Saving a Virtual Package

AdminStudio 2023 | 25.0 | Virtual Package Editor

The Virtual Package Editor offers several machine-wide, user-specific options for saving a virtual package (.appv or .sft). Before you save your virtual package as either a new package or an upgrade package, select the appropriate options.

Selecting the Appropriate Save Options

To select the appropriate save options:

On the File menu, point to Save Options, and then click the appropriate command to select or clear an option. The following table describes each option. If an option is selected, its menu command includes a check mark.

Save Options
Command	Description
Include App-V Launcher	If you want to use the AdminStudio App-V Application Launcher to test a newly built App-V package locally before moving it to a deployment server, select this command. To learn more, see Using the App-V Application Launcher to Test the Virtual Package. This command is selected by default.
Append Package Version	If you want the Virtual Package Editor to append the package version number to the name of the file whenever you save an App-V package, select this command. This command is selected by default.
Build Wrapper MSI	If you want to build a Windows Installer package to assist in the distribution of each App-V package that you save in the Virtual Package Editor, select this command. If you enable this option, the Virtual Package Editor creates an InstallShield project (.ism file) and uses it to build an .msi package. If you run the .msi package, it “installs” the App-V application files in the local App-V client system cache. The wrapper .msi package can optionally include the App-V package, depending on whether the Include SFT in Wrapper MSI command is selected. Note:The Microsoft Application Virtualization Client must be installed on the local machine before you can install an App-V application through a wrapper .msi package. The installation determines whether the App-V client is present; if it is not, the installation displays an error message and exits. Building a wrapper .msi file simplifies the deployment of an App-V application by enabling you to use enterprise distribution tools such as ConfigMgr (Formerly called as System Center Configuration Manager) or Microfocus ZENworks Configuration Management. This command is cleared by default.
Include SFT in Wrapper MSI	If you want to include the App-V package in the Windows Installer package that you save in the Virtual Package Editor, select this command. If you enable this option, the Virtual Package Editor includes the .appv or .sft file in the wrapper .msi package that it builds when you save the open App-V package. If you run the .msi package, it “installs” the App-V application files, including the .appv or .sft file, in the local App-V client system cache. If you disable this option, the contents of the .appv or .sft file are streamed from the App-V server as requested by the client. This command is available only if the Build Wrapper MSI command is selected. This command is cleared by default.
Compress Wrapper MSI	If you want to compress the App-V package files into the wrapper .msi package, select this command. This command is available only if the Build Wrapper MSI command and the Include SFT in Wrapper MSI option are selected. If you enable the former command but disable the latter command, the .msi package that is generated is always compressed. This command is selected by default.

You can save a virtual package in either of the following ways:

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Save the package as a new package. You can deploy a new package alongside earlier versions of the virtual package in the same virtual environment.

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Save the package as an update package. An update package can upgrade earlier versions of the virtual application.

Tip:If you are using the Virtual Package Editor to edit a virtual package that is part of your application catalog, the Virtual Package Editor saves your changes in a temporary location. To update your application catalog with the latest changes to your virtual package, use Application Manager to check in your virtual package.

Saving a Virtual Package as a New Package

To save a virtual package as a new package, do one of the following:

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On the File menu, click Save.

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Press CTRL+S.

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On the toolbar, click the Save button.

The Virtual Package Editor saves your virtual package as a new package. To open a Windows Explorer window that shows the App-V package, press CTRL+E, or on the View menu, click Show in Explorer.

Important:If you want to deploy two copies of a package side by side, you must do some additional work before saving the package:

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In the General Information view, change the value of the Root Folder Name setting. This value must be unique because two packages with the same root folder name cannot be deployed simultaneously.

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In the General Information view, change the value of the Name setting. It is recommended that this value be different for each package.

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In the Shortcuts view, change the value of the Name setting, the Target Version setting, or both of those settings for each target in your package. The combination of the name and version must be unique for the targets in each new package; otherwise, the two packages cannot be deployed simultaneously.

Saving a Virtual Package as an Update Package

To save a virtual package as an update package:

On the File menu, click Save As. The Save As dialog box opens.

Click the Save as a new package option.

The Virtual Package Editor saves your virtual package as an update package. To open a Windows Explorer window that shows the App-V package, press CTRL+E, or on the View menu, click Show in Explorer.

Saving a Virtual Package (an Update Package or a New Package) with a New Name and Location

On the File menu, click Save As. The Save As dialog box opens.

In the Virtual Package box, enter the path and file name that you want to use for the .appv or .sft file. As an alternative, you can click the ellipsis button (...) to browse to the file.

Click the Save as an update package option or the Save as a new package option.

The Virtual Package Editor saves your virtual package as specified. To open a Windows Explorer window that shows the App-V package, press CTRL+E, or on the View menu, click Show in Explorer.