Virtualization

I recently ran across this document on the Aspen Technology Support Site. It provides guidance how to Virtualize the Process Modeling 7.3 Suite. The end of this post has several useful hyperlinks.

best regards,

TLCox


Aspen Technology, Inc.





Deploying Aspen Engineering Suite with Microsoft Application Virtualization 4.6


aspenONE V7.3













AspenTech PROPRIETARY and CONFIDENTIAL
Revision History
Version Primary Author(s) Description of Version Date
Completed
1.0 HL, JY First draft of the Best Practice on AES V7.1 with Microsoft App-V Technology 1/19/09
1.1 HL Add more screenshots for the Demo 3/10/09
1.2 HL Add ABE Known Issue 5/20/09
1.3 HL Minor modification 5/22/09
1.4 HL Add MS Sequencing Guide link 5/25/09
1.5 WW Update for V7.2 5/13/10
1.6 WW Update for V7.3 and App-V 4.6, add known issues and best practices 1/26/11


Table of Contents
REVISION HISTORY II
TABLE OF CONTENTS III
1 INTRODUCTION 2
1.1 THE APP-V ADVANTAGES 2
2 MICROSOFT APPLICATION VIRTUALIZATION 4.6 OVERVIEW 3
2.1 MICROSOFT APP-V COMPONENTS 3
2.2 INSTALLING APPLICATIONS UNDER THE APP-V SEQUENCER 3
2.3 LIMITATIONS OF MICROSOFT APP-V 3
3 SEQUENCING ASPEN ENGINEERING SUITE V7.3 WITH MICROSOFT APP-V SEQUENCER 5
3.1 SETTING UP THE MICROSOFT APP-V SEQUENCER HOST PLATFORM 5
3.2 GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SEQUENCING AES V7.3 APPLICATIONS 6
3.3 WORKING WITH THE SEQUENCER - SEQUENCING WIZARD 7
3.4 WORKING WITH THE SEQUENCER – PACKAGE CONFIGURATION 15
4 DEPLOYING PACKAGE TO MICROSOFT SYSTEM CENTER APPLICATION VIRTUALIZATION MANAGEMENT SERVER 17
5 LAUNCHING AES V7.3 APPLICATIONS WITH MICROSOFT APPLICATION VIRTUALIZATION FOR DESKTOPS 20
6 KNOWN ISSUES AND WORKAROUNDS 21
6.1 APPLICATION CANNOT LOCATE ASPENTECH SHARED FOLDER 21
6.2 INVALID WORKING FOLDER OF ASPEN CUSTOM MODELER FAMILY PRODUCTS 21
6.3 ENABLE ASPEN PROPERTIES ENTERPRISE DATABASE IN APP-V 21
6.4 CANNOT LAUNCH SHORTCUT POINTING TO EXCEL FILE 24
6.5 ASPEN BASIC ENGINEERING PERFORMANCE ISSUE IN APP-V 24
6.6 ASPEN DCOM ISSUE 24
6.7 EDTI FILEY TYPE ASSOCIATION FOR ACM PRODUCTS IN APP-V OSD 25
6.8 SET DEFSULT SHELL COMMAND LIST FOR ASPEN.OSD AND ASPENPROP.OSD 28
6.9 INSTALL SEPARATE ASPEN MSI OR EXE ON APP-V CLIENT 29
6.10 HOW TO "RUN" OR "BACKUP" IN THE RIGHT CLICK MENU OF .INP AND .APRINP FILES 29
7 APPENDIX 32
8 USEFUL RESOURCES 40







1 Introduction
This document outlines the best practices for deploying Aspen Engineering Suite V7.3 with Microsoft Application Virtualization (aka: App-V) Platform, Version 4.6.
App-V is a virtualization technology where the virtualization happens at the application level. This enables the encapsulated Microsoft App-V-enabled application(s) to run within an isolated environment, called App-V SystemGuard, on the Microsoft App-V client.
1.1 The App-V Advantages
Microsoft App-V platform allows enterprises to centralize management of applications based on corporate policy. The App-V-enabled application is never locally installed on the end-user’s computer, avoiding conflicts between different applications, between applications and operating systems, and between different versions of the same application. The dynamic delivery nature of App-V allows the application to be delivered to the end user on demand. The active application upgrade provides an efficient and controlled environment for users to stay with the latest patches/updates.
1.1.1 Application running within its own protected SystemGuard
One of the most significant benefits of Microsoft App-V is that application will be running in its own protected SystemGuard environment. This prevents application files from being removed or updated intentionally or accidentally (by user or other application installation) as there will be no file(s) installed locally. This also reduces the chance of application conflict due to shared components on the user machine and ultimately reduces the help desk calls in the corporation.
In addition, this feature not only reduces application conflicts, it also allows multiple versions of the products to run side by side on the same machine. For example, you can have both Microsoft Excel 2003 and Excel 2007 running concurrently.
1.1.2 Applications are never installed locally
All needed elements (files, registry, etc.) for the application are contained inside its own protected SystemGuard environment. Virtualized applications are streamed to the user on-demand as packages to be executed on the local processor. No installation footprint is created on the user machine.
1.1.3 Centrally Manage Applications
Microsoft App-V platform enables organizations to control the number of users who can gain access to Microsoft App-V-enabled applications based on the user policy management with SMS integration. This feature greatly reduces the application management costs in the organization.
1.1.4 Accelerate application deployment, Reduce help desk cost
Because applications are installed only once, rather than once per client machine, applications can be deployed to groups of users more quickly. And since there is only one installed copy of the software, issues with getting the software installed correctly are minimized.
2 Microsoft Application Virtualization 4.6 Overview
You can always get detailed information about Microsoft Application Virtualization from the whitepapers:

Microsoft Application Virtualization 4.6 Documentation
2.1 Microsoft App-V components
There are five components in Microsoft Application Virtualization Platform:

