Fingerprints

Aug 14, 2017

An application’s fingerprint is a combination of its product name, manufacturer, version number, and the number of files and registry entries it has. When a desktop application is first imported into AppDNA, its fingerprint is stored. If the application is imported into AppDNA again, by default the application is considered the same if the fingerprint is identical or has not changed by more than 10%. This is significant because AppDNA licensing restricts the number of applications for which you can view reports.

Deleting an application from your portfolio does not delete the application’s fingerprint. This means that if you import the same application again, AppDNA remembers it and considers it the same application (provided the fingerprint has not changed by more than 10%). If the application was unlocked when it was deleted, it remains unlocked when you re-import it and the same license is re-used. However, if the fingerprint has been deleted, the application is considered a different application and unlocking it uses a new license.

You can click the pencil icon in the Edit column to edit the application’s display details, just like you can in the Application List. An exclamation mark (!) in the Manufacturer column indicates that the application’s display name, manufacturer, or version has been changed. This does not affect the application’s fingerprint itself.

To view and delete desktop application fingerprints:

  • From the AppDNA menus, choose Administration > Fingerprints.

Note: If you delete an application’s fingerprint, the next time you import that application, AppDNA will consider it to be a new application.