Solution: TortoiseSVN Background contextmenu not visible after publishing

After publishing the App-V sequenced TortoiseSVN, all the context menu shortcuts are visible and it works fine. Only the background context menu option is not visible. In this blog, I will demonstrate and provide a solution for it.


First download the TortoiseSVN software from the below link.
https://tortoisesvn.net/downloads.html


Download the Latest windows ADK so that we can use the latest App-V Sequencer from the below link.
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/get-started/adk-install


Sequence the TortoiseSVN application using default steps.


Even if you use PVAD when sequencing, we can see the same issue that the background context menu is not visible after publishing.
After Publishing the sequenced package, we can see that when we right click file\folder\drive the context menu option is visible as App-V will install those respective registry entries in the local machine and they will be used by the explorer due to dynamic virtualization concept.


FILE:





FOLDER:



But when we right click on empty explorer window or inside any folder empty place, the below options are not visible as seen in the native installed package.






We can see that in the sequencer machine, the following registry responsible for the background context menu is registered in the local machine.









Even in the package editor we can see that those registry keys are captured.





Even in the AppxManifest file we can see those shell entries.







But after publishing and seeing the local HKCR registry, the particular key alone is missing. All other context menu registries are visible.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\TortoiseSVN]
@="{30351349-7B7D-4FCC-81B4-1E394CA267EB}"

To Fix the issue, copy the above registry key and install in native machine.To Add it with the sequenced package, first export the AppxManifest.xml file and edit it using AVME from the below link.

http://www.tmurgent.com/appv/en/resources/AVME/349-avme-introduction

Edit the XML file and add like below in AddPackage and Remove Package tabs.

Once done save the AppxManifest.xml file and import it back to the package using sequencer.

Save the package and publish it to the client machine. Now you can see the context menu when you click on empty explorer window or empty space inside directory.

You can also add the registry using scripts in deploymentconfig/userconfig file too.

As pointed by Roy Essers in a TechNet post, this indeed seems to be App-V sequencer bug and MS needs to fix this soon.

Solution: COM Addin failure with Locally installed MS Office 2016 c2r

These days I see many queries in Microsoft technet forum related to COM Addin's not getting loaded into locally installed MS Office 2016 c2r version. So to help others, I have listed the possible solutions which I have gathered from my experience and from other blog posts in a single article below.

ISSUE:

1. Sequence Microsoft Office 2016 addin's using App-V 5.1 Sequencer
2. Publish the sequenced addin's package in the client side which has App-V 5.1 client and  Microsoft Office 2016 c2r locally installed
3. Launch the Microsoft Office 2016 c2r Word/Excel using /appvve: or RunVirtual registry key to load them into the  published addin's virtual environment to test the addin's.
4. we see that the addin is not loaded.

You can find a similar possible reason for failure in the below link.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/3159732/click-to-join-fails-to-invoke-skype-for-business-on-computers-that-us

"The ProcessesUsingVirtualComponents registry value specifies a list of process paths that are candidates for using dynamic virtualization (supported shell extensions, browser helper objects, and ActiveX controls). Only processes whose full path matches one of these items can use dynamic virtualization.

By default, Explorer.exe and Internet Explorer are listed there. Therefore, when the iexplore.exe process runs, it has the APPVEntsubsystem32.dllloaded in Internet Explorer. When Office C2R detects that APPVEntsubsystem32.dll is loaded into Internet Explorer, it does not load jitv.dll or APPVISVSubsystem32.dll into Internet Explorer. As a result, there is no registry redirection support.

When the JavaScript that's running in Internet Explorer tries to create any ActiveX objects that are part of the Office C2R package, that operation fails and the Office C2R and SharePoint integration are broken. Office C2R and App-V dynamic virtualization aren’t designed to co-exist; therefore, Office C2R disables Dynamic Virtualization when it detects that AppV client binaries are loaded in Internet Explorer to prevent double hooking."

Solution 1:

Create the AllowJitvInAppvVirtualizedProcess registry key as shown below to fix this known issue.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\ClickToRun\OverRide]
"AllowJitvInAppvVirtualizedProcess"=dword:00000001

If it doesn't work try in wow6432Node registry.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\ClickToRun\OverRide]
"AllowJitvInAppvVirtualizedProcess"=dword:00000001

Solution 2:

If Solution 1 doesn't work , try with the latest App-V 5.1 Hot Fix. Always make sure to use the latest App-V 5.1 Hot Fix. (A minimum of Hot Fix 4 is required for this issue to be resolved.)