I. Microsoft Application Virtualization Sequencer – The sequencer monitors and analyzes the application installation process and creates the App-V Virtual Environment (SystemGuard) package to be deployed to the App-V server.
II. Microsoft System Center Application Virtualization Management Server – Once the Microsoft App-V-enabled application is ready, it will be deployed to the Microsoft System Center Application Virtualization Management Server. The application server will then fulfill requests from Microsoft Application Virtualization Clients for the virtualized applications.
III. Microsoft Application Virtualization for Desktops – The client launches the Microsoft App-V-enabled application in a protected environment (SystemGuard) without having any installation footprint on the Microsoft App-V client host machine.
IV. Microsoft Application Virtualization for Terminal Services – This component publishes the applications to the Terminal Services virtual desktop, and manages connections to the App-V Server.
V. Microsoft System Center Application Virtualization Streaming Server - This server can stream the packages to App-V client without the Active Directory or SQL Server. However, it does not have a Desktop Configuration Service, licensing or metering capabilities.
2.2 Installing applications under the App-V Sequencer
With App-V, the application's installer is run only under the watch of the sequencer. During the installation process, the Sequencer provides wizards to collect information from the Sequence Engineer about the application. The Sequence Engineer must know not only how the application will behave during the installation but also which other applications need to exist and which network drives need to have been configured. Additionally, the Sequence Engineer must test and configure the application, which requires even more extensive knowledge of the application.
2.3 Limitations of Microsoft App-V
There are some limitations as to what can and cannot be virtualized with App-V. For example, boot-time applications cannot be sequenced because they would be expected to run before the Microsoft App-V Application Virtualization Client executables have been loaded on the client machine. For a detailed limitation list, please go through the whitepaper:

Microsoft Application Virtualization 4.6 Sequencing Guide Chapter 6
3 Sequencing Aspen Engineering Suite V7.3 with Microsoft App-V Sequencer
Before sequencing the Aspen Engineering Suite (AES) V7.3 applications with Microsoft App-V Sequencer, the user should have a good understanding about the AES V7.3 installation and about App-V itself. The Aspen Engineering Suite V7.3 Installation Guide is a good source to gain knowledge about the AES installation. The AES V7.3 installation guide provides insights such as which applications require post-installation configuration to behave properly.

You should go through the Microsoft Application Virtualization 4.6 Sequencing Guide whitepaper to have a full understanding of Recommended Best Practices for Sequencing and, before starting the work to sequence the AES V7.3 products.

To learn more about the App-V technology, you can visit the App-V Team blog, or the Microsoft App-V site, where numerous materials can help you master App-V.

The following sections provide a recommended procedure when working with Microsoft App-V Sequencer to sequence the Aspen Engineering Suite V7.3 application(s).
3.1 Setting up the Microsoft App-V Sequencer host platform
3.1.1 Setting up the Microsoft App-V Sequencer on Virtual Platform
In order to sequence applications on a clean environment, it is recommended the Microsoft App-V Sequencer be installed on a virtual platform (VMWare/Microsoft Virtual PC/Hyper-V VM). The virtual platform allows effortless snapshot rewinding (undo) which allows the platform to start anew when ready to sequence the next application.
3.1.2 Setting up Microsoft .NET Framework
Aspen Engineering Suite V7.3 installs Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 by default. The architectural changes in App-V 4.5 (should be the same in 4.6) have a side effects of changing the App-V compatibility with the .NET Framework from previous versions of App-V. You must read the following article which provides specific guidance for sequencing and using .NET applications with App-V 4.5. Basically, you should install .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 locally on the sequencer unless you’re using Windows 7 as the sequencer host.

Support for .NET in Microsoft Application Virtualization 4.5 (App-V)

NOTE: you should install App-V 4.5 CU1 to get support for Windows 7 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/963693).

3.1.3 Setting up Microsoft SQL Server (Optional)
If you intend to sequence the Aspen Properties Enterprise Database (APED) System with the dependent AES V7.3 applications, it is recommended that you install any SQL engine on the sequencer machine in advance to prevent the AES V7.3 installer from attempting to install Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express SP3 during the sequencing phase.
You can still use the APED feature with the Microsoft App-V-enabled application by setting up the database locally on the Microsoft App-V client machine. Also, you can set up the database by registering them from a remote APED server. Please refer to the Known Issue and Workarounds section for more information.
3.2 General recommendations for Sequencing AES V7.3 applications
3.2.1 Mount point installation (MNT)
MNT installation is the preferred method when installing the Aspen Engineering Suite V7.3 applications on the App-V Sequencer. The MNT is an installation where during the sequencing steps, a destination folder is created in the Q:\ drive (App-V Default Mount Point) and the application is installed in this folder. For example, it is recommended that Q:\APlus72 to be used as the root destination folder for sequencing the Process Modeling (Aspen Plus) V7.3. On the client, a virtual Q:\ drive is created within the SystemGuard environment which is not accessible outside SystemGuard.

With the MNT installation, efficiency is improved when compared to a Virtual File System (VFS) installation, which is also recommended by the Microsoft App-V team.
3.2.2 Dynamic suite
The current Microsoft App-V now supports the communication between different App-V-enabled packages by setting up the dynamic suite (it’s a new feature developed for 4.5), however it’s not 100% bidirectional yet. For example, set packages A and B as dynamic suite, and A as primary package and B as dependency, then A can access B however applications in B package can only access A while being launched from A environment. If you launch application from B directly then it cannot access A package. You can refer to the following links for more information about dynamic suite of App-V(the same for 4.6).

How to dynamically suite two packages using App-V 4.5 and DSC
Microsoft Application Virtualization 4.5 Sequencing Guide Chapter 9
Application Virtualization Dynamic Suite Composition Tool download

3.2.3 Sequence a group of Aspen Engineering Suite V7.3 applications
As mentioned above, the current version of Microsoft App-V doesn’t fully support bidirectional communication but sort of unidirectional communication between two separate Microsoft App-V-enabled packages. As a result, it’s recommended that applications to sequence together as one package for them to communicate better and function properly. For example, it’s better to sequence Process Modeling (HYSYS) together with Aspen Exchanger Design and Rating.

