XenApp 6.5 session printers not printing

April 15, 2014 3 Comments

Citrix has collaborated with HP to test select HP printers and their associated HP print drivers in Citrix environments up to and including Citrix XenApp  6.5 with Windows Server 2008 R2 Edition.

These tests were run to determine how HP printers and their associated printer drivers performed using the standard printer and printer-related features tests that Citrix uses to test its XenApp server and client software.

I was recently working in an environment where some local printers which were not showing in the list of “Supported in Citrix environment”, Of course those are the printers we go ahead and buy, and had an entire department calling requesting to get this fixed.

I strongly suggest you head over to http://support.citrix.com/servlet/KbServlet/download/10498-102-649930/HPprinters_CitrixXenApp_1053.pdf and verify ICA ready printers as this could save you a few gray hairs.

Environment:

  • Windows 2008 R2
  • Citrix XenApp 6.5 Hotfix Rollup Pack 2
  • PVS 6.1.16
  • StoreFront 2.1
  • Citrix NetScaler 10.1 build 122.17

Issue:

Users with local printers connect to XenApp Full Desktop and/or seamless applications. The printer maps and successfully shows under the user session(s), however when printing nothing seems to appear in the print job and nothing prints out.

Resolution:

  • Head over to Citrix App Center and click on your User Policies.
  • Under printing, select Drivers, and Edit the Universal driver preference
  • Reconfigured the ‘Universal driver preference’ driver order to PS;XPS;EMF;PCL5c;PCL4

xa65_printing

 

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Filed under Citrix, XenApp Tagged with , ,

XenApp 6.5 User sessions remain active

January 15, 2014 Leave a comment

While working on an SAP 730 implementation, I noticed a customized application was preventing for sessions to log off when the application was terminated.  This was causing for sessions to remain in an active state and for the roaming profiles to not sync.
The issue was caused by an application sub processes that was not closing properly.  By default Citrix XenApp has a hard coded list of processes that are checked for and terminated when the user logs off.
Environment:
  • Windows 2008 R2
  • Citrix XenApp 6.5 Hotfix Rollup Pack 2
  • PVS 6.1.16
  • StoreFront 2.0

Solution:

Modify the following registry key with the additional processes you wish to check.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Citrix\wfshell\TWI

Value Name: LogoffCheckSysModules
Type: REG_SZ
String: myapp.exe,myapp2.exe

processes_screen_reg

Filed under XenApp

XenApp 6.5 Full Desktop – Hide PVS System Tray

November 11, 2013 1 Comment

While working on a new XenApp 6.5 Deployment with Citrix Provisioning Services, I noticed the Citrix PVS Target Tools icon in the system tray when connecting to a Full Desktop session, this could be confusing or useless information for users.

Environment:

  • Windows 2008 R2
  • Citrix XenApp 6.5 Hotfix Rollup Pack 2
  • PVS 6.1.16
  • StoreFront 2.0

pvs_tray_icon

After researching the web a bit, I came across this HKLM key from Jack Cobben described in his blog Hide Virtual Disk Tray Icon where it simply stated to add the reg hive below.

HKLM\Software\Citrix\ProvisioningServices\Status “ShowIcon” (DWORD) 0

This however will disable to all users, even Admins, and I wanted to be able give administrators the option to see the icon.

Solution:

Apply the HKCU key below to your profile solution  based on Group membership

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Citrix\ProvisioningServices]
“StatusTray”=dword:00000000

Once that is in place the icon will go away.

Filed under XenApp, XenDesktop Tagged with , ,

XenApp 6.5 Client side flash rendering with Internet Explorer 9

October 31, 2013 2 Comments

Client side rendering is something that improves the overall user experience when working with XenApp and XenDesktop technologies.

However, many folks out there know that client side flash rendering on XenApp/XenDesktop can be a full time job… specially when you introduce Internet Explorer 9 into the environment.

The issue below is one of those, when “googling” you find only a few hints towards the same issue but with no solution .  After fighting this for a few days, I was able to get things to work on a new XenApp 6.5 with Internet Explorer 9 installed.  My thoughts are that It’s only the new Version 2 Flash Legacy that doesn’t support IE9.

Environment:

  • Windows 2008 R2
  • Citrix XenApp 6.5 Hotfix Rollup Pack 2
  • PVS 6.1.16
  • StoreFront 2.0 / Web Interface 5.4
  • Internet Explorer 9

What is HDX MediaStream Flash Redirection:

Flash Redirection allows you to move the processing of most Adobe Flash content from Internet Explorer on the server to LAN- and WAN-connected users’ Windows and Linux devices.  This processing includes animations, videos, and applications.

By moving the processing to the user device, Flash Redirection helps reduce server and network load, resulting in greater scalability while ensuring a high definition user experience.

