Trying to create a dummy terminal for Citrix connection

[shall6645]

I am trying to take older Windows 98 machines and turn them into dummy terminals. I am trying a Linux solution. I don't know how to get the Citrix client to run in the text based verison of Fedora 2. After getting the client to work is there any way to get linux to autorun the Citrix client on start up without any user input. Any help would be wonderful.

Steve

 

[CitrixEngineer]

The Linux client requires an X server in order to be able to display the graphical data sent to it by the MetaFrame server. You'll need a version of XFree86 - or, more likely, a supported distribution.

As a suggestion, you can get a much "thinner" client by using the DOS ICA client.

Hope this helps

 

[riwe]

check out this Linux dist.

http://thinstation.sourceforge.net/

I have sucessfully installed this on 100+ computers.

 

[patrickrouse]

Although I know thinstation exists, I've yet to try it. Do you have any tips or tricks related to thinstation that might help everyone?

I plan on trying thinstation or F.Boot in my new office, as I need to replace about 30 Win9x OS based computers, and may be able to save a few $$$.

Other options here:

http://www.workthin.com/tsdown.htm

(free downloads)

http://www.workthin.htm/tsao.htm

(3rd party add-ons & utilities)

Patrick Rouse
Microsoft MVP - Terminal Server

http://www.workthin.com

 

[riwe]

one tips is to join their mailing list if you have trouble setting it upp or browse their archive of question.
The FAQ is good.
Let me know how it works out for you.

 

[shall6645]

I went ahead with thinstation on the machine. I can get it to boot up to the screen where you can make the selection, but when I select the Citrix test I configured it won't launch. The screen turns black for a few seconds then goes back to the menu screen. Here is my config file. Not sure what I need to change or have in here to make it work.

# --- Network configuration

# Give a different name to each PC
NET_HOSTNAME=Test

# If you want to use a DHCP server, comment out these params:
#NET_USE_DHCP=Off
#NET_IP_ADDRESS=10.10.0.45
#NET_MASK=255.255.254.0
#NET_GATEWAY=10.10.0.3
#NET_DNS1=192.168.0.20
#NET_DNS2=192.168.0.3
#NET_DNS_SEARCH=cartoons.org.nz



# --- Session Options
#
# Note: X is a number equal to or greater than 0
#
# SESSION_TITLE Title description for SESSION
# SESSION_TYPE Package type, choose beetwen:
# - vncviewer Start vncviewer in X
# - rdesktop Start rdesktop in X
# - x Start x-terminal session (xdm)
# - ssh Start ssh client in linux console
# - telnet Start telnet client in linux console
# - ica Start Citrix ICA client in X
# - tn5250 Start AS400 client in linux console
# SESSION_[PACKAGE]_SERVER IP address/hostname of the server
# SESSION_[PACKAGE]_OPTIONS Command line options for the session type




# Imporatant: You can have multiple sessions, but make sure you start at SESSION 0.
# Otherwise you will get an error on boot.

# If you only have one session, it is a good idea to uncomment this line:
#AUTOSTART=On

SESSION_0_TITLE="Citrix server"
SESSION_0_TYPE=ica
SESSION_0_ICA_APPLICATION_SET="TEST FARM DESKTOP"
SESSION_0_ICA_SERVER=10.10.0.22



# --- General Options
#
# KEYBOARD_MAP Keyboard layout
# TIME_ZONE Used to set time zone on TS client
# AUTOPLAYCD If enabled this will autoplay music cds when inserted.
# RECONNECT_PROMPT Will prompt for reconnection to server, otherwise Autoconnects, On/Off

KEYBOARD_MAP=en_us
#TIME_ZONE=US
#AUTOPLAYCD=On
#RECONNECT_PROMPT=On


# --- Networking Options
#
# NET_HOSTNAME Hostname to use if not using a thinstation.hosts file, note
# that the machine MAC address will replace any * if used.
# NET_REMOTE_ACCESS_FROM List of hostnames/ip address accepted by the server
# for remote control, used by telnetd and

http://www packages

# NET_TELNETD Enables built-in telnetd server package

#NET_HOSTNAME=donald
#NET_HOSTNAME=ts_*
#NET_TELNETD_ENABLED=On
#NET_REMOTE_ACCESS_FROM="duck.quak.org.au 192.168.0.0 .disney.us"