3.2.4 Microsoft Excel-Dependent Aspen Engineering Suite V7.3 applications
As with groups of AES V7.3 applications, in order for the inter-product functionality of third-party-dependent applications to perform flawlessly, it’s recommended that you also sequence any third party applications together with the depending AES V7.3 applications. For example, Aspen Plus Based Refinery Reactors should be sequenced together with Microsoft Excel.

But how if you don't want the third-part-dependent application to be a part in the App-V bubble of AES V7.3 applications. There are two other choices, take Microsoft Excel as the third-part application for example:

i. Make two separate App-V packages for Microsoft Excel and Process Modeling Development. Then set them as dynamic suite. However, you may still need to install Excel locally on the App-V client machine in order to launch excel from Aspen Batch Process Developer.

ii. Install Excel locally on the sequencer machine. Then sequencer Operation Support. Create a shortcut pointing to the locally excel during "Configure Application". On the App-V client machine, you'll need to install the same version of Excel locally to the same location as did on the sequencer machine. Be sure you're launching the excel shortcut from Operation Support App-V package, but not from the locally installed excel shorcut.

It's recommended that you always open an .xls or .xlsx file from a launched Excel but not double click directly on the .xls or .xlsx.
3.3 Working with the Sequencer - Sequencing Wizard
The Sequencing Wizard is the first set of screens that appear when you start with creating a package. It collects information necessary to monitor the product installation(s).
3.3.1 Package Information
Enter the package name in this dialog, and it’s must be unique, i.e. Process Modeling (Aspen Plus) V7.3. Put any comments you want.


3.3.2 Advanced Options
Usually there is no need to change the default settings on the Advanced Option dialog. To make this dialog shown, you should check the “Show Advanced Monitoring Options” in the previous step.



3.3.3 Monitor Installation
Click “Begin Monitoring” to start monitor the installation process. Create a primary directory on Q:\ drive (The default App-V mount point drive) where the application(s) going to be installed to. The primary directory should be an unique 8.3 directory name, i.e. “Q:\APLUS73” is correct while “Q:\Aspen Plus V7.3” is incorrect. In version 4.6 this was done when you clicked “Stop Monitoring”.



3.3.4 Launch application installation
If the application you’re sequencing needs any 3rd party software but not part of the aspenONE V7.3 install, it’s recommended to install them first, i.e. Matrikon OPC Explorer for Aspen OTS Framework. If you want to sequence Microsoft Office as part of the package, you should also install the Microsoft Office ahead of the AspenTech products.

After you finish with the 3rd party software install or you don’t need to install any 3rd party software, you can launch the AspenTech installer and install the product(s) you want to sequence.

If you want all the clients use the same default SLM license server for the aspenONE applications you’re sequencing, you can enter the license server at the beginning of the installation. As you know, this step can be skipped for the Aspen Engineering Suite products, however the client will need to set the license server from the “SLM Configuration Wizard” later on. Also, the client has the choice to change the default license server from the “SLM Configuration Wizard” after you enter the license server here.



Please change the destination folder to the primary directory created on Q:\ drive when you asked for the root folder. Do not change the installation folder on the feature selection window anymore.




3.3.5 Add Files to the Virtual System
After the installation finishes, click the Stop Monitoring to back to the sequencing wizard. By default, there is no additional file to be added to the VFS. However if you have any specific file(s) need to be added into the bubble, this is the right place, i.e. license file for 3rd party software.


3.3.6 Configure Applications
During the sequencing phase, the sequencer may create extra shortcuts due to the installation behavior. You can remove the unwanted shortcuts from this dialog. If not sure, it's recommended that just leave it. Because the file type associations will also be removed together with the shortcut/application here.



For sequencer Aspen HYSYS, please remove the hsc file type associations under shortcut "Restore File Associations". Otherwise, double click on hsc file in App-V client will launch "Restore File Associations" but not the expected Aspen HYSYS.



For sequencer Aspen Plus/Aspen HYSYS, please set one action of INP file type association under shortcut "aspen" to default. If not, the Backup and Run actions will not be shown in App-V on the right click menu of INP files.



Do the same thing for APRINP file type association under shortcut "aspenprop".



However, a left issue after doing this is that the default action with be changed, which should be Edit and response to file double clicking.



The shortcut name should be also unique, otherwise it will not able be imported to the App-V management server console due to confliction of duplicate name. If there is any shortcut has the same name with the existing package, you should rename it here.




3.3.7 Launch Applications
You should launch the applications to ensure the functionality under the App-V environment. Any files that are executed during this phase will be tagged as feature block 1. Any remaining files will be tagged as feature block 2. If you don’t launch any application here then all files will be a part of feature block 1. It’s highly recommended to launch the major applications at least to make sure everything is working correctly.



During the launching phase, if Windows Installer resiliency kicks in, please allow it to complete the process. However, this may cause the Application Launch bar hanging on the desktop even after you close the application, as it complains about waiting for a child process (application) to exit. Under this circumstance, the Windows Installer process (misexec.exe) will need to be terminated manually via the Task Manager.
3.3.8 Sequence Package
As the last step of the sequencing wizard, it will sequence all the contents of the application. Click Finish after it’s done.


3.4 Working with the Sequencer – Package Configuration
When you finish with the Sequencing Wizard, you’re brought back to the main interface of the sequencer where you can configure the package. Usually we don’t need to change the default settings except the items on the Deployment tab. Navigate to the Deployment tab and make the changes described below.

