Scense Administrator Guide

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Virtual Layer Applications

Application objects of type ‘Virtual Layer’ can be associated with a Virtual Software Archive (VSA-file).

After attaching the Virtual Layer archive, Virtual Layer-specific features are available.

Archive.

Specifies the associated Virtual Software Archive. Administrative privileges are required to handle VSA- or XPF-files.

Manage Virtual Layer Excludes.

Scense manages the Virtual Layer Excludes centrally rather than within the VSA-files.
Central management of layer excludes greatly enhances flexibility and manageability.
Excludes management consists of multiple level of excludes (See: Virtual Layer Excludes management)
‘Edit Excludes’ enable adding, removing and modifying application level excludes.

‘Construct’ will replace all application level excludes, with excludes derived from the VSA-file. All file associations found within the VSA-file are stored as application level excludes.

Checking ‘Ignore globally defined excludes’ will instruct Scense to only push excludes defined at the application level.

Customize Installation.

After clicking the ‘customize Installation’ button a new window will pop up.

Do not create shortcuts during installation.

Checking this option will import the layer while filtering out all shortcuts.
It is recommended to check this option as you will probably control all application shortcuts with Scense.

Do not create File Associationsduring installation.

Checking this option will import the layer while filtering out all File Type Associations (FTA’s).
It is recommended to check this option as you will probably control all application FTA’s with Scense. Doing so will allow users to double click a document which will trigger the application to (install,) start and open the document.

Run “Startup Tasks” on activation.

Some application may have ‘startup tasks’ defined in the virtual layer, like shortcuts in the ‘startup’ folder in the start menu or entries in the run keys in the registry.
Checking this option will allow these tasks to run at layer activation.

Activate layer automatically on system startup.

Virtual Layers have to be activated before they can be used. By checking this option, the virtual layer associated with the application object will be configured to be activated at system startup.

Deactivate layer automatically after last process on layer finished.

Checking this option will instruct the virtual layer system to automatically deactivate the layer when all processes running in this layer have exited. This will make sure the layer is only active when used. As Scense will automatically activate a layer is necessary, setting this option might increase performance and security while maintaining the same level of user experience. (Symantec SWV 6.1 or higher)

Virtual Layer Visibility & Isolation Settings.

This section offers some options to specify layer visibility and isolation.

  • Visibility: The application layers can be hidden from the Operating System, making them invisible yet still functional.
  • Isolation: The application layers can be configured so they are completely isolated from other layers.
    (Symantec SWV 6.1 or higher)

Manage virtual layer priorities.

Sometimes it’s necessary to increase or decrease the priority of a virtual layer, especially if there are conflicting file-associations between different virtual applications. E.g. if two virtual layer applications both offer to open a URL to a website, the order in which they are imported can determine which application will precede the other. By increasing the HKCR-priority of the application you prefer, URL’s will always be opened by that application instead of the other one.