ThinApp version 4

VMware a annoncé une nouvelle version de son application de virtualisation d’applications.

La dernière version Release Candidate 4.0 est disponible 30 jours.

Les fonctionnalités « Application Link » et « Application Sync » sont présentes.
En clair, l’interdépendance entre applications virtualisées et la synchronisation des mises à jour de packages sont possibles.

ThinApp Suite devrait être proposé en incluant VMware Workstation et 50 licences perpétuelles de ThinApp.

Le détail :

Key Features and Enhancements
The following enhancements were added for RC (Build 3.396) :
• The default isolation mode was changed from WriteCopy to Merged.
• Application Sync makes fewer web server round-trip queries after bandwidth optimizations were made.
• User interface enhancements:

• Added a screen to allow selection of the default file system isolation mode.
• Removed advanced and less frequently used screens such as Application Sync.

• To handle larger packages, VMware created a separate .dat data container when the estimated size of a data container is over 200MB. This resolves an issue in which Internet Explorer might not show icons for large executable files.
• Added the package.ini option, VirtualComputerName. When enabled, this option provides an application with a fixed computer name. This setting is required for some configurations of SQL Server.
• Added support for the SQL Server SQLWriter service.
• ThinApp MSIs for package and build tools now install per-machine by default.
• Added support for the following new file macros: %Temp%, %PrintHood%, %Internet Cache%, %Cookies%, %History%, %Program Files Common%, %Common Templates%, %Common Documents%, %Common AdminTools%, %AdminTools%, %Resources%, %Resources Localized%, %CDBurn Area%, %Profiles%. To prevent any backward compatibility issues, these macros are only available to applications captured using ThinApp 3.393 or higher. You can modify the CapturedUsingVersion parameter in your package.ini file for older captured packages to enable them to use newer macros.
The following new key features and enhancements were added for Beta 2 (Build 3.386):
• Application Sync – This feature enables you to deploy ThinApp application updates. Application Sync automatically checks for and installs updates to your packaged applications. Updates might include changes such as a new version, service pack updates, or configuration changes in the package.ini file.
• Application Link – Application Link enables you to establish a link between applications without having to encapsulate them into the same executable package. For example, you can establish a relationship between a deployed instance of Microsoft Office 2003 and a new Microsoft Office plug-in.
• Support for VMware serial numbers.
• Added logging support in the runtime environment to assist with troubleshooting.
Fixed Bugs
The following section contains bugs that were fixed for the RC release (Build 3.396) :
• Fixed a problem in which captured versions of the Java Runtime Environment did not work properly if a more recent version was present on the physical system.
• Fixed a problem that was causing Log Monitor to fail.
• Fixed a problem that was preventing Internet Explorer from launching with UAC enabled.
• Fixed a problem in which virtual registry file size was growing each time an application ran. ThinApp now marks files and registry keys as deleted when they obscure existing system values.
• Fixed an issue in which Internet Explorer could not create an embedded Excel object because of a bug in Excel’s COM object reference counting.
• Fixed an issue in which Script Logic’s Desktop Authority injected DLL would crash during process shutdown on exit.
• Fixed the default build.bat file so that it can be run from a network share.
• Fixed an issue in which some printer drivers would not work by forcing %systemsystem%\spool to use merged isolation by default.
• Moved the snapshot.ini file outside the package so it can be inspected and modified.
• Added new exceptions to the capture exclude list including %Temp%, %SystemRoot%\ie7, and %SystemSystem%\dllcache.
• Added ForcedWriteCopyLocations to the snapshot.ini file to automatically correct a problem in which Microsoft Office products would try to load a shared component that is a fully isolated location. This caused an MSI installer dialog box to appear.
• Fixed issues in which shell folder short pathnames were not being mapped correctly on systems in which the long and short pathnames were the same. For example, on Swedish PCs, “c:\programme” has the same long and short pathname.
• Fixed an issue in which the only shortcut created was shown as « No plugins » when capturing Internet Explorer 7.
• Fixed an issue in which Smartcards were not being detected by captured applications.
• Fixed an issue in which Application Link did not support UNC paths for required and optional Application Link paths.

• Fixed an issue in which the most recent versions of the QuickTime browser plug-in would not play video clips.