# --- XServer Options
#
# SCREEN_RESOLUTION Screen resolutions available in the workstations
# SCREEN_COLOR_DEPTH Number of bits per pixel (8,16,24)
# SCREEN_HORIZSYNC Monitor horizontal sync frequency in Khz.
# SCREEN_VERTREFRESH Monitor vertical refresh frecuency in Hz.
# SCREEN_X_FONT_SERVER IP address or hostname of the font server for X
# MOUSE_PROTOCOL Mouse protocol type (Microsoft, PS/2, etc.)
# (mouse is autodetected, use this only if it fails)
# MOUSE_DEVICE Mouse device: /dev/ttyS0 -> COM1
# /dev/ttyS1 -> COM2
# /dev/ttyS2 -> COM3
# /dev/ttyS3 -> COM4
# /dev/psaux -> PS/2 mouse port
# /dev/input/mice -> USB mouse (needs USB package)
# MOUSE_RESOLUTION Mouse resolution
# --- Advanced XServer Options - Experts Only
# X_DRIVER_NAME Driver for X, this will override the autodetection scripts
# X_DRIVER_BUSID Screen Card BusID
# X_DRIVER_OPTION1-4 Addditional options for driver

SCREEN_RESOLUTION="800x600"
#SCREEN_RESOLUTION="1024x768"

SCREEN_COLOR_DEPTH="256"
SCREEN_HORIZSYNC="30-64"
SCREEN_VERTREFRESH="56-87"
#SCREEN_X_FONT_SERVER=192.168.1.2:7100
#MOUSE_PROTOCOL=PS/2
#MOUSE_DEVICE=/dev/psaux
MOUSE_RESOLUTION=100
# --- Advanced Options - Experts Only
#X_DRIVER_NAME="mga"
#X_DRIVER_BUSID="PCI:1:0:0"
# A lots of drivers have problems with HW cursor... it's better to disable them
X_DRIVER_OPTION1="swcursor On"
#X_DRIVER_OPTION2="ActiveDevice CRT"
#X_DRIVER_OPTION3="noDDC Off"
#X_DRIVER_OPTION4="UseBios Off"
#X_DRIVER_OPTION5="ShadowFB Off"


# --- Ica Specific Options
#
# GLOBAL Settings
#ICA_USE_SERVER_KEYBOARD Use default server keyboard, otherwise use KEYBOARD_MAP
# variable
#ICA_BROWSER_PROTOCOL Broswer protocol, can be HTTPonTCP or UDP
#
# APPLICATION SET settings
#ICA_ENCRYPTION Encryption level for ICA
#ICA_COMPRESS Compression, On/Off
#ICA_APPLICATION_SET Published Application (Not needed if using
# ICA_SERVER)
#ICA_SERVER Server to Connect to (Not needed if using
# ICA_APPLICATION_SET, but needed if the ICA-Masterbrowser
# is not on the local network.)
#
#ICA_USE_SERVER_KEYBOARD=Off
#ICA_BROWSER_PROTOCOL=HTTPonTCP
#ICA_SERVER=10.10.0.23
#ICA_ENCRYPTION=Basic
#ICA_COMPRESS=On
#ICA_SEAMLESS_WINDOW=Off


# --- Printing Options
#
# PRINTER_0_NAME Workstation Printer Name, Can be Any Valid Name
# PRINTER_0_DEVICE Workstation printer device (if not specified devices
# are not loaded).
# /dev/printers/[0-2] for parallel ports
# /dev/ttyS[0-3] for serial ports
# /dev/usb/lp[0-2] for USB printers
#
# PRINTER_0_TYPE N for network, P for parallel, S for serial, U for USB printer
# PRINTER_0_OPTIONS Serial port options.
# PRINTER_1_* See PRINTER_0_*
# PRINTER_2_* See PRINTER_0_*
# PRINTER_3_* See PRINTER_0_*

