HP Remote Graphics Software 7.7
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The information contained herein is subject to change without notice. The only warranties for HP products and services are set forth in the express warranty statements accompanying such products and services. Nothing herein should be construed as constituting an additional warranty. HP shall not be liable for technical or editorial errors or omissions contained herein.
Document Part Number: L74363-001
Third-party software notice
Third-party source code and licenses are re-distributed, if required, with HP Remote Graphics Software.
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HP Remote Graphics Software (RGS) brings added security, performance, mobility, and collaboration to your workstation deployment. With RGS, you can use a lower-powered desktop, notebook, or thin client to remotely connect to a powerful workstation and use your graphics-intensive workstation programs wherever you go.
Your programs run natively on the remote workstation and take full advantage of its graphics resources. The desktop of the remote workstation is transmitted over a standard network to your local computer using advanced image compression technology specifically designed for digital imagery, text, and high frame rate video applications.
The following image and table demonstrate a typical RGS deployment.
NOTE:RGS software and documentation might also refer to the sender and the receiver as the remote computer and the local computer respectively.
RGS system requirements, such as hardware and operating system support, are not discussed in this document. Some RGS features might have additional system requirements. System requirements are described in the QuickSpecs (see Finding more information).
RGS includes a variety of features, including the ones described in the table below.
NOTICE:Some features are not supported by certain operating systems.
Feature | Description |
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Provides workstation-class performance for software based on OpenGL or Direct X NOTICE:See Software compatibility with RGS for information about the types of programs and configurations that HP does and does not recommend for use with RGS. |
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Reduces the network bandwidth needed for high-quality video streams See Advanced Video Compression (Windows/Linux only) for more information. |
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Support varied deployment scenarios and preferences, including smart card redirection See Authentication for more information. |
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Lets multiple receivers connect to the same sender simultaneously, allowing multiple users to view and interact with the same desktop session and programs See Collaboration for more information. |
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Lets a single receiver connect to multiple senders simultaneously See Directory Mode for more information. |
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Adjusts the display resolution and display layout of the sender to match those of the receiver or user-defined properties, even when you use multiple monitors See Display resolution and layout matching for more information. |
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Improves performance within a wide area network (WAN) See HP Velocity for more information. |
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Transmits smooth, continuous, low-latency, high-quality audio from the sender to the receiver See Remote Audio for more information. |
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Lets you cut, copy, and paste data between the sender and the receiver or between two different senders See Remote Clipboard for more information. |
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Lets receiver-side USB devices be mounted to and accessed by the sender through the RGS connection See Remote USB (Windows/ThinPro only) for more information. |
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Blanks the screen of the sender monitor (if one is connected) so that the desktop session is not visible at the sender See Sender screen blanking for more information. |
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Lets you control your remote desktop with touch input and configure custom gestures See Using touch features (Windows touch-capable devices only) for more information. |
Interoperability is supported between different versions of RGS Sender and RGS Receiver only if they have the same primary version number.
NOTE:Each release of RGS is a complete release of the entire product, regardless of which components have changed.
RGS works with most software that runs in windowed mode, including those based on OpenGL and Direct X. See below for some exceptions:
The installation of RGS Sender disables video overlay surfaces on the sender. Most OpenGL-based software will adjust to this and still work correctly, but in some cases, the following could happen as a result:
If these types of issues occur, it is likely because the software is still trying to use video overlay surfaces even though they are disabled. This can sometimes be resolved if the software has an option to disable the use of video overlay surfaces.
NOTICE:RGS Sender does not support programs in full-screen exclusive mode. This means that RGS is not suitable for most full-screen games.
RGS Sender is included with HP Z workstations and HP ZBook mobile workstations. A separate license purchase is not required for RGS Sender on these products.
RGS Sender requires a license if installed on any other computer. Further information can be found in the Licensing Guide (see Finding more information).
NOTE:An RGS connection can be established without a license; however, a warning message about the missing license will overlay the RGS Receiver window, blocking a significant portion of the Sender desktop.
NOTE:RGS Receiver is a free download for all devices.
The table below can be used to find more information about RGS.
Resource | Contents |
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The following procedure is a high-level description of how to get started using RGS:
Start an RGS session with the sender.
If authentication is successful, the RGS session starts, and the sender desktop appears inside the RGS Receiver window that opens on the receiver.
NOTE:If the sender desktop was in a locked state when you started the RGS session, you must unlock the desktop by entering the credentials again, this time into the logon screen on the sender.
On a Windows®-based sender, if the logon screen instructs you to press Ctrl+Alt+Del to start the logon process, you must instead press Ctrl+Alt+End to trigger the desired action on the sender.
The installer wizard for the RGS Receiver allows for both Typical and Custom installations. The Typical installation installs Remote USB and Remote Clipboard. The Typical installation should be suitable for most deployments.
The Custom installation type lets you choose whether you want to install certain features, as well as specify proxy settings. A custom installation can be performed on the command line as well.
IMPORTANT:Windows administrator privileges are required to perform the installation.
NOTE:If the software is already installed, installing a newer version will perform an update. Attempting to install the same version or an older version will cause the installer to exit without making changes to the system.
