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24 agosto 2026

Windows Command-Line Arguments for the App Volumes Application Capture Command-Line Program

This section lists the command-line arguments that are used with appcapture.exe to achieve tasks such as starting a capture session, updating an existing application, ending a capture session, and so on, using the command-line capture program.

The table in this page lists the commands and parameters which can be used with the capture command-line program.

Note:

  • To use the commands and parameters in the earlier format, see App Volumes Administration guide, versions 2503 or earlier, at Omnissa Product Documentation.

  • The command-line arguments for MSIX app attach format cannot be used in the current version of App Volumes. For information about these arguments, see Omnissa App Volumes Administration Guide version 2503 and earlier.

Description of Commands and Parameters

Command-line ArgumentTaskExamples
Actions
helpThis command displays the list of appcapture.exe commands, options, and their descriptions.
appcapture.exe help
startThis command starts a capture session for a new application or updates an existing application.

appcapture.exe start /name name_of_the_package

If additional parameters are not provided, then by default, the .vhd and .json files are captured at this location, C:\ProgramData\Omnissa\AppVolumes\Packages.


Note: The following parameters can be used with this command: /name, /author, /description, /format, /output, /source, /manualresume, /upgradecode, and /appproductid.

Note:/name is a mandatory parameter which must be used with the start command, whereas the remaining parameters are optional.

Example: 
appcapture.exe start /name Notepad++ /author John /description "This is Notepad++".

In this example, Notepad++, is the name of the package, captured in the VHD format. Author and description are added as capture details. As /output is not provided, the output files - Notepad++.vhd and Notepad++.json - are generated at this location: C:\ProgramData\Omnissa\AppVolumes\Packages by default.
metadataThis command extracts the .json metadata file for the captured application, which can either be a VMDK or VHD application package.

appcapture.exe metadata /file "path_of_the_captured_application_package"

/file can be either .vmdk or .vhd.

By default, the .json file is extracted to the same location as the captured application. If the /output parameter is provided, then the .json file is extracted to the location as specified in the parameter.		Example:
appcapture.exe metadata /file "C:\Users\TestUser\Desktop\Notepad++.vhd" /output "C:\Users\TestUser\Desktop\Test"

In this example, Notepad++.json for the Notepad++.vhd application package is extracted to the path as specified in the /output parameter, which is C:\Users\TestUser\Desktop\Test.
convert This command converts the format of a captured application to another application package format. The converted package can be in VHD, VMDK, or MSI format.

appcapture.exe convert /file "path_of_the_source_application_package" /format [VHD | VMDK | MSI]

The application package located in the path specified in the /file parameter is converted to the application package format as mentioned in the /format parameter.

By default, the new format of the converted application package is located at the same path as the source application package and has the same file name as the source package.

This command can also be used to convert an App-V application package to an App Volumes package. For more information about converting an App-V application package, see Convert App-V Application Packages to App Volumes Application Packages.

Note: To generate a .vhd application package from a .vmdk application package, which is captured using App Volumes Manager, the .vmdk package must be converted to a monolithic sparse .vmdk and then the convert command can be used. 		Example:
  • appcapture.exe convert /file "C:\Users\TestUser\Desktop\Notepad++.vhd" /format MSI /output "C:\Users\TestUser\Desktop\test"
    In this example, Notepad++.vhd is converted to Notepad++.msi and the converted package is located at C:\Users\TestUser\Desktop\test.

  • appcapture.exe convert /file "C:\Users\TestUser\Desktop\Notepad++_workstation.vmdk" /format VHD /output "C:\Users\TestUser\Desktop\test"
    In this example, Notepad++_workstation.vmdk is converted to Notepad++.vhd and the converted package is located at C:\Users\TestUser\Desktop\test.

