Terminal Services/RDP scripting

[sromine]

Hello,

We are testing a terminal services environment and I was wondering what kind of RDP scripting capability there is....

For example, lets say you had a system running XP and you had a terminal services environment whereby the majority applications (such as Word, Excel, etc.) were sitting.

Is there a way to script RDP so that if a user clicked on a Word icon on their desktop it would automatically connect to the Windows 2003 terminal services (with username and password scripted) environment and run Word off of the server? Can you script RDP on this level?

In case you are wondering why, the issue that it appears that using normal Windows 2003 terminal services severaly curtails multimedia capability, specifically streaming multimedia....I work for a library, and cutting the public side multimedia capability is not an option....we are researching the idea of keeping generic applications such as Word, Excel, etc on a terminal services environment (for management purposes) and only use the client XP desktop for the internet, thereby also giving multimedia capability over the web. Does this sound feasible?

 

[1LUV1T]

Hmm, I know this might become a license-agreement issue but why not just install Office 2003 (Pro) on Terminal Services and if possible loosen security restrictions? Anyone that logs on to TS, will have Office available in start menu to use.

 

[sromine]

I see what you are saying possibly, we place an icon on the desktop called MS Office and when they click on this icon, it then takes them to a terminal services environment with Office on the desktop......

this would work....just remember that we are trying to see if we can do something tricky....run a normal XP os so that the patron (I work for a public library) clicks on Internet explorer on the local system and they have full access to multimedia on the web........but place most applications in a terminal services environment so that when the patron accesses stuff like word, excel, etc in runs it of the terminal services server.....

I guess maybe this post could be more about rdp scripting....does anybody have some good resources for rdp scripting....such as connecting automatically, maybe running applications upon startup, etc....

thanks for your post...it did give me another angle in case this one doesnt pan out....

 

[58sniper]

why not just install Office 2003 (Pro) on Terminal Services

You'd certainly need a user CAL for every user that would have access to that.

I see what you are saying possibly, we place an icon on the desktop called MS Office and when they click on this icon, it then takes them to a terminal services environment with Office on the desktop......

That's not what he's saying, if I understand what he's saying. Installing the app on the TS has nothing to do with what's started when you connect. And you can't pass that info along.

If they have a Word icon on their local workstation, then why would you want to go through an RDP connection to use Word? Seems like an awful lot of wasted bandwidth.

Pat Richard, MCSE MCSA:Messaging CNA
Microsoft Exchange MVP
Want to know how email works? Read for yourself -

http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc2821.txt

 

[Roadki11]

I have played with this a bit, seems interesting enough, may be what you are looking for. Its free for up to 5 applications.

http://www.2x.com/applicationserver/

you could also save an RDP session and under the programs tab you can specify what application to run at login. problem with this is, its not totally transparent and they cant log off the TS they have to X out of the TS session. So you would want to set GP or the RDP-tcp connector to log off disconnected sessions.

RoadKi11

 

[sromine]

What I am trying to research is that currently we have approximately 11 branches with 150 or so systems, and for the most part one tech. Of course we use tools to lock hard drives, and I know a little vbs scripting to do admin stuff across the network, but what we would really like is the ability to run Terminal Services/thin client type stuff on the public side. Then when could update one or two servers, rather than have to go to 150 + systems....

The problem is that the lack of multimedia capability in terminal services is a killer for public patron systems. 50+% (if not more) of what the patrons are doing is multimedia....

So we are diligently analyzing every angle....one angle being is there any worth to putting all the normal applications on terminal services (pretty much everything other than IE) giving me central management, and then just leave a Internet Explorer icon on the local desktop. So what I am interested in is the rdp scripting capability (click on a word icon on local desktop, connect to terminal services word on server)....we are just trying to do due diligence.....

 

[w33mhz]

Well I would have to say that RDP is not going to work as well as Citrix. Citrix is already setup to do what you are wanting with almost any app you want to use. It is more efficient with its bandwidth usage. But if you don't want to deal with citrix you should go here:

http://www.softricity.com/

 

[sromine]

It is interesting that you mentioned Citrix...Do you use Citrix? Why is it better than straigt Windows 2003 Terminal Services?

Can you overcome the lack of multimedia capability with Citrix?

Would love to hear your opinion, I am going to be calling Citrix soon.....

