Application Explorer

Application Explorer includes a standalone window, shown below, that can be accessed from the Windows desktop. The Application Explorer window is similar to the Application Launcher window.

The greatest benefit of Application Explorer, however, is its integration with the Windows desktop. In addition to being able to display Application objects in the Application Explorer window, you can configure Application objects to display on the Windows desktop, the Start menu, the system tray, and the Quick Launch tool bar.

Application Explorer Features

The Application Explorer window displays the following:

• [All] folder: Contains all applications that have been distributed to the user. This is an administrator-controlled feature. By default, it is enabled, which means the folder appears. You can disable the feature if desired.
• NDS trees: Each tree contains the applications, located within the tree, that have been distributed to the user or workstation. Application Launcher displays only the trees to which the user is authenticated.
• Personal folder: Provides a location for the user to create personal folders for organizing applications. This is an administrator-controlled feature. By default, it is disabled, which means the folder does not appear.

Using Application Explorer (either the window or one of the desktop integrations), the user can do the following:

• Run an application by double-clicking the application's icon. Depending on the application and how it is configured in NDS, before running the application Application Explorer may install files to the workstation, map drives, or change workstation configuration files or settings.
• View the properties of an application. The properties include a description of the application, information about people to contact for help with the application, the times when the application is available for use, and the workstation requirements established for the application.
• Disconnect Application Explorer from NDS so that the user can work offline. Disconnecting Application Launcher from NDS does not log the user out of NDS. You can disable this functionality if desired.

As administrator, you control the availability of certain features that enable users to do the following:

• Uninstall an application.
• Cache an application's installation files to the user's workstation so that the user can install or verify (fix) the application while disconnected from NDS.

For information about configuring Application Explorer, see Configuring Application Launcher/Explorer .

Application Explorer Files

Application Explorer consists of the following files:

• NALEXPLD.EXE: This is the program file that is used to execute Application Launcher. It is located on a server's SYS:PUBLIC directory. NALEXPLD.EXE serves as a "wrapper" file by performing some initialization functions, launching NALSTART.EXE, and then terminating. You can use various command line switches with NALEXPLD.EXE to control Application Explorer functionality. For information, see Application Launcher/Explorer Command Line Switches .

• NALSTART.EXE: This program updates the Application Explorer files on the user's workstation (if necessary), updates the Application Launcher/Explorer Service (NALNTSRV.EXE) on a Windows NT/2000/XP/XP workstation (if necessary), registers and starts the Workstation Helper (ZENAPPWS.DLL) running under Workstation Manager, and launches NALDESK.EXE.

• NALDESK.EXE: This program reads NDS to build a list of the folders and applications that have been associated with the user and then displays the folders and applications in the designated locations (Application Explorer windows, desktop, system tray, and so forth) on the workstation.