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Running a Simulation (Why and When)

A mapping simulation lets you preview how AppProfileSafe will transform paths during an import — without actually writing any data to the system. It runs the full import logic in simulation mode, showing you the source and mapped destination for every registry entry and file.

Why Use Simulation

Simulation is recommended in the following situations:

After setting up mapping rules — Verify that find/replace patterns transform paths correctly before committing to a real import
Restoring to a different machine — Check that user paths, registry hives, and application folders map to the correct locations on the target
First-time import — Get a preview of what the import will do before making any changes to the system
After modifying mappings — Any change to the mapping file automatically invalidates a previous simulation, prompting you to re-verify

How to Run a Simulation

Step 1: Load a Manifest and Select Applications

In the Import window, browse for a manifest file and select the applications you want to simulate.

Step 2: Configure Mapping (Optional)

Click Mapping Rules to load or modify mapping rules. Simulation works with or without mappings — without mappings, it shows the original paths unchanged.

Step 3: Click "Simulate Mapping"

A mapping preview dialog appears first, showing the active mapping rules organized in two tabs:

Tab	Content
Registry Mappings (N)	Active registry find/replace rules with Pattern, Replacement, and Type
File Mappings (N)	Active file system find/replace rules with Pattern, Replacement, and Type

Only enabled rules are shown. If no mapping rules are active, the dialog notes that original paths will be used without transformation. The window title shows "Simulate Import - Active Mapping Rules".

Click OK to start the simulation.

Step 4: Review Results

A progress window opens with a simulation banner indicating that no changes are being made. Each item is listed with:

Column	Description
App	Application name
Type	Entry type (Registry, File, Folder)
Source	Source path in the backup
Destination	Target path after mapping (the path that would be written to during a real import)
Result	`simulated` or `simulated (with ACL)` for items with SDDL data

What Happens During Simulation

The simulation executes the same code path as a real import, with the key difference that no data is written:

Manifest is loaded and validated — just like a real import
Registry entries are parsed — each key and value path is normalized and mapping rules are applied. The mapped path is reported but not written to the registry.
File paths are expanded — environment variables are resolved, mapping rules are applied, and the target path is reported. Files are not copied.
Source availability is checked — if a source file or folder does not exist in the backup, a warning is logged
ACL information is noted — items with SDDL data are marked as "with ACL" in the result

The log file includes all simulation entries prefixed with [SIMULATION] for easy identification.

After Simulation

An audit log entry is recorded with action SimulateMappingExecuted including the application list and success/failure status.

Simulation vs. Dry Run

Simulation and Dry Run are both read-only preview modes, but they serve different purposes:

Feature	Simulation	Dry Run
Purpose	Preview path transformations (mapping)	Preview impact on the live system (what would change)
Compares against live system	No	Yes — shows Added, Changed, Unchanged
When to use	Before import, especially after setting up mappings	During import workflow (pre-import options dialog)
Standalone	Yes — can run independently anytime	No — part of the import workflow

For a full comparison, see Simulation vs. DryRun Comparison.