Modify the RDP settings with the View Client.

[jpallanore]

Hello all.

Is it possible to modify the RDP settings with the View Client (resolution, colors, ...) like the RDP client of Windows as it allows it ? View Client has just 2 options (port connection and SSL or not) by default.

Thanks in advance.

Sincerely,

Jean-Philippe

[admin · Accepted solution]

Yes you can do that.

You can use the standard GPO in the AD and you'll find ADM files on the View Manager Server: C:\Program Files\VMware\View Manager\Extras\GPO

Blog: http://communities.vmware.com/blogs/dommermuth

[jpallanore]

Thank you.

Your blog is very interesting.

[jmascone]

Thank you... i was going crazy looking for the VMWare View GPO ADM files... best regards...

[HenrikElm]

I hope that a future VDI Client also contains this in the client GUI?

/Henrik

[mnasir]

After testing for several days, we confirmed that some of the GPO settings are better to enabled on the base image, since these behavior should be consistent throughout the organization - we are using NON-Persistent desktop pool:

1. Prevent annoying IE 8 initial configuration on the first run

- user Configuration>Administrative Templates>Windows Components>Internet Explorer>Prevent performance of First Run Customize settings>

2.RDP session color depth 16 BIT

- Computer Configuration>Administrative Templates>Windows Components>Terminal Services>Limit maximum color depth>

3.Disconnect RDP session if it is idle for 30 minutes

- Computer Configuration>Administrative Templates>Windows Components>Terminal Services>Sessions>sets a time for active but idle Terminal Services sessions>

[grossag]

Are there any specifically that you are looking for? Would you prefer that they be added to the Admin UI or the Client UI?

[HenrikElm]

Well.. More or less the same settings as in the mstsc.exe client. Such as color depth, ability to choose bandwith-dependant settings such as background, font handling, window movement handling and such. Settings regarding the ability to see local volumes in the session is also good. More or less take a look at the mstsc settings, there you are..

I guess the ideal is for the client to set this himself (sometimes on different bandwidths/networks) but we can set defaults/overrides if we want.

/Henrik

[bsando]

I find it a little ridiculous that these cannot be set on the client. Many of our end users are "Work from Home" users who will load the client on their home PC, and remote into the office to their VMware View machine. So, since these users on not on a domain computer, they cannot change ANY of the expected setting like size, color depth, disable drive sharing with their host, etc.

[grossag]

This probably doesn't help, but they can change these settings in the registry too. I can give more information if you think they would want to do that or you would want to write a .reg script to do it.

[bsando]

Yes. If they can be set in the registry, I can easily modify a script to do that. Please provide me with that info!

[HenrikElm]

None of this should be necessary. VMware, create a "settings" tab in the View client!

/Henrik

[grossag]

Not that I'm saying that this isn't a good idea, but doing this is not as easy as you'd think. These settings are all specific to the protocol you use, which is chosen in the desktop selector. So it belongs in the desktop selector, which is already very cluttered.

[bsando]

We only use the MS RDP protocol, so a reg file will be fairly simple. All I want to do is shut off access to the local drives, and reduce the color depth to 15bit. Where Can I find info on the registry configuration?

Brad

[grossag]

You will need to create or open the following registry key on the client machine:

\Software\Policies\VMware, Inc.\VMware VDM\Client\RDP Settings

That will be the parent key of all of the RDP settings for the client machine. HKLM overrides HKCU, which overrides each value's default.

Create a REG_SZ named "ColorDepth" set to "15"

Create a REG_SZ named "RedirectDrives" set to "false"

Here are some more values you can set in the "RDP Settings" key. I am pretty sure that every registry value can be REG_SZ, but a bool type will mean that the value data would be "true" or "false". For an integer, refer to the View Administrator Guide for the specific values (or do a google search because they map directly the values that the Microsoft RDP control uses).

Bools: "DisableWallpaper", "DisableFullWindowDrag", "DisableMenuAnimations", "EnableEnhancedGraphics", "DisableCursorShadow", "RedirectPrinters", "RedirectPorts", "RedirectSmartcards", "RedirectClipboard", "BitmapPersistence", "EnableCompression", "ShadowBitmap", "CachePersistenceActive", "RedirectPlugAndPlayDevices", "FontSmoothing", "DesktopComposition"

Integers: "AudioRedirectionMode", "KeyboardHookMode", "BitmapCacheSize", "BitmapVirtualCacheSize", "BitmapVirtualCache16BppSize", "BitmapVirtualCache24BppSize", "BitmapVirtualCache32BppSize"

[bsando]

Perfect! Thanks. Works perfectly. I'll just set these on the master image, since they are in the HKLM...

Actually ColorDepth = 2 for 15bit.

It looks like

5=32bit

4=24bit

3=16bit

2=15bit

1=8bit?

[admin]

In http://www.vmware.com/technical-resources/products/view.html
you can find some resources like:

# VMware View Optimization Guide for Windows 7 (has script)
# Windows XP Deployment Guide

External reference about the same topic (contains link to script)
# http://www.vmguru.nl/wordpress/2010/07/how-to-optimize-guests-for-vmware-view/

I use the View client from home (no VPN) so I rather use PCoIP.

But if you want to go with RDP and one-off tunning, in Linux you can specify some parameters when you call the View Client

$ vmware-view --help
  vmware-view [OPTION...] - connect to VMware View desktops

Help Options:
  -?, --help                               Show help options

Application Options:
  -K, --keep-wm-bindings                   Keep window manager key bindings (ignored by some remoting protocols).
  -s, --serverURL=<broker URL>             Specify connection broker.
  -u, --userName=<user name>               Specify user name for password authentication.
  -p, --password=<password>                Specify password for password authentication.
  -d, --domainName=<domain name>           Specify domain for password authentication.
  -n, --desktopName=<desktop name>         Specify desktop by name.
  -q, --nonInteractive                     Connect automatically if enough values are given on the command line.
  --fullscreen                             Enable full screen mode.
  -b, --background=<image>                 Image file to use as background in full screen mode.
  -r, --redirect=<device info>             Forward device redirection to rdesktop
  --logo=<image>                           Display a custom logo.
  -m, --mmrPath=<mmr directory>            Directory location containing Wyse MMR libraries.
  --rdesktopOptions=<rdesktop options>     Command line options to forward to rdesktop.
  --supportFile=<support file>             Path to file containing support contents.
  --usb=<usb options>                      Options for USB forwarding.
  --protocol=<protocol name>               Preferred connection protocol [RDP|PCOIP|RGS|localvm]
  --unattended                             Enable unattended (kiosk) mode.
  --printEnvironmentInfo                   Print environment information.
  --once                                   Do not retry on error events in unattended mode.
  -k, --kbdLayout=<kbdlayout name>         Initial keyboard layout locale (en-us, de, fr, etc...)
  -f, --file=<file path>                   File containing additional command line arguments.
  --version                                Display version information and exit.

There you can find the desired "rdesktopOptions".

More info on http://communities.vmware.com/servlet/JiveServlet/previewBody/18174-102-1-23496/view-client-linux-te...

I don't know if that option exists in Windows.