NOTE:During the installation process, the installer creates a log file named rgreceiverInstaller.log in the location specified by the Windows TEMP environment variable.
This section provides information about the following topics:
To perform a custom installation of RGS Receiver on Windows using the installer wizard:
On the Remote USB Configuration page, select the desired installation setting for the Remote USB feature (options described below), and then select Next.
USB devices are Local/Remote—Remote USB is installed, and each USB device has its access set individually to either the receiver or the sender, depending on when the USB device is plugged in to the receiver.
Access to a particular device can be switched by removing it and then re-inserting it while RGS Receiver is in the opposite connection state.
NOTE:This setting controls whether Remote USB components are installed. To change this setting after installation, you must uninstall and reinstall RGS Receiver. If installed, Remote USB can be disabled (and re-enabled) later using RGS Receiver or the RGS Receiver Configuration tool.
Alternatively, the Remote USB installation setting can be overridden for individual devices (without a reinstallation) by an advanced option that is not offered by the installer (see Configuring the remoting behavior of individual USB devices (Windows only)).
On the Remote Clipboard Configuration page, select whether you want the Remote Clipboard feature installed, and then select Next.
NOTE:This setting controls whether Remote Clipboard components are installed. To change this setting after installation, you must uninstall and reinstall RGS Receiver. If installed, Remote Clipboard can be disabled (and re-enabled) later using RGS Receiver or the RGS Receiver Configuration tool.
If the next page of the wizard is titled Proxy Configuration, select the appropriate setting as described below, and then select Next. If the next page prompts you to start the installation next, then RGS automatically detected and leveraged the proxy settings from Internet Explorer, and you can skip this step.
IMPORTANT:Proxy server settings must be configured correctly to activate RGS Advanced Features. See RGS Advanced Features for more information.
RGS command-line options must be preceded by a /z flag and be enclosed in double quotes, with no space before or after the opening double quote and no space before the closing double quote. If using multiple commands, separate them with a single space. See the example below:
ReceiverSetup64.exe /z"/autoinstall /agreetolicense"
If you need to include a double quote as part of a parameter (such as for a folder path), then you should precede each of those double quotes with a backwards slash like in the following example:
ReceiverSetup64.exe /z"/autoinstall /agreetolicense /folder=\"C:\RGS Receiver""
NOTE:This command must be issued from the location of the ReceiverSetup64.exe installation file.
Unless a folder path is specified, RGS will be installed in the folder: C:\Program Files\HP\Remote Graphics Receiver.
The following table describes the installation-related command-line options.
IMPORTANT:The options /autoinstall and /agreetolicense are always required when performing the installation on the command line.
Option | Description |
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/autoinstall |
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/agreetolicense |
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Specifies the folder path to install to, which is the following by default if not specified: C:\Program Files\HP\Remote Graphics Receiver ![]() NOTE:The folder path C:\Program Files\HP\Remote Graphics Receiver applies to 64-bit versions of Windows. On 32-bit versions of Windows, the folder path is C:\Program Files\Hewlett-Packard\Remote Graphics Receiver. |
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/usb={local|remote|localRemote} |
Sets the desired Remote USB installation option, which is localRemote by default if not specified For a description of each option, see Performing a custom RGS Receiver installation using the installer wizard. |
/clipboard |
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/noreboot |
Prevents the computer from restarting at the end of the installation process |
Configures proxy settings to allow for activation of RGS Advanced Features. ![]() IMPORTANT:Activation of RGS Advanced Features does not work through a proxy server if the proxy settings are not configured correctly. See RGS Advanced Features for more information. |
The following table describes additional command-line options for the installer.
NOTE:If either /help or /viewlicense is used, all other options are ignored.
Option | Description |
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/help |
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/viewlicense |
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/autoremove |
![]() NOTE:The option /noreboot can be used in conjunction with this option. |
The installer wizard for the RGS Sender allows for both Typical and Custom installations. The Typical installation installs Remote USB and Remote Clipboard but not smart card redirection. The Typical installation should be suitable for most deployments.
The Custom installation lets you choose whether or not to install certain features. A custom installation can be performed on the command line as well.
IMPORTANT:Windows administrator privileges are required to perform the installation.
NOTE:If an older version of the software is already installed, installing a newer version will perform an update. Attempting to install the same version or an older version will cause the installer to exit without making changes to the system.
NOTE:During the installation process, the installer creates a log file named rgsenderInstaller.log in the location specified by the Windows TEMP environment variable.
This section provides information about the following topics:
To perform a custom installation of RGS Sender on Windows using the installer wizard:
NOTE:The installer wizard might contain additional options not discussed below regarding installation of beta features. Do not install these features unless instructed to by HP.
On the Remote Graphics Sender Configuration page, select whether you want the Remote USB, smart card redirection, and Remote Clipboard features installed, and then select Next.
NOTE:These settings control whether the features are installed. To change these settings after installation, you must uninstall and reinstall RGS Sender. If installed, Remote Clipboard can be disabled (and re-enabled) later using the RGS Sender Configuration tool.
On the Single Sign-On / Easy Login Configuration page, select the desired authentication method, and then select Next.