You can download the latest Hot Fix here: KB4018510

NOTE: Fixes that are delivered to the “out-of-box” versions of App-V and UE-V are first delivered for the “in-box” versions of App-V and UE-V in the monthly Windows 10 cumulative updates.Since updates are provided to windows 10 in-box App-V client first, it will not require the installation of the latest Hot-Fix. But the AllowJitvInAppvVirtualizedProcess registry key is required.

Solution 3: 

If Solution 1 & Solution 2 doesn't work then open the sequenced package using App-V 5.1 sequencer and expand it to local from the tool menu.

https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/gladiatormsft/2013/10/25/appv-on-devirtualization/

Once it is de-virtualized, check whether the addin works. If it doesn't work then there is some file/registry missing.In this case, procmon or spystudio can help in troubleshooting.

Solution 4: ( Credits: Roy Essers)

If running on 64-bit windows then export the full hive HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\ClickToRun\REGISTRY, and import it into HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Office\ClickToRun\REGISTRY.

NOTE: This must be done every time office updates.

I believe mostly Solution 1 & Solution 2 will fix the issue if the package has been properly sequenced.

Related Articles:

http://packageology.com/2016/08/office-365-app-v/
http://www.applepie.se/tag/allowjitvinappvvirtualizedprocess

MSIX Packaging Tool- 0x80131500 when building

Recently tested converting TortoiseSVN msi package to MSIX using MSIX Package converter. Everything worked fine during monitoring phase and during build the tool struck up and showed an error code 0x80131500.





When checked for the msix log file it showed error stating duplicate ID's in the Appx manifest file.

[3/7/2019 6:38:14 AM] [Error] ERROR: PRI191: 0x80080204 - Appx manifest not found or is invalid. Please ensure well-formed manifest file is present. Or specify an index name with /in switch.

[3/7/2019 6:38:14 AM] [Error]

[3/7/2019 6:38:14 AM] [Error] error C00CE1A1: App manifest validation error: The app manifest must be valid as per schema: Line 20, Column 2554, Reason: 'f26e2640-0cff-43dc-8325-575a3261d885' is a duplicate key for the unique Identity Constraint '{http://schemas.microsoft.com/appx/manifest/foundation/windows10}Class_Id'.

[3/7/2019 6:38:14 AM] [Error]

Since there was no output generated other than the log file, it was hard to find a solution. So when checked in MSIX Techcommunity it seems it is an issue with MSIX tool build v1.2019.110.0. This issue is resolved in latest insider build v1.2019.304.0.


Thanks to JamesPike & Tim Mangan for confirming this issue and its resolution.


Release Notes : https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/msix/packaging-tool/release-notes/history


Download Free MSIX Packaging Insider Tool : https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/msix/packaging-tool/insider-program


Join MSIX TechCommunity : https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/MSIX/ct-p/MSIX

The case of missing shortcut Icon - App-V 5.X

Recently I have been seeing many queries regarding shortcut Icon not displayed after publishing an virtualized App-V 5.x package. The answer would be quite simple. But I would like to demonstrate it with a simple example so that it can shed some light.


Let us assume a person X has sequenced an application say example Adobe Reader application. He is doing some manual clean up in the package editor. He removed some junk entries to keep the package clean. He also removed the Installer folder that has the installer cache (.msi, .mst, .msp)captured from the installer package as he felt it is also unnecessary junk entries like all others do.





After completing sequencing, he published the package to the machine in a standalone environment and saw that the shortcut icon is missing. He was wondering why the Icon is missing. He came back with a query as why the Icon is missing even after successful sequencing.





Now lets troubleshoot for him. First let's edit the shortcut for icon. We can see that it is looking in %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\AppV\Client\Integration\.....\SC_Reader.ico.





Lets take Procmon capture to get a proper solution. We can see that it is searching for SC_Reader.ico in  the Installer location and the path is not found clearly from procmon trace. When checked manually in the %Allusersprofile% we do see that the Installer folder is missing. This is because the person X has removed it from the package considering it as Junk entries earlier.





We can clearly see that after doing a fresh sequencing of the application that the Icon files are indeed kept in the Windows\Installer folder.





So to conclude do not remove files and folders blindly considering it as junk entries. Do not remove Windows\Installer completely. Perform cleanup with caution. Make sure if removing the Installer folder completely will not affect the functionality.