  • appcapture.exe convert /file "C:\Users\TestUser\Desktop\Notepad++.appv" /format VHD /output "C:\Users\TestUser\Desktop\test"
    In this example, Notepad++.appv is converted to Notepad++.vhd and the converted package is located at C:\Users\TestUser\Desktop\test.
    Notepad++.vhd is an App-V application package.
cancelThis command cancels an ongoing capture session.

appcapture.exe cancel

The capture session gets canceled and the machine reboots. It is recommended that you revert to a clean snapshot before you start a new capture session.		Example:

appcapture.exe start /name Notepad++
.........................
.........................
appcapture.exe cancel
In this example, the capture session for Notepad++ gets canceled.
finalizeThis command ends a capture session.

appcapture.exe finalize

When finalize is used, the machine reboots and the command-line capture program automatically restarts. After the restart, the capture process is complete.

If no additional parameters are provided, then the .vhd and .json files are generated by default.

.vhd is the application package format and .json is the metadata file.
By default, these files are located at: C:\ProgramData\Omnissa\AppVolumes\Packages. 		Example:

appcapture.exe start /name Notepad++
.........................
.........................
appcapture.exe finalize
In this example, Notepad++.vhd and Notepad++.json are generated at C:\ProgramData\Omnissa\AppVolumes\Packages after the capture session completes.
resumeThis command resumes the command-line capture program after a machine reboot.

If you have used the /manualresume parameter at application capture, then you must use this command to resume the program.

appcapture.exe resume		Example:

appcapture.exe start /name Notepad++ /manualresume
...................................
...................................
appcapture.exe resume

In this example, the machine reboots after application capture, but the program does not automatically restart after the reboot as the /manualresume is provided. When the resume command is provided, the program restarts.
updateThis command is used as follows:
  • With /appproductid to add or modify the app_product_guid of the captured VHD application package
  • With /upgradecode to add or modify the UpgradeCode property of the captured MSI application package


For information about these two arguments, see their description and examples in this table.

Note:/appproductid cannot be used for .vmdk packages with this command.		 Examples:
  • appcapture.exe update /appproductid {867CAC46-AFDC-4462-8BE4-1F25861A5C55} /format MSI /file "C:\Users\TestUsers\Desktop\7zip.msi"
    • In this command, {867CAC46-AFDC-4462-8BE4-1F25861A5C55} is set as the UpgradeCode property in the 7zip.msi package, which was captured earlier.

  • appcapture.exe update /appproductid {867CAC46-AFDC-4462-8BE4-1F25861A5C55} /format VHD /file "C:\Users\TestUsers\Desktop\NPP.vhd"
    • In this command, {867CAC46-AFDC-4462-8BE4-1F25861A5C55} is set as the app_product_guid property for the NPP.vhd package. This property is present in the NPP.json file.

  • appcapture.exe update /upgradecode "C:\Users\TestUser\Downloads\7z920-x64.msi" /format MSI /file "C:\Users\TestUser\Desktop\7zip.msi"
    • In this command, the GUID generated using the UpgradeCode property of the native 7z920-x64.msi application installer is set as the UpgradeCode property in the 7zip.msi App Volumes application package, which was captured earlier.

  • appcapture.exe update /upgradecode "C:\Users\TestUser\Downloads\7z920-x64.msi" /format VHD /file "C:\Users\TestUser\Desktop\NPP.VHD"
    • In this command, the GUID generated using the UpgradeCode property of the native 7z920-x64.msi application installer is set as the app_product_guid property for the NPP.VHD package. This property is set in the NPP.JSON file.
testThis command tests and validates the captured .vhd application package. When this command is used, the program attaches the package to the virtual machine and enables the application bundles in the package for testing.

appcapture.exe test /package path_of_the_VHD_package

Note: Before using the test command, you must revert to a clean snapshot, which is different from the one used for application capture. 		Example:
appcapture.exe test /package C:\ProgramData\Omnissa\AppVolumes\Packages\test_dir\Notepad++.vhd
In this example, Notepad++.vhd is attached to the virtual machine and enabled for testing.
testendThis command ends the test session.
If you intend to test and validate another application, then revert to the snapshot taken before you started the test session for this application.		Example:
appcapture.exe testend
securityscanThis optional command performs a security scan on a VHD application package using Microsoft Defender.

