Configuring Exclusions Using the Exclusions Editor

AdminStudio 2023 | 25.0 | Repackager | Exclusions Editor

Edition:This feature is available in AdminStudio Professional and Enterprise Editions.

The Exclusions Editor allows you to configure three types of exclusions: Repackaging, Project, and OS Snapshot.

Repackaging Exclusions

Repackaging exclusions refer to exclusions made during repackage time using the Repackaging Wizard. Any files, registry entries, .ini files, or shortcuts excluded at this point are not included in the Repackager project. Therefore, if you exclude a directory you later need, you need to repackage the legacy setup again.

The Repackager best practice is to capture everything using the Repackaging Wizard, and then exclude visually in the Repackager Interface. This way, you avoid having to run the Repackaging Wizard again if you accidentally exclude necessary files.

In some cases, you may want to avoid capturing specific data types during repackaging. For example, your organization may never want to capture shortcuts. You can disable capture of shortcuts during repackage time, thereby eliminating the need to exclude them later. In Snapshot mode, you may want to limit the analysis to a certain directory to reduce the time it takes to capture the initial and final snapshot.

Project Exclusions

Each Repackager project can use a project exclusion list which marks files, registry entries, shortcuts, and .ini files as excluded in the Repackager project. If your process dictates that you capture everything and only exclude items in the Repackager Interface, then you should set up commonly captured but unnecessary items from the project by default. Because all the data from the original capture is intact, if you accidentally exclude necessary files, you can always reinclude them from the Repackager Interface and quickly rebuild your Windows Installer package.

OS Snapshot Exclusions

Like pre-capture repackaging exclusions, you can use the Exclusions Editor to configure exclusions to apply during the capture of OS snapshots. However, to maximize the usefulness of OS snapshots, you should avoid editing the default snapshot exclusion list (ISSnapshot.ini).