This section lists the command-line arguments that are used with appcapture.exe to achieve tasks such as create a capture, update an existing application, end a capture session, and so on, using the command-line capture program. Some of these arguments are mandatory while few are optional.

The following table lists the command-line arguments and tasks accomplished using these arguments:
Note: Command-line arguments for an MSIX app attach format are not supported for capturing packages in the App Volumes format.
Command-line Argument Task Examples
/help Displays the list of arguments and their description that can be used with the appcapture.exe command. 
appcapture.exe /help
/new <package_name> Start a capture session for a new application or update an existing application.

This argument is mandatory.

Following files are created in a capture session: .vmdk, .vhd, and .json. By default, the files are located at C:\ProgramData\VMware\AppCapture\appvhds.

Note: Only the following arguments can be used with /new: /d, /s, /a, and /novmdk.

To see the usage of /new, see Capture an Application.

 Example: 
appcapture.exe /new MyApp
MyApp is the name of the package generated when the MyApp application is captured.
/d <disk_description> Specify comments that identify the content in the output file while running a new capture session or updating an existing application.

The disk description can be viewed in the App Volumes Manager admin UI as part of the package description.

This argument is optional.

 Example: 
appcpature.exe /new MyApp /d "This package contains the MyApp application."
/s <source_vhd_filepath> Update an existing (already captured) application by using the captured application's .vhd file as the source.

This argument is optional.

Note: Do not use this argument when capturing a new application.

To see the usage of /s, see Update an Application

 Example: 
appcapture.exe /new MyApp_update /s C:\ProgramData\VMware\AppCapture\appvhds\MyApp.vhd
  • MyApp_update - name of the package.
    Note: This name must be different from the name provided during the initial application capture.
  • MyApp.vhd - existing application package created during the application's initial capture.

    The command-line capture program uses this file as the source and creates an updated package (MyApp_update.vhd).
/o output_dir Customize the location of the output files created in a capture session by specifying the path to the directory where the files must be saved.

This argument is optional.

By default, the output files are located at C:\ProgramData\VMware\AppCapture\appvhd.

Note: /o can be used only with the following: /new, /meta, /vmdk, /vhd.
Example: 
appcapture.exe /new MyApp /o C:\ProgramData\VMware\AppCapture\appvhds\MyApp_dir
After the capture session, MyApp_dir contains MyApp_workstation.vmdk, MyApp.vhd, and MyApp.json.
/novmdk Prevents the creation of the .vmdk format of the application package.

This argument is optional and can be used when you need only the .vhd format of the application package.

By default, after a capture session, the program creates a .vmdk file for the captured application. When this argument is provided, the .vmdk file is not created.

 Example:
appcapture.exe /new MyApp /novmdk
MyApp.vhd and MyApp.json are created.
/end Completes the capture session which was started by using /new.

When /end is used, the machine reboots and the command-line capture program automatically restarts. This completes the capture process. .vhd and .vmdk package formats are generated along with the .json metadata file.

This argument is mandatory.

To see the usage of this argument, see Capture an Application.

 Example:
appcapture.exe /new MyApp
.........................
.........................
appcapture.exe /end
By default, MyApp.vhd, MyApp_workstation.vmdk, and MyApp.json are created at C:\ProgramData\VMware\AppCapture\appvhds.
/noauto Prevents the program from automatically restarting after a machine reboot.

This argument is optional and can be used only with /new and /end.

In some scenarios such as during capture completion and at times during application installation, the machine reboots. In either case, the command-line capture program automatically restarts on its own.

At times you might want to perform some custom initialization task and prevent the automatic restart of the program. In such cases, you can use the /noauto argument.

After the machine reboots, to restart the program and complete the capture session, /resume must be used.

 Examples: 
  • appcapture.exe /new MyApp /noauto
  • appcapture. exe /end /noauto
/resume Resumes the command-line capture program after a machine reboot.

This argument is mandatory if you have used the /noauto argument while starting (/new) or ending (/end) a capture session.

 Example:
appcapture.exe /new MyApp_test /noauto
...................................
...................................
appcapture.exe /resume
/cancel Cancels the capture session that was started using /new.