When the command runs, a securityscan.bat script is triggered which runs Microsoft Defender and the VHD package is scanned. After the scan finishes, a .json file is generated which contains information such as the time stamp of the scan, scan command, scan result, scan output, path of the VHD package for which the scan is run, volume ID, app ID, and so on. Some of this information is also added to the metadata file (.json) of the captured VHD package in a section called securityscan.

appcapture.exe securityscan /path VHD_file_path /output scan_output_json_path

/path - indicates path of the captured VHD package
Note: Ensure that the captured .json file is at the same path as the captured VHD package.

/output - indicates the location at which the scan result (.json) must be generated
This location can be different from /path

For the securityscan command to run successfully, it is mandatory to provide the /output parameter.

When the same VHD package is scanned subsequently, scan results are overwritten in the .json file. To retain the earlier scan results for the package, a different .json file name can be provided in the /output parameter. However, the metadata file (.json) of the package contains only the latest scan results.

Here are some considerations when using this command:
  • Microsoft Defender must be installed and must be up to date on the virtual machine where the scan is run.
    Note: Currently, this command can be used only for the Microsoft Defender solution.

  • Administrator privileges are required to run this command.

  • This command can be used only for VHD packages.


    • Note: For information about a failed scan, see the output field in the .json file generated as an output of the securityscan command. Before importing the package to App Volumes Manager, ensure that the scan is successful.

    A scan summary can be generated on the console for a single file or multiple files (in the same folder) using the /summary parameter. For more information about this parameter, see one of the rows in the Options section of this table.     		Example:
    appcapture.exe securityscan /path "C:\Users\localadmin\Desktop\ScanVHD\Notepad++.vhd" /output "C:\Users\localadmin\Desktop\scannotepad++.json"

    In this example, the securityscan command scans Notepad++.vhd and scan results (scannotepad++.json) are generated at the path as specified in the /output parameter. The scan results are also added to the securityscan section of Notepad++.json.
    Options
    /appproductid This optional parameter sets the custom GUID as the app_product_guid property for the captured .vmdk and .vhd package and as the UpgradeCode property of the captured .msi package.

    This property is used to identify different application package versions which belong to the same application.
    When importing the package to App Volumes Manager, the package gets automatically associated with an existing application. Additionally, such an identification ensures that when different application package versions of the same application are delivered to a Windows endpoint, the user receives only the later version of the application at a time.

    This parameter can be used with the appcapture.exe start /name command to set the property for a new application package or the parameter can be used with the appcapture.exe update command to add or modify the property of an existing application package.

    Note:
    • If this parameter is used to set the property of an initial version of the application package, then the same parameter must be used for subsequent application package versions.
    • This parameter cannot be used with appcapture.exe update for .vmdk packages.
    		 Here are the different ways of using this parameter:
    • appcapture.exe start /name application_package_name /appproductid custom_GUID

      • If you want to import this application package in App Volumes Manager and associate the package with an existing application, then custom_GUID must be the same as the application GUID in App Volumes Manager. After the command runs, app_product_guid property is set in the .json file. The value of this property is same as the application GUID. Hence, after import, the captured package is associated with the existing application in App Volumes Manager.

    • appcapture.exe start /name application_package_name /appproductid custom_GUID /format MSI
      • custom_GUID must be a unique GUID for every application. This value is set as the app_product_guid property of the .vhd package in the .json file.
      • Using /format MSI is optional. If this argument is provided, then the custom_GUID is set as the UpgradeCode property of the captured .msi application package.

