Can I delay a DEM for just a couple minutes?

[robsisk1972]

So I have a specific use case where I want to delay the DEM config from applying to a non-persistent VDI for about 2 minutes after windows loads.    I know I can use FlexEngine and tie it to an .exe but that just isn't going to cut it for this use case.    Has anyone come up with a way to do this or something equivalent to it?   This would really be ideal for what I'm trying to do.  

I'll spare you the details for now.

[sjesse]

What kinda config is it? If its an app disable the import and just do directflex when it opens? If its something else your only choice is some sort of  script with a delay in it. Maybe a new feature is needed

[DEMdev]

Hi robsisk1972,

Delaying everything won't work for most Windows settings. Are there any particular types of DEM activity you would like to postpone?

[robsisk1972]

So the use case I am speaking of revolves around USB printers being redirected from the host to the guest OS.   More specifically, persisting this USB printer as the users’ default printer at logon.

Since the USB printers get reinstalled every time the user logs in and the DEM persistence of the default printer is applied before USB redirection happens and the printer is detected by the guest OS,  Windows can not set this USB printer as the default since it does not exist yet.   It always defaults to another printer.    After about 1 minute, the guest OS does finally detect the USB printer and installs it but at this point it is too late to be marked as default from DEM persistence. 

I am currently testing a Direct Flex config that brings back the below key when Outlook.exe is launched.

Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows\Device

The above test works but I can’t guarantee that the user will open Outlook.exe right when he or she logs in.  Now that you know the use case, anyone have any great ideas?

[DEMdev · Accepted solution]

Hi robsisk1972,

Thank you for providing those details; that makes it a bit easier to try and find a workaround.

If we can get the DEM agent to (re-)import the printer-related profile archive once the USB printer(s) have been installed, that should do the trick. That can be done by running FlexEngine.exe -r \\path\to\the\user's\printersettings.zip, optionally also specifying -f \\path\to\some\other\logfile.log.

Now the question is when to launch that command... As you were initially asking for a delay, maybe a Windows scheduled task could do the job, triggered by a user logging on?

Or maybe there's an event log message that you could use as a trigger for this?

[robsisk1972]

That's a pretty good idea DEMdev​  Testing it now.

[robsisk1972]

Yep...That will work.  Nice call DEMdev​

[DEMdev]

Hi robsisk1972,

Yep...That will work.

Great, happy to hear that! Out of curiosity: did you go for the delay, or for an event log message?

[robsisk1972]

I did a 2 minute delay and repeated it for every 5 minutes until 15 minutes had past.   Implemented with a domain GPP.