3.4.1 Protocol
You can select the streaming protocol here used for the App-V management server and client communication. The available protocols are RTSP, RTSPS, HTTP, HTTPS, and FILE. Let’s choose RTSP here (The default is RTSPS).
3.4.2 Path
A Path value should be specified here, for example PMAP71. A folder with this name should also be created on the App-V management server. Upload all the files created during the sequencing phase into this content folder. Using a specified path makes the packages more manageable and presentable on the server.
3.4.3 Operating Systems
Select the Operating Systems that you want the application(s) to run on. Usually just select all the available systems.
3.4.4 Compression Algorithm
As mentioned in the App-V limitation session, the package size cannot be over 4GB. Select Compressed(ZLIB) if you need to compress the size of your package. If you’re sequencing multiple Aspen Engineering products together, it’s recommended that you compress the package size. Note that this only compresses the package itself. After it is streamed to the client it will expand to its full size.



4 Deploying package to Microsoft System Center Application Virtualization Management Server
• On the App-V Management Server, the folder C:\Program Files\Microsoft System Center App Virt Management Server\App Virt Management Server\content needs to be shared. (for example, as the share \\AppV-Svr\content)
• The aforementioned shared folder should be specified as the Default Content Path, as illustrated in the picture below.



• The RTSP port should be exactly the same with what you specified when you select the protocol for the package. The default port is 554 for RTSP and 322 for RTSPS.


• You can import one Microsoft App-V enabled application at a time by importing the *.osd file directly (all the *.osd files will be imported when you choose the *.sprj file).
• Sometimes the default File Type Association might get messed up for some of the file types. You should go to the File Type Association and select the correct associated application for the specific file type.


• A program group for the Start Menu should be specified for the Microsoft App-V-enabled application shortcuts for better manageability on the user’s machine.
• Additional actions can be performed when launching the Microsoft App-V-enabled application by having additional scripts in the .osd file. Please refer to the whitepaper for more information: Microsoft Application Virtualization 4.5 Sequencing Guide Chapter 11

5 Launching AES V7.3 applications with Microsoft Application Virtualization for Desktops
• Please be sure to install the Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 SP1 Redistributable on the client locally! It’s CRITICAL for most of the AES V7.3 applications to function properly. You can download it from Microsoft, the install kit is not available in aspenONE DVD since V7.3.
• You should read 3.1.2 to determine whether Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 Service Pack 1 should be installed on the client or not. Basically, you should install .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 locally unless you’re using Windows 7. You can download it from Microsoft, the install kit is not available in aspenONE DVD since V7.3.
• An environment variable %SFT_SOFTGRIDSERVER% should be created on the App-V client pointing to the App-V Management Server.
• Refreshing the server on the App-V client will make the latest App-V-enabled applications available on the client’s host machine.
• Clean up the old application settings and cache after you re-deploy an application, otherwise you might have problems using the newly deployed application.
• Due to the large installation footprint of the AES applications, it is recommended that the default cache size be enlarged to allow sufficient space on the client to store/stream the Microsoft App-V-enabled applications. A size over 6GB is recommended. If you have installed the client with default settings, you can enlarge the cache size afterwards in the App-V Client Management console.
• If the Microsoft App-V client is on a WAN/slow network environment, you may need to pre-load the Microsoft App-V-enabled application (to stream the virtualized package to the local cache) to allow all the necessary feature blocks to be ready for execution.
• If any problem when launch an application on App-V client with Vista or above system, try again by right clicking on it and select "Run As Administrator".
• For AES V7.3 and above, please don't create the %AllUserProfile%\AspenTech\Aspen Plus <version> and %AllUserProfile%\AspenTech\Aspen Properties <version> local folders. Or it will cause below issue.

•
6 Known issues and workarounds
6.1 Application cannot locate AspenTech Shared folder
In order to make all the AspenTech files installed to the %COMMONFILES%\AspenTech Shared folder accessible to virtualized applications, it’s recommended that you include the AspenTech Shared folder in the .osd path setting. This is especially important for the Aspen Custom Modeler family products to function correctly. For example, you may find the following in the .osd file referring to the AspenTech Shared folder:

<ENVIRONMENT VARIABLE="PATH">%PATH%;%CSIDL_PROGRAM_FILES_COMMON%\AspenTech Shared\;</ENVIRONMENT>

Please replace %CSIDL_PROGRAM_FILES_COMMON%\AspenTech Shared\ with %SFT_MNT%\MyAppV10\VFS\CSIDL_PROGRAM_FILES_COMMON\AspenTech Shared\, where MyAppV10 is the folder under the default mount drive in the App-V system where you install the application, i.e. it’s APLUS71 in the demo of this document.

NOTE: Aspen Custom Modeler family products include Aspen Adsorption, Aspen Batch Distillation, Aspen Chromatography, Aspen Custom Modeler, Aspen Model Runner, Aspen Plus Dynamics, Aspen Reaction Modeler, Aspen Solubility Modeler, Aspen Utilities Planner.
6.2 Invalid working folder of Aspen Custom Modeler family products
For some of the Aspen Custom Modeler family products, you may encounter the invalid working folder warning when you launch the application. You can either create a folder on the App-V client locally and then point the working folder to it, or select the existing folders (You can select the folders on Q:\ drive as well, i.e. Q:\APLUS71\VFS\CSIDL_COMMON_APPDATA\AspenTech\Aspen Custom Modeler V7.3).

NOTE: Aspen Custom Modeler family products include Aspen Adsorption, Aspen Batch Distillation, Aspen Chromatography, Aspen Custom Modeler, Aspen Model Runner, Aspen Plus Dynamics, Aspen Reaction Modeler, Aspen Solubility Modeler, Aspen Utilities Planner.
6.3 Enable Aspen Properties Expertise Database in App-V

6.3.1 Used APED installed locally on the App-V client
a. Install the standalone Aspen Properties Enterprise Database (APED) V7.3 package on your App-V Client (Please contact AspenTech Support for the installation package of standalone APED V7.3). If you want to use an existing APED server, please go to 6.3.2.
b. Enable remote connections to SQL Server instance. Please follow the steps in appendix "How to enable remote connections to SQL Server instance -"
c. Launch the Aspen Properties Database Manager within App-V client. There is no database available at this point.
d. Right click on the “Aspen Physical Properties Databases” node and select “Register a Database”. On the dialog, change the server to .\<Instance Name> ( ".\" stands for the local machine name. For default instance, you can just use "."). And then input the following login information:
Login Name: apeduser
Password: Aprop100

e. Select the available databases from Database dropdown list to register one by one, until all 3 databases (APV73, NISTV73, FACTV73) have been registered and listed in the MMC console.



