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: 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! 🙂

       

   

Remove duplicate personal folders within Windows 2008 R2 when using folder redirection

When you are using folder redirection within Windows Server 2008 R2 to redirect some personal folders, you will see some duplicate folders when you are opening the Windows Explorer. One is the redirected folder to your network, the other is the orrigional folder. When opening the origioal folder, you will receive an error. The redirected folder works fine.

To resolve this duplicate folder issue, you have to add a registry key to the HKEY_CURRENT_USER environment. I have used RES Workspace Manager 2012 to deploy this registry key, but you can also use a loginscript or other third party software.

1.) Open the RES Workspace Manager 2012 Management Console
2.) Navigate to User Registry
3.) Create a New Registry, in my example “OS – Remove duplicate user personal folder”
4.) Add the following registry key
HEKY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\NonEnum
5.) Create a REG_DWORD
{DFFACDC5-679F-4156-8947-C5C76BC0B67F}
6.) The REG_DWORD value should be 1 (0x00000001)
7.) Distribute this to all the users or just to a group of users

After login again, you will see that the duplicate folders are gone! This is much better for the user now.