Before you run ThinApp Converter, you specify the virtual machine environment on which the applications that are to be converted reside, the network share paths, and various other mandatory and optional parameters. ThinApp Converter then silently processes the capture of application installers and building of virtual application packages, in a similar way to the Setup Capture Wizard. Applications are captured consecutively, unless multiple virtual machines are used, when they are captured simultaneously.
After you have specified the virtual machine environment on which the applications that are to be converted reside, the network share paths, and various other mandatory and optional parameters, you use the -f command line switch to specify the configuration file that you created, which ThinApp Converter will use. For example, ThinAppConverter.exe -f myConfig.ini.
ThinApp Converter reads the configuration file to identify which installers are to be converted and the virtual machines on which the conversion is to occur.
ThinApp Converter then powers on each virtual machine and takes a snapshot that is used after the conversion process is complete.
After the snapshot is taken, ThinApp Converter pushes a silent capture agent to virtual machines. The silent capture agent runs transparently on the virtual machines, capturing the application installation process in a similar way to that of the Setup Capture wizard when a single application is being captured.
The silent capture agent performs the following actions:
- Runs a ThinApp prescan
- Installs an application from the network share specified in the configuration file
- Runs a postscan
- Generates a ThinApp project on the network share specified in the configuration file
- Performs project post‐processing tasks
- Builds the ThinApp project on the network share into a package
The silent capture agent then returns control to the ThinApp Converter, which reverts the virtual machines to their precapture state, using their original snapshot.
The process is repeated for the next application installation process that needs to be converted. When multiple virtual machines are specified, the capture agent runs on the machines simultaneously. As a virtual machine becomes available, it is once again used for converting the next application.
ThinApp Coverter Limitations
- Not all application installation processes support silent installation mode. ThinApp Converter does not support automatic capture for an installation process that does not support silent installation.
- The installer directory name must not contain the equals symbol (=).