f. Launch the APED related application, now you should able to use APED databanks.
6.3.2 Use APED installed on a remote APED server
a. On a Windows 2003/2008 server, install SQL Server 2005 SP3 or above.
b. Enable remote connections to SQL Server instance. Please follow the steps in appendix "How to enable remote connections to SQL Server instance -"
c. If have an existing remote APED server, skip this step. Install the standalone Aspen Properties Enterprise Database (APED) V7.3 package on the remote APED server (Please contact AspenTech Support for the installation package of standalone APED V7.3).
d. Install SQLServer 2005 backward compatibility (BC) on App-V client. "SQL-DMO" and " Data Transformation Services 2000 Runtime" are the minimum required features.
e. Launch the Aspen Properties Database Manager within App-V client. There is no database available at this point.
f. Right click on the “Aspen Physical Properties Databases” node and select “Register a Database”. On the dialog, change the server to <remote server name>\<instance name> (if using the default instance, use <remote server name> format). And then input the following login information:
Login Name: apeduser
Password: Aprop100

g. Select the available databases from Database dropdown list to register one by one, until all 3 databases (APV73, NISTV73, FACTV73) have been registered and listed in the MMC console.


6.4 Cannot launch shortcut pointing to Excel file
Even though you sequence the Microsoft Excel inside the package, you might still find that you cannot launch some shortcuts pointing to Excel files. As a workaround, you can launch Microsoft Excel from the App-V package first and then use the File – Open menu to open the Excel files from the Q:\ drive, i.e. Q:\APUS71\ Aspen Plus CatCracker V7.3\Aspen_CatCracker.xls. This applies to Aspen Plus Based Refinery Reactors and Aspen Solubility Modeler.

NOTE: Aspen Plus Based Refinery Reactors should be sequenced together with Process Modeling (Aspen Plus) as the datasheet needs to connect to Aspen Plus Simulation Engine for calculation.
6.5 Aspen Basic Engineering performance issue in App-V
First of all, you should only sequence the User Service of Aspen Basic Engineering in App-V, while Data Service should be installed on a server system locally.

There is a confirmed issue that opening a big diagram in Drawing Editor is significantly slower than the non App-V environment due to a problem in the Intergraph component. This problem has been fixed in Aspen Basic Engineering V7.3 Cumulative Patch1, which you can download from AspenTech support website. It’s recommended that you sequence this patch together with the Aspen Basic Engineering V7.3 RTM.

6.6 Aspen DCOM issue

Aspen DCOM .MSH error when running/invloking Aspen Plus/Aspen Properties examples. Just click ok to continue. Or if you copy the example files to a local place and run it, there will be no such issue.


6.7 Edit file type association for ACM products in APP-V OSD

After sequencering ACM products (Aspen Custom Modeler, Aspen Adsorption, Aspen Model Runner, Aspen Utilities Planner, Aspen Batch Distillation, Aspen Plus Dynamics), in each of the product's OSD file, you'll find it contains all of the 6 products <PROGID></PROGID > and <FILEEXTENSION></FILEEXTENSION>, as showing the attached "ACM products FTA after sequencer.txt". This will cause issue when double click on a file with the file type among the 6 products, it always launches the last published Aspen Plus Dynamic.

<MGMT_FILEASSOCIATIONS>
<PROGIDLIST>
......
</PROGIDLIST>
<FILEEXTENSIONLIST>
......
</FILEEXTENSIONLIST>
</MGMT_FILEASSOCIATIONS>


To resolve this issue, a further configure step on the App-V server is needed. Please edit each of the 6 product's OSD file for the above sections as below, left only the PROID and FILEEXTENSION for the right product.

1>. Aspen Adsorption
<MGMT_FILEASSOCIATIONS>
<PROGIDLIST>
<PROGID ID="Aspen Adsorption Language" FRIENDLYNAME="Aspen Adsorption Language" EDITFLAGS="0" OVERRIDDEN="FALSE">
<ICON>%SFT_MIME_SOURCE%/AESALL.v73 Icons/Aspen Adsorption Language.ico</ICON>
<SHELLCOMMANDLIST DEFAULT="">
<SHELLCOMMAND NAME="Open" FRIENDLYNAME="Open" PARAMS="/ads "%1"" OVERRIDDEN="FALSE"/>
</SHELLCOMMANDLIST>
</PROGID>
</PROGIDLIST>
<FILEEXTENSIONLIST>
<FILEEXTENSION EXT="ada" PROGID="Aspen Adsorption Language" PERCEIVEDTYPE="" CONTENTTYPE="" OVERRIDDEN="FALSE">
<SHELLNEW ENABLED="FALSE"/>
</FILEEXTENSION>
</FILEEXTENSIONLIST>
</MGMT_FILEASSOCIATIONS>

2>. Aspen Batch Distillation
<MGMT_FILEASSOCIATIONS>
<PROGIDLIST>
<PROGID ID="Aspen Batch Distillation Language" FRIENDLYNAME="Aspen Batch Distillation Language" EDITFLAGS="0" OVERRIDDEN="FALSE">
<ICON>%SFT_MIME_SOURCE%/AESALL.v73 Icons/Aspen Batch Distillation Language (1).ico</ICON>
<SHELLCOMMANDLIST DEFAULT="">
<SHELLCOMMAND NAME="Open" FRIENDLYNAME="Open" PARAMS="/bsp "%1"" OVERRIDDEN="FALSE"/>
</SHELLCOMMANDLIST>
</PROGID>
</PROGIDLIST>
<FILEEXTENSIONLIST>
<FILEEXTENSION EXT="bspf" PROGID="Aspen Batch Distillation Language" PERCEIVEDTYPE="" CONTENTTYPE="" OVERRIDDEN="FALSE">
<SHELLNEW ENABLED="FALSE"/>
</FILEEXTENSION>
</FILEEXTENSIONLIST>
</MGMT_FILEASSOCIATIONS>