    • appcapture.exe update /appproductid custom_GUID /format MSI /file path_of_MSI_package
      • In this command, the custom_GUID is added as the UpgradeCode property of the existing .msi package. If the package has an UpgradeCode then the custom_GUID replaces the existing one.
      • /format indicates the format of the application package whose property is updated. The values of this argument are MSI and VHD.
      • /file is used to indicate the location of the application package.

    • appcapture.exe update /appproductid custom_GUID /format VHD /file path_of_VHD_package

      • In this command, the custom_GUID is added as the app_product_guid property of the existing .vhd package. If the package has an existing app_product_guid, then the custom_GUID replaces the existing one.
    /descriptionThis parameter can be used to add a description for a captured application either during a new capture session or when updating an existing application.

    When the package is imported to App Volumes Manager, this description can be viewed in the admin UI as part of package description.

    This parameter is optional.    		Example: 
    appcapture.exe start /name Notepad++ /description "This is a Notepad++ application package."
    /formatThis parameter can be used to choose the output format of an application package during a new capture session or when converting an already-captured application to a different format. Hence, this parameter can be used with start and convert commands. The output formats can be VHD, VMDK, or MSI.
    • appcapture.exe start /name name_of_package /format [VHD | VMDK | MSI]

    • appcapture.exe convert /file path_of_the_source_application_package /format [VHD | VMDK | MSI]

    Note: If this parameter is not provided, then by default, the generated output is in the VHD format.

    You can use this parameter with the startcommand in the following ways :
    • /format [MSI | VMDK ]: This indicates that the application package is first captured in the VHD format, converted to the output format as specified in the parameter value, and the VHD format is deleted.
    • /format VHD, [MSI | VMDK ]: After package capture, VHD format is converted to the output format as specified in the parameter value. The VHD format is also retained.
    • /format VHD,MSI,VMDK: This indicates that after package capture, VHD format is converted to both MSI and VMDK formats and the VHD format is also retained.
    • /format VMDK,MSI: This indicates that the VHD format is converted to VMDK and MSI and the VHD format is deleted.
    		Example: 
    appcapture.exe start /name Notepad++ /format VMDK,MSI

    In this example, the generated Notepad++.vhd format is converted to Notepad++.vmdk and Notepad++.msi formats. Later, the Notepad++.vhd format is deleted.
    /manualresumeThis parameter prevents the command-line capture program from an automatic restart after a machine reboot. The program must be manually restarted after the reboot using the resume command.

    This parameter is optional and can be used only with the start command.

    Sometimes during capture completion or application installation, the machine reboots. In either case, the command-line capture program automatically restarts on its own.
    Sometimes, you might want to perform some custom initialization task and prevent the automatic restart of the program. In such cases, this parameter can be used.
    After the machine reboots, the resume command must be used to restart the program and complete the capture session.    		Examples: 
    appcapture.exe start /name Notepad++ /manualresume


    If the machine reboots after application capture, then the program does not automatically restart after the reboot. The resume command must be provided for the program to restart.
    /outputThis parameter can be used to specify the location of output files. For example, this parameter can be used when starting a capture session

    Using this parameter is optional.
    If this parameter is not provided, then by default, the output files are located at C:\ProgramData\Omnissa\AppVolumes\Packages.

    Note: This parameter can be used only with the following commands: start,metadata, and convert.    		Example: 
    appcapture.exe start /name Notepad++ /output C:\ProgramData\Omnissa\AppVolumes\Packages\Test
    In this example, the Test folder contains Notepad++.vhd and Notepad++.json after the capture session.
    /sourceThis parameter can be used to update an existing VHD application package using the .vhd file as the source.
    This argument is optional.

