How to convert a package created in a previous version of App-V

  • Article

Applies to:

  • Windows 10
  • Windows 11

You can use the package converter utility to upgrade virtual application packages created by previous versions of App-V. This section will tell you how to convert existing virtual application packages for upgrade.

Note

If you are running a computer with a 64-bit architecture, you must use the x86 version of Windows PowerShell.

The package converter can only directly convert packages created by an App-V sequencer version 4.5 or later. Packages created with an App-V version earlier than 4.5 must be upgraded to at least App-V 4.5 before conversion.

Important

In order to keep your files secure, you must configure the package converter to always save the package ingredients file to a secure location and directory that can only be accessed by an administrator. When you deploy the package, you should either save the package to a secure location or make sure that no other users can sign in during the conversion process.

App-V 4.6 installation folder is redirected to virtual file system root

When you convert packages from App-V 4.6 to App-V for Windows 10/11, the App-V for Windows client package can access the hardcoded drive that you were required to use when you created 4.6 packages. The drive letter will be the drive you selected as the installation drive on the 4.6 sequencing machine. (The default drive is drive Q.)

The App-V package converter will save the App-V 4.6 installation root folder and short folder names in the FilesystemMetadata.xml file in the Filesystem element. When the App-V for Windows client creates the virtual process, it will map requests from the App-V 4.6 installation root to the virtual file system root.

Getting started

  1. Install the App-V Sequencer on a computer in your environment. For information about how to install the Sequencer, see How to install the Sequencer.

  2. You can enter the following cmdlets to check or convert packages:

    • Test-AppvLegacyPackage—This cmdlet checks packages. It will return information about any failures with the package such as missing .sft files, an invalid source, .osd file errors, or invalid package version. This cmdlet won't parse the .sft file or do any in-depth validation. For information about options and basic functionality for this cmdlet, using Windows PowerShell, enter the following cmdlet:

      Test-AppvLegacyPackage -?

    • ConvertFrom-AppvLegacyPackage—This cmdlet converts packages from legacy versions to updated versions. To convert an existing package, enter the following cmdlet:

      ConvertFrom-AppvLegacyPackage C:\contentStore C:\convertedPackages

      In this cmdlet, C:\contentStore represents the location of the existing package and C:\convertedPackages is the output directory to which the resulting App-V for Windows client virtual application package file will be saved. By default, if you don't specify a new name, the old package name will be used.

      Additionally, the package converter optimizes performance of packages in App-V for Windows client by setting the package to stream fault the App-V package.  This definition of setting is more performant than the primary feature block and fully downloading the package. The flag DownloadFullPackageOnFirstLaunch allows you to convert the package and set the package to be fully downloaded by default.

      Note

      Before you specify the output directory, you must create the output directory.

Advanced Conversion Tips

  • Piping—Windows PowerShell supports piping. Piping allows you to enter cmdlets like this example:

    dir C:\contentStore\myPackage | Test-AppvLegacyPackage

    In this example, the directory object that represents myPackage will be given as input to the Test-AppvLegacyPackage cmdlet and bound to the -Source parameter. Piping like this is especially useful when you want to batch commands together, such as in the following example cmdlet:

    dir .\ | Test-AppvLegacyPackage | ConvertFrom-AppvLegacyAppvPackage -Target .\ConvertedPackages

    This piped example command tests packages, then passes the objects on for conversion. You can also apply a filter on packages without errors or only specify a directory that contains an .sprj file or pipe them to another cmdlet that adds the filtered package to the server or publishes them to the App-V client.

  • Batching—The Windows PowerShell command enables batching. More specifically, the cmdlets support taking a string[] object for the -Source parameter that represents a list of directory paths. This feature allows you to enter the following cmdlets together:

    $packages = dir C:\contentStore
ConvertFrom-AppvLegacyAppvPackage-Source $packages -Target C:\ConvertedPackages

    Alternatively, you can use piping like this:

    dir C:\ContentStore | ConvertFrom-AppvLegacyAppvPackage -Target C:\ConvertedPackages

  • Other functionality—Windows PowerShell has other built-in functionality for features such as aliases, lazy-binding, .NET Object, and many others. These features can help you create advanced scenarios for the Package Converter.