SAP GUI and MS-Word Integration

[buijspa]

Hi All,

we are trying to thinapp SAP GUI.

We followed the VMware Solution Readiness document "Virtualizing SAP GUI with VMware Thinapp".

Normally, for some text editing, a word component is integrated in sapgui.

To do this, it downloads a word template "SAPscriptWord2007".

There, the problems comes.

With the thinapp, the sapgui downloads the file to C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Thinstall\SAPGUI\%AppData%\Microsoft\templates

Which is logic, as it is the thinapp location.

But then, it tries to load the template from C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Templates

Test made:

- delete the template in both template directories

- start thinapp sapgui, and start the text edit application

=> error message displayed: cannot locate template

- template file found in C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Thinstall\SAPGUI\%AppData%\Microsoft\templates

- copy the template file from C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Thinstall\SAPGUI\%AppData%\Microsoft\templates to C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Templates

=> textedit application in sapgui works.

I don't know if it is a problem of SAP or Thinapp

Could you help?

Thanks for your help !

Buijspa

[Cievo]

I think that problem is in isolation mode of directory %AppData% and below.

Your file is stored into Sandbox which is not accessible and visible to Word. So you need to look into Thinapp project directory and look for files ##Attributes.ini into directories %AppData%, %AppData%\Microsoft, %AppData%\Microsoft\templates. In those files you can find isolation mode setting for each directory (those files doesn't have to exist in each directory).

I think you fill find at least one file containing Full isolation mode so you will see following content:

[Isolation]
DirectoryIsolationMode=Full

Please, change for these files isolation mode to Merged, rebuild package, delete existing sandbox and test it.

Let us know,

[buijspa]

Hi Cievo,

In my project, I only found :

• an %Appdata% sub with attributes.ini containing DirectoryIsolationMode=WriteCopy
  
• an %Appdata%/SAP sub with attributes.ini containing  DirectoryIsolationMode=Full
  
• an %Appdata%/SAP/common with attributes.ini containing  DirectoryIsolationMode=Full
  

and no %AppData%\Microsoft

I suppose that DirectoryIsolationMode=WriteCopy is apply in for %AppData%\Microsoft and under.

Is that correct?

Is this the good configuration?

Do you need to see the package.ini file to debug?

Thanks for your help !

Buijspa

[Cievo · Accepted solution]

I think problem is:

• an %Appdata% sub with attributes.ini containing DirectoryIsolationMode=WriteCopy
  

WriteCopy isolation mode means that:

• Modification to virtual elements go to the sandbox
  
• Modification to system elements go to the sandbox
  
• New elements will be created on the sandbox*
  

You need to change it to Merged so these rules will be applied:

• Modification to virtual elements go to the sandbox
  
• Modification to system elements go to the system
  
• New elements will be created on the system*
  

* - your SAP creates new files and those are stored in sandbox which is not accessible by native installed/other virtualized applications. Those are able to be accessed only by virtualized SAP. When you change this behaviour new files will be stored at the system and all applications will be able to access them.

Change it, rebuild package, delete sand-box, and try it.

Let us know,

[buijspa]

Hi Cievo,

Problem solved ! :smileycool:

I've got other programs writing on %Appdata%/SAP/tmp and crashing.  I presume it is the same problem.

Do you know if I can put all the sudirectories under %Appdata% in Merged mode, including the %Appdata%/SAP and %Appdata%/SAP/common subdirectories which are in DirectoryIsolationMode=Full by default after the capture?

Is there any risk or side effect to do this?

Thanks for your help !

Buijspa

[Cievo]

You are welcome. I'm glad it helped you out

Yes, you can change it by changing isolation mode in directory %Appdata% in file ##Attributes.ini. Then delete all ##Attributes.ini files in all directories under %Appdata%. This makes isolation mode to be inherited from parent directory %Appdata% to all its children directories.

There is no side effect. All disk changes under directory %Appdata% will be handled as isolation mode declares as I wrote in my previous post.

Have a nice day,