Skip to main content

Disable Short Path Handling to Potentially Improve Playback Times of FlexApps

Chris Serrano
  • Created:
  • Updated:

Description:

By default, each reparse point in a package has two respective entries created to support both long filenames (LFN) and short filenames (8dot3 name). Short filenames are primarily used to support legacy applications that contain registry entries referencing a short filename and as such, are less relevant with regard to more modern applications.

The creation of duplicate reparse entries respective to each format inherently puts additional performance load on a system that might otherwise be unnecessary in addition to increasing playback time of FlexApps. For this reason, it is now possible to enable or disable the handling of short paths both globally, for all FlexApp packages, and/or on a per-package basis. This only applies to folder-level entries and not file-level entries - e.g. shortcuts and other file reparse points.

 

Process:

Globally disable short path handling:

  1. Extract flexapp.zip in the client tools deployment location (rename as a backup).
  2. Open 'ContainerService\x64\VirtFsService.dll.config' with your preferred text editor.
  3. Change 'ProcessShortPaths' setting from the default value of 'True' to 'False' as shown below:
    <setting name="ProcessShortPaths" serializeAs="String">
            <value>False</value>
    </setting>
  4. Save the changes, close the file, and compress all files into a new flexapp.zip.
  5. If client tools are installed on a base image or on persistent and/or physical desktops, make the same changes to 'C:\Program Files\ProfileUnity\FlexApp\ContainerService\x64\VirtFsService.dll.config'.
  6. Refresh any relevant desktop pools.

Configure short path handling per-package:

  1. Remove or disable the FlexApp(s) from any ProfileUnity configuration(s) and ensure the VHDX is not in use.
  2. Edit the package using the FlexApp Packaging Console editor.
  3. Navigate to 'C:\Windows\Temp\{GUID}\yyyy-mm-ddUTChh-mm-ss-ms-PackageName-1\Data'
  4. Create either a DisableShortPaths file to prevent short path creation or an EnableShortPaths file to create short paths.
  5. Save the package via FlexApp Packaging Console editor.
  6. Publish the updated FlexApp.

**NOTE** - Short path handling per-package takes precedence over whatever global value is set in VirtFsService.dll.config and if a package contains both files, DisableShortPaths takes precedence.

 

Product: ProfileUnity-FlexApp

Product Version:  6.8.7 R2 HF1 and later

Expiration: 365 days from publishing

Created: 09 May, 2025

Related articles