The capture session gets cancelled and the machine reboots. It is recommended that you revert to a clean snapshot before you start a new capture session.

 Example:
appcapture.exe /new MyApp
.........................
.........................
appcapture.exe /cancel
/test source_vhd_filepath Tests and validates the captured application using the application's .vhd package format.

When this argument is used, the program attaches the package to the virtual machine and enables the application bundles in the package for testing.

To use the /test parameter, you must revert to a clean snapshot, different from the one used for application capture.

To see the usage of this argument, see Test a Captured Application.

 Example:
appcapture.exe /test C:\ProgramData\VMware\AppCapture\appvhds\test_dir\MyApp.vhd
The application package, MyApp.vhd at C:\ProgramData\VMware\AppCapture\appvhds\test_dir is attached to the virtual machine and enabled for testing.
/testend Ends the test session.

If you intend to test and validate another application, then revert to the snapshot taken before you started the test session for this application.

 Example:
appcapture.exe /testend
/list <vhd, vmdk, or json filepath> Prints the package information. Example:
appcapture.exe /list C:\ProgramData\VMware\AppCapture\appvhds\MyApp_workstation.vmdk
/meta <vhd or vmdk filepath> Creates a .json metadata file for a captured application using the application's .vmdk or .vhd file as the source.

By default, the .json file is created in the same path as that of the source.

 Examples:
appcapture.exe /meta C:\ProgramData\VMware\AppCapture\appvhds\MyApp_workstation.vmdk
MyApp.json is created at C:\ProgramData\VMware\AppCapture\appvhds\.
/vmdk vhd_filepath Creates a .vmdk file using the application's .vhd file as the source. Example:
appcapture.exe /vmdk C:\ProgramData\VMware\AppCapture\appvhds\MyApp.vhd
Using MyApp.vhd as the source, the program creates MyApp_workstation.vmdk. By default, the .vmdk file is located at the same path as the .vhd file. In the example, MyApp_workstation.vmdk is created at C:\ProgramData\VMware\AppCapture\appvhds.
/vhd vmdk_filepath Creates a .vhd file using the application's .vmdk file as the source.

In case you have misplaced or accidentally deleted the .vhd file, you can use this argument to create the file.

 Example:
appcapture.exe /vhd C:\ProgramData\VMware\AppCapture\appvhds\MyApp_workstation.vmdk
Using MyApp_workstation.vmdk as the source, the program creates MyApp.vhd. By default, the .vhd file is located at the same path as the .vmdk file. In the example, MyApp.vhd is created at C:\ProgramData\VMware\AppCapture\appvhds.
/addmeta vhd_filepath Creates a .json metadata file as required by App Volumes to process an MSIX app attach format.
Note: Prior to using the /addmeta argument, ensure that the VHD is not already mounted. If the VHD is mounted, you must unmount the VHD and then run the argument.

After creating the metadata for the MSIX app attach format, you can copy the .vhd and .json files to a file share and import the package to App Volumes Manager by following the Import an Application to App Volumes procedure.
/msix root_path Specifies the location of the unpacked MSIX inside the MSIX app attach format.
Note: This argument must be used with /addmeta <vhd_filepath> while creating the .json file.
Example:
appcapture.exe /addmeta "C:\VHDs\MyApp.vhd" /msix "WindowsApps\MyApp_1.0.0.0_x64__97zz0k7g87g9t"

A .json metadata file is created for the MyApp.vhd package, which is an MSIX app attach format. This metadata file is created at C:\VHDs.

WindowsApps\MyApp_1.0.0.0_x64__97zz0k7g87g9t specifies the location of the unpacked MSIX inside the MSIX app attach format.
/msixvmdk vhd_filepath Converts the MSIX app attach format to .vmdk (monolithic sparse).

To import the .vmdk into App Volumes Manager, you must rename the file to *_workstation.vmdk and follow the procedure that is similar to importing a .vmdk package after capturing an application. For more information, see the What to do next section in Capture an Application.

 Example:
appcapture.exe /msixvmdk "C:\VHDs\MyApp.vhd"
Converts MyApp.vhd to .vmdk.