#PRINTER_0_NAME=parallel
#PRINTER_0_DEVICE=/dev/printers/0
#PRINTER_0_TYPE=P

#PRINTER_1_NAME=serial
#PRINTER_1_DEVICE=/dev/ttyS1
#PRINTER_1_TYPE=S
#PRINTER_1_OPTIONS="speed 38400 -imaxbel"

#PRINTER_2_NAME=usb
#PRINTER_2_DEVICE=/dev/usb/lp0
#PRINTER_2_TYPE=U

#PRINTER_3_NAME=usb
#PRINTER_3_DEVICE=/dev/usb/lp0
#PRINTER_3_TYPE=U

 

[riwe]

It seems that they changed the configuration file since the old 1.x that I use.
I will download and test 2.0 and see whats happening.
It took me about 3 days to get it working..

 

[shall6645]

Thanks for all the help

 

[riwe]

SESSION_0_TITLE="Citrix server"
SESSION_0_TYPE=ica
SESSION_0_ICA_APPLICATION_SET="TEST FARM DESKTOP"
SESSION_0_ICA_SERVER=10.10.0.22

You can´t use both a published application and point at a server at the same time.
Test this:

SESSION_0_TITLE="Citrix server"
SESSION_0_TYPE=ica
SESSION_0_ICA_APPLICATION_SET="TEST FARM DESKTOP"
#SESSION_0_ICA_SERVER=10.10.0.22

#ICA_BROWSER_PROTOCOL=HTTPonTCP
should be uncomment.

Give it a try and see whats happining.

 

[shall6645]

I made those changes in the config file. When I start the computer it boots to the menu screen. When I press enter on the Citrix Server the screen goes black for a few second then goes back to the menu screen.

 

[riwe]

Do you have a dns record that point to your masterbrowser?

 

[shall6645]

The server that does all the dns stuff then yes I do. But if I comment out the IP address lines then doesn't it go with DHCP?

 

[shall6645]

I noticed that the ip address that I is in the config file doesn't reply to a ping.

 

[shall6645]

Would it matter if there were two different ICA farms.

 

[riwe]

You must uncomment the rows that you will use.
I don´t think it matters if you use 2 farms.
I notice that it uses the dns host ica to determine the master browser for the farm, but you can also hardcode it by using the ICA_SERVER line.

 

[Chambers]

Yeah, basically our dns isn't set up correctly for citrix so in order to find the master browser we need to tell it to look at 10.10.0.22 and there I have a Published Desktop. Works perfect for the wyse terminals we have. So is this what we should put into the config? Basically don't you still need to tell it what application (The desktop) it needs to connect to? otherwise how does it distinguish between the published desktop or published app?

AUTOSTART=On

SESSION_0_TITLE="Citrix server"
SESSION_0_TYPE=ica
SESSION_0_ICA_APPLICATION_SET="TEST FARM DESKTOP"
SESSION_0_ICA_SERVER=MF4

 

[riwe]

Yes, thats correct. You must specify what applications it needs to connect to.
You should not use SESSION_0_ICA_SERVER=MF4.
You can ONLY use ICA_APPLICATION_SET or ICA_SERVER according to the documentation.
this should work for you if you published desktop is called "TEST FARM DESKTOP".

SESSION_0_TITLE="Citrix server"
SESSION_0_TYPE=ica
SESSION_0_ICA_APPLICATION_SET="TEST FARM DESKTOP"

In the new version 2.0 you can list all your published applications as new sessions.
Session_0, Session_1 etc...

I personally use thinstation with TFTP so all clients have the same list of published applications. If I need to add a new application I just make the change once and the clients gets it.

 

[shall6645]

Thank you for all the help. I discovered a linux thinclient solution PXES. The product is wonderful and fairly easy to create.

Steve