3>. Aspen Custom Modeler
<MGMT_FILEASSOCIATIONS>
<PROGIDLIST>
<PROGID ID="Aspen Custom Modeler Language" FRIENDLYNAME="Aspen Custom Modeler Language" EDITFLAGS="0" OVERRIDDEN="FALSE">
<ICON>%SFT_MIME_SOURCE%/AESALL.v73 Icons/Aspen Custom Modeler Language (2).ico</ICON>
<SHELLCOMMANDLIST DEFAULT="">
<SHELLCOMMAND NAME="Open" FRIENDLYNAME="Open" PARAMS="/acm "%1"" OVERRIDDEN="FALSE"/>
</SHELLCOMMANDLIST>
</PROGID>
</PROGIDLIST>
<FILEEXTENSIONLIST>
<FILEEXTENSION EXT="acmf" PROGID="Aspen Custom Modeler Language" PERCEIVEDTYPE="" CONTENTTYPE="" OVERRIDDEN="FALSE">
<SHELLNEW ENABLED="FALSE"/>
</FILEEXTENSION>
</FILEEXTENSIONLIST>
</MGMT_FILEASSOCIATIONS>


4>. Aspen Model Runner
<MGMT_FILEASSOCIATIONS>
<PROGIDLIST>
<PROGID ID="Aspen Model Runner Language" FRIENDLYNAME="Aspen Model Runner Language" EDITFLAGS="0" OVERRIDDEN="FALSE">
<ICON>%SFT_MIME_SOURCE%/AESALL.v73 Icons/Aspen Model Runner Language (3).ico</ICON>
<SHELLCOMMANDLIST DEFAULT="">
<SHELLCOMMAND NAME="Open" FRIENDLYNAME="Open" PARAMS="/amr "%1"" OVERRIDDEN="FALSE"/>
</SHELLCOMMANDLIST>
</PROGID>
</PROGIDLIST>
<FILEEXTENSIONLIST>
<FILEEXTENSION EXT="amrf" PROGID="Aspen Model Runner Language" PERCEIVEDTYPE="" CONTENTTYPE="" OVERRIDDEN="FALSE">
<SHELLNEW ENABLED="FALSE"/>
</FILEEXTENSION>
</FILEEXTENSIONLIST>
</MGMT_FILEASSOCIATIONS>


5>. Aspen Plus Dynamics
<MGMT_FILEASSOCIATIONS>
<PROGIDLIST>
<PROGID ID="Aspen Dynamics Language" FRIENDLYNAME="Aspen Dynamics Language" EDITFLAGS="0" OVERRIDDEN="FALSE">
<ICON>%SFT_MIME_SOURCE%/AESALL.v73 Icons/Aspen Dynamics Language (4).ico</ICON>
<SHELLCOMMANDLIST DEFAULT="">
<SHELLCOMMAND NAME="Open" FRIENDLYNAME="Open" PARAMS="/ad "%1"" OVERRIDDEN="FALSE"/>
</SHELLCOMMANDLIST>
</PROGID>
</PROGIDLIST>
<FILEEXTENSIONLIST>
<FILEEXTENSION EXT="dynf" PROGID="Aspen Dynamics Language" PERCEIVEDTYPE="" CONTENTTYPE="" OVERRIDDEN="FALSE">
<SHELLNEW ENABLED="FALSE"/>
</FILEEXTENSION>
</FILEEXTENSIONLIST>
</MGMT_FILEASSOCIATIONS>

6>. Aspen Utilities Planner
<MGMT_FILEASSOCIATIONS>
<PROGIDLIST>
<PROGID ID="Aspen Utilities Language" FRIENDLYNAME="Aspen Utilities Language" EDITFLAGS="0" OVERRIDDEN="FALSE">
<ICON>%SFT_MIME_SOURCE%/AESALL.v73 Icons/Aspen Utilities Language.ico</ICON>
<SHELLCOMMANDLIST DEFAULT="">
<SHELLCOMMAND NAME="open" FRIENDLYNAME="open" PARAMS="/utilities "%1"" OVERRIDDEN="FALSE"/>
</SHELLCOMMANDLIST>
</PROGID>
</PROGIDLIST>
<FILEEXTENSIONLIST>
<FILEEXTENSION EXT="auf" PROGID="Aspen Utilities Language" PERCEIVEDTYPE="" CONTENTTYPE="" OVERRIDDEN="FALSE">
<SHELLNEW ENABLED="FALSE"/>
</FILEEXTENSION>
</FILEEXTENSIONLIST>
</MGMT_FILEASSOCIATIONS>





6.8 Set default shell command list for aspen.osd and aspenprop.osd

Note: Please don't remove the notepad application during sequencer, otherwise, the Edit and Print shell command will not available.