Important:

There are two types of Adobe Flash Players are required to use Flash Redirection.  One type is used with Windows Internet Explorer and is identified by Adobe as Flash Player for Windows Internet Explorer. This player is sometimes referred to as an ActiveX player.

The second type is used with non-Internet Explorer browsers and is identified by Adobe as Flash Player for Windows – Other Browsers. This player is sometimes referred to as an NPAPI (Netscape Plugin Application Programming Interface) Flash Player.

Second Generation Flash Redirection has been revised for use with

  • Citrix XenApp 6.5
  • Citrix XenDesktop 5.5
  • Citrix Receiver 3.x

New second generation Flash Redirection features include:

  • WAN-connected user support.
  • The second generation and legacy versions of Flash Redirection are complete and run in separate virtual channels.
  • Intelligent Fallback, which allows Flash sessions, on a per-instance basis, to be determined to be more efficient when rendered on the server.
  • The Flash URL Compatibility List replaces the original Flash URL Blacklist setting. Listed URLs can now be blocked or specified for rendering on the user device or the server.

How do you know if this works…? simple, check your Windows Task Manager and see if the PseudoContainer2.exe process is active when viewing Flash content.  If it is not running, then you are not offloading flash to the local device.

Great… now lets get this working with IE9

  • Download the HDX Monitor 2.0 tool from http://hdx.citrix.com/hdx-monitor/tech-preview.  This will help you validate the operation and configuration of key features of XenDesktop’s and XenApp’s HDX stack.  When you have a session open on a server, you can gather further detail on the HDX operation.

hdx-mon2

When you click on the Adobe Flash icon, you will notice that Internet Explorer 9 is not supported, and you will be redirected to install an HDX MediaStream Hotfix from http://support.citrix.com/article/CTX134426.  After this is installed, and you view a session in the HDX Monitor 2.0 tool, you will now see that it is supported.  But it still does not work.

The Fix:

  • Install HDX MediaStream Hotfix (Version 5) HDXFlash200WX64005 – I had to call Citrix Support as this is not a public release as of today.
  • Create the following registry keys – I suggest you do this as a GPO or inject them on your mandatory profile if you use one.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Citrix\HdxMediaStreamForFlash\Server\PseudoServer]
“IEBrowserMaximumMajorVersion”=dword:00000009
“UseFlashRemoting”=”Always”

  • Disable the “Flash Intelligence Fallback” Computer policy

10-30-2013 2-43-10 PM

Once you have these settings are setup, go to YouTube or any flash based web site, and Receiver will prompt you if you want to optimize the content 🙂 – That is a good sign.

Open the HDX Monitoring tool and you will now notice that both IE 9 is supported and Flash Redirection is Active :)… In addition, check your Windows Task Manager and look for the  PseudoContainer2.exe process.

10-30-2013 2-45-15 PM

Below is a screenshot of my “Flash Redirection” policies located under User\ICA\Adobe Flash Delivery\Flash Redirection\

10-31-2013 9-04-23 AM

 

Filed under XenApp Tagged with , ,

Hide XenApp Full Desktop/XenDesktop icons from WI 5.4 Services site

September 3, 2013 4 Comments

While working on a new XenApp 6.5 implementation, we decided to deploy “XenApp Full Desktops” (AKA Poor Man’s VDI) with published apps, and XenDesktops all talking to a single XenApp Service Site (AKA PNAgent) -> behind multiple Services Site load balanced by the NetScaler that is 🙂

When you use single XenApp Services site to manage both XenApp and XenDesktop environments, or you’re providing published desktop and applications from your XenApp farm and XenDesktops, you’ve probably noticed that your users will get the Full Desktop icon and/or XenDesktop in their start menu.

Picture below shows me connected to a XA 6.5 Full Desktop running Citrix Receiver 3.4 Enterprise (I know 30MBs per user session).  The issue here is why should I see the XenApp Desktop icon when I am already connected to it?

full_desk_pna

Environment:

  • Windows 2008 R2
  • Citrix XenApp 6.5 Hotfix Rollup Pack 2 / XenDesktop 5.6 <- (I know, not XD 7 yet)
  • PVS 6.1.16
  • StoreFront 2.0 / Web Interface 5.4

Solution:

Follow the instructions on CTX123969  which shows how to hide Published Applications, however keep in mind the goal here is not to hide published apps, but rather hide desktops from both XenApp and XenDesktop.

Replace the code with the following:

java.util.ArrayList filtered = new java.util.ArrayList();

 for (int i=0; i<resources.length; i++) {
 if (!(resources[i] instanceof com.citrix.wing.webpn.DesktopInfo)) {
 filtered.add(resources[i]);
 }
 }
resources = (ResourceInfo[]) filtered.toArray( new ResourceInfo[0] );

Filed under Web Interface, XenApp, XenDesktop Tagged with

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