AppSense - Set the system language for users on logon

Hello,

some of our new VDI users want to have their system language/program language in English-UK. Our Windows 7 SP1 Masterimage hast German as default installation language and default location. So these are the steps required for making it multilanguage compatible.

1. Install the Windows 7 SP1 Language Pack for English which are listed here: http://www.mydigitallife.info/windows-7-sp1-mui-language-packs-official-direct-download-links/
2. Install the Office Language Pack. You will be able to download it via the licensing portal or you could buy it directly from Microsoft if you do not have an enterprise agreement.
3. Check the other applications you have installed for multilanguage features. Here are some examples of mine:
1. Adobe Reader: You could set Adobe Reader 9/X with a registry key that it takes the language from the user account. See it here:  http://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/kb/controlling-reader-mui-startup-language.html
2. 7-Zip: You could set the language to English with the following registry key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\7-ZIP
   ValueName: Lang
   ValueType: REG_SZ
   Value: en
4. To make the setting of the language silenty on login the first thing you have to do is to make a language XML file where you configure your settings. See some information on this here, here and here. When you are done with this than copy the file to a central location or in your master image.
5. Now I am making a new logon action where I am first checking if the OS is Windows 7 or Windows 2008R2 because this way is only supported from Windows Vista upwards. Then I am checking for a security group where all English Speaking Users are grouped into and then we are doing the "magic" with a custom execute action where we firing up the control panel item for "Regions and language" and do a silent import of our before created XML file. Even more I am setting two group policy objects to restrict this user only to English as language.

The rest of the configuration for Office, Adobe Reader, 7-Zip and so on I am doing with process started triggers for faster logon times.

Best Regards,

michael.obernberger

AppSense - How to delete or add users to a group

Hi,

I want to add a group to the local administrator group on logon dependent on the existence of a specific EXE file. So as you could do this with group policies built in function.

But there is a way to do this with AppSense Environment Manager. So the first thing I am doing is to check for a specific exe-File on x86 or x64 and if this exists I am firing a custom execute to add the group "Testgroup" to the local Administrators group:

The only "problem" with this command is that you have to be connected to the network for this to function correctly.


michael.obernberger

Citrix XenDesktop 5.6 is now available for download

Hello,

since today Citrix XenDesktop 5.6 is available for download from the Citrix website.

The new features are:

• Personal vDisk - This feature is a personalization solution for virtual desktops. Two new types of catalog allow you to preserve the assignment of users to desktops even when the disk is cleaned at restart; the same user is assigned the same desktop for later sessions. The new catalogs arepooled with personal vDisk (for pooled-static virtual desktops) that you manage with Desktop Studio and streamed with personal vDisk that you manage with Provisioning Services. In addition, a dedicated storage disk is created, before logon, so users can store their data on the desktop, including any applications they install. For background information on this feature, see About Personal vDisks.
• System Center support - XenDesktop now supports Microsoft System Center 2012 Configuration Manager and Microsoft System Center 2012 Virtual Machine Manager.
• Virtual Desktop Agent - A new version of the Virtual Desktop Agent fixes issues in the version included with XenDesktop 5.5. These are the issues which are fixed: http://support.citrix.com/article/CTX124164
• Citrix Licensing - Citrix Licensing 11.10 lets you assign access to the License Administration Console using Active Directory Users and Groups.
• Desktop Director - Desktop Director 2.1 supports personal vDisks and contains fixes since the last release. For more information, see the Desktop Director documentation

.

Best Regards,
michael.obernberger

Citrix - How to pass through a parameter to a published application

Hello,

I want to give you a short how-to for passing through a parameter to a published Citrix XenApp Application.
I have tested this on XenApp 5 with Feature Pack 3 and Online Plugin 12.1.

• The first thing you have to do is changing your published application Location. Go to the command line and at the end of the executable type %** (without quotation marks) and click OK.
• On your client you could now fire up the published application with the parameters you want to have with the command line:
  "C:\Program Files\Citrix\ICA Client\pnagent.exe" /QLaunch "FARMNAME:PUBLISHEDAPP" /param:"X:\test.txt"
  You have to change the Farmname and Published Application Name and set the parameters under quotation marks.

Thats it and with this shortcut you could fire up your application with custom parameters.

Best Regards,

michael.obernberger