Please edit the section in aspen.osd and aspenprop.osd as below after creating the app-v package. Otherwise, the Run and Bakcup shell command cannot be shown in the right click menu of .inp and .aprinp files.

aspen.osd
Please open the osd file with notepad and update this section as below:
<PROGIDLIST>
<PROGID ID="Apwn.InputFile" FRIENDLYNAME="Aspen Plus Input File" EDITFLAGS="0" OVERRIDDEN="FALSE">
<ICON>%SFT_MIME_SOURCE%/AESALL.v73 Icons/Aspen Plus Input File (1).ico</ICON>
<SHELLCOMMANDLIST DEFAULT="Run">
<SHELLCOMMAND NAME="Backup" FRIENDLYNAME="&Backup" PARAMS=""%1" /itonly /mmbackup /getridof" OVERRIDDEN="FALSE"/>
<SHELLCOMMAND NAME="Run" FRIENDLYNAME="&Run" PARAMS=""%1" /getridof" OVERRIDDEN="FALSE"/>
</SHELLCOMMANDLIST>
</PROGID>
</PROGIDLIST>


aspenprop.osd
Please open the osd file with notepad and update this section as below:
<PROGIDLIST>
<PROGID ID="AspenProperties.InputFile" FRIENDLYNAME="Aspen Properties Input File" EDITFLAGS="0" OVERRIDDEN="FALSE">
<ICON>%SFT_MIME_SOURCE%/AESALL.v73 Icons/Aspen Properties Input File (1).ico</ICON>
<SHELLCOMMANDLIST DEFAULT="Run">
<SHELLCOMMAND NAME="Backup" FRIENDLYNAME="&Backup" PARAMS=""%1" /itonly /mmbackup /getridof" OVERRIDDEN="FALSE"/>
<SHELLCOMMAND NAME="Run" FRIENDLYNAME="&Run" PARAMS=""%1" /getridof" OVERRIDDEN="FALSE"/>
</SHELLCOMMANDLIST>
</PROGID>
</PROGIDLIST>


please be aware of that after above actions, in the .inp and .aprinp files' right click menu, Run will be the default action. If you want to edit the files, please select the Edit action in the right click menu instead of double clicking it.

6.9 Install separate Aspen MSI or exe on App-V client [CQ00428546]
Take install mypipe.msi on App-V client for example:

In principle, the mypipe.msi should not be installed directly on App-V client. There are two ways to make it work:

<1>. Ask the App-V package developer to update the package by installing mypipe.msi on the app-v sequencer machine. Then re-import the new package to app-v server.
The disadvantage of this method is that user may have a lot of MSIs need to be installed
on App-V client. It's difficult and not flexible to ask package creator to re-package it each
time.

<2>. Actually, you can install the mypipe.msi on app-v client to make it work, but due to the app-v special environment, please make sure to do as below:
i. In command windows, run "NET USE X: \\%client%\Q$", where %client% is the computer name of your app-v client.This will create a network access drive X: to access the files in Q: drive.
ii. Before you access the files in Q: drive throught the network drive X:, you need to launch an application from the app-v bubble. e.g. "SLM Configuration Wizard V7.3", and leave it as opened.
iii. Install the mypipe.msi, change the default installation path to "X:\AESALL.V73\AspenTech\AMModels\24.0\MyPipe\".
iv. After installation, go to "c:\Document and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Aspentech\AES\", copy the XML file apmodelcatalog.xml to "X:\AESALL.V73\VFS\CSIDL_COMMON_APPDATA\AspenTech\AES\".
v. Launch a blank A+ or mypipe.bkp, click library\reference, check ACM Model. You can see the tab now.



6.10 How to "Run" or "Backup" in the right click menu of .INP and .APRINP files [CQ00406897]

Issue description:
On app-v client, right click on an .inp or .aprinp file, select "Run" or "Backup" (please see 6.8 to find how to make them available), there are no .bkp(aprbkp) and .out(.aprout) generated.

Cause:
.inp and .aprinp files are actually run by "aspen" command, however, in app-v environment, this command is not recognized.

Workaround:
Please launch "Aspen Plus Simulation Engine" in the App-V client first, then run below command lines:
aspen [path]\*.inp /getridof <----> the same as "Run" in the right click menu
aspen [path]\*.inp /itonly /mmbackup /getridof
<-----> the same as "Bakcup" in the right click menu
aspen [path]\*.aprinp /getridof <----> the same as "Run" in the right click menu
aspen [path]\*.aprinp /itonly /mmbackup /getridof
<-----> the same as "Bakcup" in the right click menu
*[Note] Where the [Path] is the location of the .inp or .aprinp file


6.11 Remove Microsoft.VC80.CRT folder and *.dll.2.config file during App-V sequencer [CQ00428571]

Issue description:
1.open blank Aspen adsorption;
2.File\demonstration..
select "Nitrogen Production (Single Bed Approach)".
3.select dynamic mode, click run button.
you will hit the error below:

Failed to find dynamic link library gusersub (or a DLL used by it) A sub-group in the decomposition failed to solve Initialization failed at time 0

In fact ,the dll file is gusesub.dll which is located in the installation path ...\AspenTech\Aspen Adsorption V7.3\Examples\N2PSA.


Cause:
During monitoring the application installation of sequencer, it will generate a Microsoft.VC80.CRT folder and gusersub.dll.2.config file under AspenTech\Aspen Adsorption V7.3\Examples\N2PSA.


Solution:
Remove the folder and file during sequencer and ensure they are not they in the virtual file system.




6.12 App-V: the inserted bkp file lose all information when double click to open it [CQ00428682]
Issue Description:
Open Aspen Plus and launch a blank simulation. From the Edit pull-down menu, choose Insert / New Object.

In the Insert Object dialog box click ¿Create from File¿.
Use the Browse button to choose pfdtut.bkp, then click the ¿Display as Icon¿ check box and click OK.
The file icon and file type name appear on the Process Flowsheet Window.
double-click on the file and it should open it in the appropriate application.
now pfdtut.bkp is opened, but it lost all information, such as flowsheet, components...

Notes From DEV:
==== State: Submitted by: David_Wolfendale on 28 January 2011 14:25:46 ====

The code to support embedded objects is not very robust partly because Microsoft is not putting much effort to making it work on all its new platforms.
Hence I don't think I can do anything to fix this.
By the way, it's kind of a stupid thing to do, inserting an object into an application which actually supports loading of the object directly by its own File/Open command - no user would ever find that useful.
Inserting/embedding objects is designed for objects from other applications like Excel spreadsheets.
I suggest that this defect be rejected.

App-V: Process Data add-in can't be loaded on App-V Environment successfully.
6.13 Process Data add-in can't be loaded on App-V Environment successfully. [CQ00433295]
Issue Description:
PD Excel Add-Ins cannot be loaded on app-v environment.

