WYSE V90LE (ALT+TAB)

[Troy_Clavell]

We have a few WYSE V90LE devices running XPE connecting back to VM's on a one to one basis. The problem we are having is with ALTTAB. If we hit ALTTAB in the VM, the windows go back and fourth between the connection device and the VM. The windows do navigate through the VM as they should. I have test this with a standard RDP connection from my laptop and the ALT+TAB feature works fine within the VM.

Is there something I'm missing here? All RDP connections have been changed on the WYSE device's RDP protocol for Local Resources. All options have been tried.

[Troy_Clavell]

bump

[sgrinker]

If you've tested this successfully with standard RDP (which it sounds like you have), then it sounds like a bug/issue with the rdesktop (RDP equivalent that WYSE uses). If you haven't already, I'd contact your local reps or their main technical support. It's also possible that they have a newer version available you could try as well.

We use V10L's here, which I did a quick check on. It works as expected on that device. The V10L's run the Wyse Thin OS though, so it's a bit of a different animal. I don't have any V90's here, but if I get a chance I'll check on our X90 demo unit.

Thanks

Steve

[Troy_Clavell]

I does work in our V10L's as well, so I am leaning towards an issue with the V90 too. I have sent an email to my WYSE rep and I'll see what he says.

[Troy_Clavell]

answer from WYSE:

I can confirm.. that it doesn't matter if you use the local RDP client or the VDM client to connect to a virtual Machine, (with or without a connection broker and with or without ESX server).. the Alt+TAB function on the XPE build does not behave as advertised. (it switches between the local OS and the RDP session. Not apps in the RDP session) ***NOTE to see the behavior you have to have a local app open on XPe like IE or something** If you use the RDP client on a full XP Pro install it will behave as advertised.

There is a work around that you can use for the time being.. I found this old article that described shortcut keys in the RDP 5 version. I tested and instead of Alt tab use Alt Pagedown or Alt Pageup.

In the meantime I will open up an incident report with our engineering group and see if they can come up with a solution for this issue.

-Mike

HERE IS THE ARTICLE

Most know about using Alt-Tab to switch among multiple open windows. It's a great shortcut, for keyboard fans like me (I'll wax poetic about it more in the future). But if you have to use the Remote Desktop feature of Windows to connect to a remote machine, you may notice that once connected it takes over your whole screen and now the Alt-tab feature is directed to windows within that remote desktop interface. Makes sense, if that's what you want (and you may well).

But if you really mean to alt-tab to something on your desktop (like your email program), you can't. I see many folks (and myself did at first) resort to minimizing the Remote Desktop window (usually via the mouse), then you're back to your desktop and the alt-tab works as "expected". There's another solution--an all keyboard one!

Use ctrlaltbreak to switch Remote Desktop between full screen and windowed mode. Once in windowed mode, then the alt-tab will see the remote session as just another window.

And how do you then move among windows WITHIN the remote desktop (whether windowed or not)? Must you resort to the mouse? NO! Use Alt-PageUp (when the focus is on the remote desktop window). Check it out! (To reverse the order of switching windows, which you'd normally do with Shift-alt-tab, use Alt-PageDown.) There are still others (such as CtrlAltEnd as an alternative to CtrlAltDelete, which is always sent to your client computer). See this MS technote (update from my previously pointing to MS technote).

One last remote desktop tip: with the remote desktop in windowed mode, you may wonder how to bring up the Start menu via the keyboard (another tip I'll elaborate on in the future). If you just hit the Windows key (or ctrl+escape), that brings up your desktop's Start menu. What if you want to bring up the Remote Desktop Start menu? Must you resort to the mouse? Again, NO! Use alt-home. Hope these help.