 

[w33mhz]

Yes I use citrix everyday, it has some very nice features that simplify some of my headaches, of corse it does cause some headaches as well, like printing, that is alway a pain.
ICA (citrix) doesn't use as much bandwidth because of the way it handles the communications, like when you double click on an item, it just sends a double click command. The pic on the screen I believe are just bitmaps so that speeds up the screen. But with what you want to do RDP is not a good. Citrix you can install citrix on the server, install the app you want to push out, then via the management console you just publish the application. On the client end you install the citrix client, then when you setup the client choose the published app, set your screen resolutions and authentication type, more than likely you want pass-through for what you are doing, unless then will need to supply a diff username and password.
When you want to do that with other apps just do the same for all you only need to install software one time on the client, you will just have to setup a connection to each app.
Now the not so cool thing (its not a big deal) is that the connection to the app has a citrix icon, you can change the icon though. I haven't tried this but I think it works, you can just push the shortcut out the the desktops of the clients with out having to create the local connection.

 

[w33mhz]

The real downside to citrix is it costs money, you need to buy TS licenses and Citrix licenses and you need to license both ends of each connection. So essentially for each client you need to have 4 licenses (granted 2 are server side and 2 are citrix side), if you are using win2003. If you are using win2000 servers you won't have to buy as many licenses because microsoft kind of screwed up and distributed win2000server with TS licenses, so you will only need to buy 3 license per client.

 

[markdmac]

Just publish your applications via TS and be done with it. You need to install the applications on the Terminal Server. Make sure you have licensing for this, using TS is not a way around the licensing.

Then on the XP client click Start, Programs, Accessories, Communications, Remote Desktop.

Configure the ID & password you want and choose a display size for your window on the Display Tab. Next click the Applications tab and specify the application path you want to run. Click back to the General tab and save the icon on the shared desktop. Repeat for each application you want to access on the Terminal Server.

The comments about Citrix being better on bandwidth are true but I personally think the problems you gain with the Print Spooler constantly needing to be restarted negate all the positives. The added cost is also reason to avoid Citrix.

I hope you find this post helpful.

Regards,

Mark

Check out my scripting solutions at

http://www.thespidersparlor.com/vbscript

Work SMARTER not HARDER. The Spider's Parlor's Admin Script Pack is a collection of Administrative scripts designed to make IT Administration easier! Save time, get more work done, get the Admin Script Pack.

 

[sromine]

Thanks for the info markdmac, I had seen the application path but had passed right by it.....

I dont see how to configure a username and password though for some reason. All I see is something that says Username:none

What I want to do is click on an icon, have it autoconnect to the terminal services with no more user interaction and run the application.....

thanks for all the input....

 

[markdmac]

After the first connection you can choose to save the credentials. Users will be prompted the first time.

I hope you find this post helpful.

Regards,

Mark

Check out my scripting solutions at

http://www.thespidersparlor.com/vbscript

Work SMARTER not HARDER. The Spider's Parlor's Admin Script Pack is a collection of Administrative scripts designed to make IT Administration easier! Save time, get more work done, get the Admin Script Pack.

 

[sromine]

Thanks markdmac, I see that and it works!

So, thanks to your excellent suggestions, I was able to script it using rdp gui to connect and open ms word....but when ms word closes out it just kind of sits in a terminal services environment.....

do you see any scenario whereby I could script so that it would run word in a terminal services environment, and then when they close out of word, it would close out of the terminal services environment and return to the desktop....

One angle would be to have the rdp startup application be a vbs/bat file that starts ms word and then sits, and when the user closes out of word, it then finishes the execution of the script.....any ideas on this? any ideas on scripting the close of a terminal services session?

Thanks, this is helping a bunch!

 

[markdmac]

In my testing it does take a minute but the window closes out on its own. Are you not seeing the same thing?

Another option is to configure your terminal server to log off disconnected sessions and instruct your users to click the X in the top right of the TS application to close out that window.

I hope you find this post helpful.

Regards,

Mark

Check out my scripting solutions at

http://www.thespidersparlor.com/vbscript

Work SMARTER not HARDER. The Spider's Parlor's Admin Script Pack is a collection of Administrative scripts designed to make IT Administration easier! Save time, get more work done, get the Admin Script Pack.