Cause:
VSTO 3.0 and VSTO 3.0 SP1 fail to be installed during streaming Process Explorer on app-v
sequencer

Solution:
During Monitor Installation:
1. Install Excel
2. Install vstor30.exe from the core folder in DVD2 aspenONEV7.3dvd2\ams\aspenONEv7.3dvd2\core\VSTO2008\
3. Install Process Explorer, InforPlus21, SQLPlus, Process Data, etc
During Launch Application:
1. Copy vstor30sp1-KB949258-x86.exe from the core folder in DVD2 aspenONEV7.3dvd2\ams\aspenONEv7.3dvd2\core\VSTO2008\
to somewhere in Q drive
2. Launch Visual Studio Command Prompt (2008) from the wizard
3. Launch a visual studio 2008 command prompt from the Sequencer, run the SP1 installation from the command prompt.
4. After SP1 installed, launch excel.exe from sequencer and enable our Excel Add-In. The Add-Ins will then show up.


7 Appendix
7.1 How to enable remote connections to SQL Server instance -
Please note that after we make all of the following changes we will need to restart SQLEXPRESS and SQLBROWSER services for the changes to take effect (how to restart these services is explained in this document as well).

All below mentioned changes must be done on the machine which will act as a remote SQL Server machine (to which we will remote connect) and not on the client machine.

1. Manually set firewall exceptions for SQL Server

1> Launch SQL Server Configuration Manager



2> Enable TCP/IP and Named Pipes protocols by right clicking on these protocols.



3> Make sure under SQL Native Client Configuration -> Client Protocols -> all protocols are enabled except VIA (even if VIA is enabled it is ok)




4> Launch SQL Server surface area configuration


5> Select Surface area configuration for service and connections link



6> Make sure local and remote connections setting is as shown below



7> Select SQLEXPRESS Service as shown below and click on STOP (if enabled) and then click on START. This will restart your SQLEXPRESS service.



8> Select SQL Server Browser Service and select AUTOMATIC under the drop down as shown below. Click Apply and OK. Then click on STOP button (if enabled) and then click on START button. This will restart/start your SQLBROWSER service.


9> Now start Windows firewall from control panel as shown below and click on Add Program button available on Exceptions tab.



Click on the Browse button and add following executables to this list (note that the location of these EXEs may differ on your computer based on where the software
was installed)

C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL.1\MSSQL\Binn\sqlservr.exe
C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\90\Shared\sqlbrowser.exe

Click OK.

10> There is a GUI for SQL Server Express, called “SQL Server Management Studio Express”. However, it is not automatically installed when the server is installed. You can obtain it from the Microsoft website if you do not already have it:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=C243A5AE-4BD1- 4E3D-94B8-5A0F62BF7796&displaylang=en


- Start the “SQL Server Management Studio Express” (from
Start/Programs/Microsoft SQL Server 2005). The connect to Server dialog box
appears. Connect to the server using e.g., Windows Authentication.



- Select the Server, use RMB menu and select Properties.



- The Server Properties dialog box appears



Now click on Connections menu available in the left tree and make sure that Remote Connections check box is checked on this SQL Express instance. If you
make this change then we need to restart SQL Express again, which you can do
by right clicking on the name of the server as shown in the penultimate screen
shot and selecting Restart option.

2. Use script to open firewall ports for SQL Server

To create the script, follow these steps:

1> Start Notepad.

2> Copy and paste the following code into Notepad:

@echo ========= SQL Server Ports ===================
@echo Enabling SQLServer default instance port 1433
netsh firewall set portopening TCP 1433 "SQLServer"
@echo Enabling Dedicated Admin Connection port 1434
netsh firewall set portopening TCP 1434 "SQL Admin Connection"
@echo Enabling conventional SQL Server Service Broker port 4022
netsh firewall set portopening TCP 4022 "SQL Service Broker"
@echo Enabling Transact-SQL Debugger/RPC port 135
netsh firewall set portopening TCP 135 "SQL Debugger/RPC"
@echo ========= Analysis Services Ports ==============
@echo Enabling SSAS Default Instance port 2383
netsh firewall set portopening TCP 2383 "Analysis Services"
@echo Enabling SQL Server Browser Service port 2382
netsh firewall set portopening TCP 2382 "SQL Browser"
@echo ========= Misc Applications ==============
@echo Enabling HTTP port 80
netsh firewall set portopening TCP 80 "HTTP"
@echo Enabling SSL port 443
netsh firewall set portopening TCP 443 "SSL"
@echo Enabling port for SQL Server Browser Service's 'Browse' Button
netsh firewall set portopening UDP 1434 "SQL Browser"
@echo Allowing multicast broadcast response on UDP (Browser Service Enumerations OK)
netsh firewall set multicastbroadcastresponse ENABLE

3> Save the file as a .txt file by using the following name: OpenSqlServerPort.txt

4> Rename the OpenSqlServerPort.txt file to the following: OpenSqlServerPort.bat

Before you run the OpenSqlServerPort.bat script, you must copy the script to the computer which has the firewall and then run the script on that computer. To run the script, follow these steps:

1> Click Start, click Run, type cmd, and then click OK.

2> At the command prompt, use the cd command to navigate to the folder in which you saved the OpenSqlServerPort.bat file.

3> To run the OpenSqlServerPort.bat script, type OpenSqlServerPort.bat at the command prompt, and then press ENTER.

8 Useful Resources
The following web sites have more information regarding Microsoft App-V:

• Microsoft App-V WebSite
o http://www.microsoft.com/systemcenter/appv/default.mspx
• Application Virtualization TechCenter
o http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/appvirtualization/default.aspx
• Microsoft Virtualization
o http://www.microsoft.com/virtualization/default.mspx
• The App-V Team Blog
o http://blogs.technet.com/softgrid/
• Independent App-V Blog
o http://www.softgridblog.com/
• http://www.softgridguru.com
o http://www.softgridguru.com/