    Note: Using this parameter is optional; however, this parameter must not be used when capturing a new application.     		Example: 
    appcapture.exe start /name Notepad++_update /source C:\ProgramData\Omnissa\AppVolumes\Packages\Notepad++.vhd
    In this example, Notepad++_update is the name of the updated package. This name must be different from the name given to the application package captured at first, which is Notepad++.vhd. The command-line capture program uses Notepad++.vhd as the source file to capture the updated package.
    /summaryThis optional parameter generates a summary of the scan result of a single VHD file or multiple VHD files in the same folder on the console.
    Scan summary contains the name of the file and scan status (success, failure, and not scanned). For files that are not scanned, the securityscan command must be run again.

    appcapture.exe securityscan /summary folder path | filepath

    folder path - indicates the folder which contains multiple .vhd files
    Scan summary is displayed for all the files in this folder.

    file path - file for which the scan summary is generated and displayed     		Example: 
    appcapture.exe securityscan /summary "C:\Users\localadmin\Desktop\ScanVHD"
    In this example, ScanVHD is the folder that contains multiple VHD files. When this parameter is used, scan results of all the files in the ScanVHD folder are displayed.

    appcapture.exe securityscan /summary "C:\Users\localadmin\Desktop\ScanVHD\Notepad++.vhd"

    In this example, the scan result of Notepad++.vhd is displayed as follows:
    Security scan summary for file
    C:\Users\localadmin\Desktop\TestVHDtoVMDK\Notepad++.vhd success    .
    /upgradecode This optional parameter uses the UpgradeCode of the native MSI application installer and generates a GUID. This GUID is set as the app_product_guid property of the captured .vhd package and as the UpgradeCode property of the captured .msi package.

    This property is used to identify different application package versions which belong to the same application. Such an identification ensures that when different application package versions of the same application are delivered to a Windows endpoint, the user receives only the later version of the application at a time.

    This parameter can be used with the appcapture.exe start /name command to set the UpgradeCode for a new application package or the parameter can be used with the appcapture.exe update command to add or modify the property of an existing application package.
    Note: If this parameter is used to set the property of an initial version of the application package, then the same parameter must be used for subsequent application package versions.

    		 Here are the different ways of using this parameter:
    • appcapture.exe start /name application_package_name /upgradecode path_of_the_native_MSI_application_installer /format MSI
      • Ensure that the native MSI application installer has an UpgradeCode.
      • The generated GUID is set as the app_product_guid property of the .vhd package in the .json file.
      • Using /format MSI is optional. If this argument is provided, then the GUID is set as the UpgradeCode property of the captured .msi application package.

    • appcapture.exe update /upgradecode path_of_the_native_MSI_application_installer /format MSI /file path_of_MSI_package
      • In this command, the GUID, which is generated using the UpgradeCode of the native MSI application installer, is set as the UpgradeCode property of the existing App Volumes .msi package. If the existing package has an UpgradeCode then the generated GUID replaces the existing property.
      • /format indicates the format of the application package whose property is updated. The values of this argument are MSI and VHD.
      • /file indicates the path of the application package. In this command, it is the path of the App Volumes .msi package.

    • appcapture.exe update /upgradecode path_of_the_native_MSI_application_installer /format VHD /file path_of_VHD_package

      • In this command, the generated GUID is added as the app_product_guid property of the existing .vhd package. If the package has an existing app_product_guid, then the new GUID replaces the existing one.

    Using MSI format

    The .msi format is required when delivering App Volumes application packages to Windows endpoints (such as physical desktops, laptops, and Windows 365 Cloud PC) using device management tools such as Omnissa Workspace ONE UEM, Microsoft Intune, or Microsoft Configuration Manager (SCCM).

    For compressed packages exceeding 2 GB, the output is an .msi file along with a packageid.cab file. Both files are necessary for installation, as the .msi file size limit is 2 GB. If the package has on-demand data available, then by default, the delivery type of the .msi package is on-demand. Else, the delivery type of the package is classic. This delivery type can be changed from on-demand to classic using a parameter at the time of delivering the package to the endpoints.

    For more information about delivering App Volumes applications to Windows endpoints, see the Deliver App Volumes Applications Using Device Management Tools section in the App Volumes Install Guide, version 2412 and later, at Omnissa Product Documentation.

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