guide 8 VMware, Inc. About This Book The ThinApp User’s Guide provides information about how to install ThinApp, capture applications, deploy applications, and upgrade applications. You can refer to this guide to customize parameters and perform scripting. Intended Audience This book is intended for anyone who installs ThinApp and deploys captured applications. Typical users are system administrators responsible for the distribution and maintenance of corporate software packages. Document Feedback VMware welcomes your suggestions for improving our documentation. If you have comments, send your feedback to [email protected]. Technical Support and Education Resources The following sections describe the technical support resources available to you. To access the current version of this book and other books, go to http://www.vmware.com/support/pubs. Online and Telephone Support To use online support to submit technical support requests, view your product and contract information, and register your products, go to http://www.vmware.com/support. Customers with appropriate support contracts should use telephone support for the fastest response on priority 1 issues. Go to http://www.vmware.com/support/phone_support. Support Offerings To find out how VMware support offerings can help meet your business needs, go to http://www.vmware.com/support/services. VMware Professional Services VMware Education Services courses offer extensive hands‐on labs, case study examples, and course materials designed to be used as on‐the‐job reference