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Georg2010
Contributor
Contributor

vSphere Client forgets view settings (status bar etc)

Hello,

the vSphere Client 4.1.0 forgets the settings performed in menu > view during a session. On next application start, the status bar etc. are shown again in default view/layout again. Hence, I've to adapt the window size, visible toolbars etc each day as the default layout does not work for my purposes. Some colleagues have the same issue.

=> Is there any way to persist the view settings? Or can the console (guest OS GUI) be used with another program?

Thanks for hints, Georg

3 Replies
metahawk
Contributor
Contributor

I'm (suddenly?) having a similar problem with Client 4.0.0.  And while the following information I discovered didn't particularly help me, perhaps it will help you.

The vSphere Client appears to store its per-user view settings and configuration in the following registry key (this is for 4.0... 4.1 may be different).

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\VMware\VMware Infrastructure Client\Preferences\UI

The problems I am having is that the client is no longer restoring its position and size when relaunched.  (I seem to recall that the client used to do this, though I may be mis-remembering the client's behavior.)

When the client shuts down, it stores its location in the ApplicationLocation registry value and its size in the ApplicationSize value.  And, of course, the ApplicationMaximized value indicates whether or not the client was maximized.  Other values in this key correspond to various other visual settings and configuration options of the client (I haven't spent any additional time figuring out what's what).

Shutting down the client and verifying that these values are updated may be a good first step at triaging your problem.  In my case, these values are being properly updated, but the client refuses to use the location and size values for restoring itself to its previous location/size.  However, the maximize setting works, which is a good enough work around for me.

If the registry key is corrupt or values within are not being updated, then that could be the problem you're having.  Otherwise, I've no idea.

Georg2010
Contributor
Contributor

Hi metahawk,

thanks for the Registry hint - the path exists, the existing keys are updated, but there are no keys for the status bar etc. Hence, I cannot modify them. In case I just needed to add those keys manually, I'd need the names and possible values as I did not find them on the net.

Concerning your problem: Yes, the client remembers its state. Maybe valid & working values help you: ApplicationLocation is e.g. 1-1 and ApplicationSize is e.g. 888-583

Cheers, Georg

oz2edri
Contributor
Contributor

I'm using VMware vSphere Client 5.5.0 build 2417603, and I'm having a similar issue - changes I made to the columns view in the client aren't preserved.

VMware described this issue in kb 1030614 (link‌). It was also discussed here in other threads.

The suggested solution in the kb is to modify the relevant registry key. However, it's working only if the user implements the registry modification when the vSphere Client is running, and then change the view in the client between some other tab and the required tab in order to see the change.

For example, if the user wants to modify the "Virtual Machines" tab, he needs to modify the VMHeaderColumnsProp data as explained in the kb, and while the client is running, and then he needs to go back to the client and switch to some other tab and go back to the "Virtual Machines" tab to see the change.

Implementing the registry change while the client isn't running won't help since when it'll load it'll revert the changes that were made.

In addition, setting this key with no permissions so he won't be modified won't help since the client needs to modify it while it's running.

A good practice will be running the client via a batch file and include a timeout of a few seconds, after which the registry modification will take place.

Here is an example for the relevant commands:

start /d "C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\Infrastructure\Virtual Infrastructure Client\Launcher" VpxClient.exe

timeout 10 /nobreak >nul

reg add "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\VMware\VMware Infrastructure Client\Preferences\UI" /v VMHeaderColumnsProp /t REG_SZ /d "0-136,25-437,19-87,22-240,1-91,2-81,20-103,21-110,9-173,10-85,3-158,4-100,5-100,6-95,7-95,8-95,11-0,12-0,13-0,14-0,15-0,16-0,17-0,18-0,23-0,24-0,26-110,27-0,28-0,29-109,30-84,31-97,32-99,33-77,34-56,35-72" /f >nul

Does anyone know about another permanent solution?

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