How to: Print multiple documents from Windows Explorer using RES Workspace Manager

Normally users have the ability to right click on a file, or multiple files in the Windows Explorer, and print the file(s). When using RES Workspace Manager, this option is default not available for all your file extensions. This is a feature that you want enable for your users, for example for PDF files. So let’s configure this option.

1.) First of all start the RES Workspace Manager console
2.) Navigate to Composition / Applications /  Adobe Reader XI (in my example for PDF files)
3.) Navigate to the Properties / File Types tab and click Add
4.) Add the PDF file extension
5.) Select the command Print
6.) Select the parameter “%1”, this is default
7.) Now login with a user again and the Print option for PDF files within the Windows Explorer is back again!

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RES Workspace Manager 2012 Recent Files not vissible in start menu

A copple of months ago I have configured a new Citrix XenApp 6.5 with RES Workspace Manager 2012 environment. Within this environment I have configured mandatory profiles, added to Workspace Manager as a custom resource.

When the user are opening some documents, the Recent Files folder is filled up with the last opened document. The save location is C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Recent.

I’ve created a new User Setting to save the content within this folder. Now there is something strange happening!! The content is saved within a UPF (User Preference File) correctly, but its not vissible in the user session from the start menu.

When I open a commandline and browse to my user profile, the content is there! Huh…?!? After some troubleshooting, I have figured out that I had to change one setting within my custom resource. The folder AppData\Microsoft\Windows\Recent was marked as Read-Only. That’s the problem! After disabling the Read-Only, the recent files are vissible from my start menu.

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How to: Remove public Libraries in Windows Server 2008 R2 using RES Workspace Manager 2012

Default in Windows Server 2008 R2, there’re libraries available for each user. This Libraries are located in the left bar in the Windows Explorer. When you’re using a Server Based Computing environment, for example Remote Desktop Services or Citrix Xenapp, you want to edit this libraries. Default, the users have own libraries, but also an public library. The public libraries are located to C:\Users\Public. In an Server Based Computing environment, the users haven’t access to that location. Let’s have a look on have to delete this public libraries.

In this environment I’m using Windwos Server 2008 R2 with the Remote Desktop Services role enabled. The workspace is managed with RES Workspace Manager 2012. The users are using mandatory profiles, published as a custom resources with RES Workspace Manager.

1.) First of all, let’s have a look in the Windows Explorer. In the left bar there’re the libraries.
2.) The library folders are located in the directory
C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Libraries
Documents.library-ms
Music.library-ms
Pictures.library-ms
Videos.library-ms

3.) Let’s open these files in notepad (or another texteditor)
4.) There’re two sections. One for the library and one for the public library.
5.) Right-click on each public library and choose Remove Location from library
6.) The public libraries are located to C:\Users\Public. In an Server Based Computing environment, the users haven’t access to that location.
7.) After deleting the public libraries, navigate back to the library directory in your profile
C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Libraries
Documents.library-ms
Music.library-ms
Pictures.library-ms
Videos.library-ms
8.) Open each file within notepad and delete the rows
<ownerSID>….</ownerSID>
<serialized>….</serialized>
This will make the files generic for using as a baseline for all the users.
9.) Open your RES Workspace Manager Console and navigate to Administration, Custom Resources
10.) Open your mandatory profile and navigate to
Mandatory Profile\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Libraries
11.) Delete the orrigional files and add the four customized files into this folder
12.) Update the cache of your RES Workspace Manager Agents and login with a user
13.) The public libraries are gone now and users didn’t receive error messages anymore 🙂

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Hopefully this blogpost is usefull for your own production envirenment!

How to: Change the Windows 2008 R2 desktop to Aero look using RES Workspace Manager 2012

A great feature within Windows Server 2008 R2 is the new Desktop Experience. After the installation of this feature, the desktop could be configured with the Aero look. Normally, the active setup will change the desktop look. When you are using a mandatory profile in combination with for example RES Workspace Manager 2012, the active setup components are disabled by default. So the desktop is looking like an old-school desktop and the most using color is grey.

To give the users more Desktop Experience, we are going to change the desktop to Aero look.

1.) The first step is to install the Windows feature Desktop-Experience.
This could be done throught the Server Manager, of using the ServerManagerCmd option within powershell.
ServerManagerCmd -i Desktop-Experience
2.) Open the RES Workspace Manager 2012 Management Console and navigate to Execute Command
3.) Create a new command with the following commandline
%SystemRoot%\system32\regsvr32.exe /s /n /i:/UserInstall %SystemRoot%\system32\themeui.dll
4.) Make sure the option Run task is configured to run Before logon and before other actions

After login again, the Windows shell is looking much better now! 🙂