TIP:You can change the authentication method after installation. See Authentication for more information and for a description of each of the authentication methods.
NOTE:If you select Do not enable either, then the standard authentication method will be used.
If the next page of the wizard is titled Remote Graphics Sender Licensing, complete this step. If the next page prompts you to start the installation next, then an RGS Sender license is either already installed or is not required, and you can skip this step.
On the Remote Graphics Sender Licensing page, select the appropriate option depending on if you have an RGS Sender license file ready to install, select Next.
If you chose to install a license file, follow the on-screen instructions to complete that procedure before proceeding to the next step.
NOTE:For a brief overview of RGS Sender licensing requirements, see RGS Sender licensing. For detailed information and instructions about RGS Sender licensing, see Finding more information to locate the Licensing Guide.
RGS command-line options must be preceded by a /z flag and be enclosed in double quotes, with no space before or after the opening double quote and no space before the closing double quote. If using multiple commands, separate them with a single space. See the example below:
SenderSetup64.exe /z"/autoinstall /agreetolicense"
If you need to include a double quote as part of a parameter (such as for a folder path), then you should precede each of those double quotes with a backwards slash like in the following example:
SenderSetup64.exe /z"/autoinstall /agreetolicense /folder="C:RGS Sender""
The following table describes the installation-related command-line options.
NOTE:This command must be issued from the location of the SenderSetup64.exe installation file.
NOTE:Unless a folder path is specified, RGS will be installed in the folder C:\Program Files\HP\Remote Graphics Sender.
IMPORTANT:The options /autoinstall and /agreetolicense are always required when performing the installation on the command line.
The following table describes additional command-line options for the installer.
NOTE:If either /help or /viewlicense is used, all other options are ignored.
Option | Description |
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/help |
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/viewlicense |
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/autoremove |
![]() NOTE:The option /noreboot can be used in conjunction with this option. |
To install RGS Receiver on Linux®:
To install RGS Sender on Linux:
IMPORTANT:Before proceeding, make sure you already have the appropriate NVIDIA® graphics driver installed on the sender. The NVIDIA driver installation creates the file /etc/X11/xorg.conf, which might be used during the installation process (depending on your Linux distribution), so the NVIDIA driver must be installed first. System requirements can be found in the QuickSpecs (see Finding more information).
On Mac OS, you can install RGS Receiver using the installer wizard or on the command line.
NOTE:If the software is already installed, the installation process overwrites it.
This section provides information about the following topics:
Execute the following command:
sudo installer -pkg “HP\RGS\Receiver.pkg” -target /
NOTE:To install RGS Receiver in a location other than the root of the boot volume, enter /Volumes/OtherDrive instead of / at the end of the command.
To open RGS Receiver on Windows:
Perform the action below that corresponds to the operating system of the receiver.
To open RGS Receiver on Linux:
To open RGS Receiver on Mac OS:
TIP:RGS Receiver can alternatively be started on the command line (see RGS Receiver command-line options).
Item | Description |
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Enter the hostname or IP address of the sender in this field. ![]() TIP:The drop-down list contains recent entries. |
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Opens the Settings panel (see RGS Receiver settings for more information). |
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Opens the Info panel, which contains version information and the End User License Agreement (EULA) for RGS, as well as third-party acknowledgments. |
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Item | Description |
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Enter the hostname or IP address of the sender in this field. ![]() TIP:The drop-down list contains recent entries. |
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This step depends on the authentication method you are using (see Authentication).
Enter the credentials as required by the authentication method.
If authentication is successful, the RGS session starts, and the sender desktop appears inside the RGS Receiver window that opens on the receiver.
Note the following additional information about creating an RGS connection:
You cannot connect to more than one sender at a time using the GUI of RGS Receiver. If an attempt is made to connect to a second sender, the connection to the first sender is terminated. For information about how to connect to more than one sender at a time, see Directory Mode.
Item | Description |
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The RGS Receiver toolbar provides easy access to the most frequently used options (see RGS Receiver toolbar GUI (Windows/Linux) for more information). |
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Scroll bars appear if the resolution of the sender is larger than the size of the RGS Receiver window. |
This section provides information about the following topics:
Icon | Description |
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By clicking and holding the left mouse button while moving the mouse, the toolbar may be moved horizontally. |
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Allows the toolbar to be pinned or unpinned to the Receiver window. If it is unpinned, it will hide when not in use. To unhide the toolbar, hover the mouse near the top of the Receiver window. |
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Displays the current status of HP Velocity (see HP Velocity for more information). |
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Displays the current network bandwidth consumed by the connection. |
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Opens the virtual keyboard (see Using touch features (Windows touch-capable devices only) for more information). |
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Enables the virtual mouse (see Using touch features (Windows touch-capable devices only) for more information). ![]() TIP:The virtual mouse also can be enabled and disabled using the 4-finger tap gesture. |
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Adds or removes window borders on the RGS Receiver window. When borders are removed, this icon is grayed out, and a minimize icon and an X (close) icon are displayed. |
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Toggles Setup Mode (see Setup Mode). |
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Opens the Settings panel (see RGS Receiver settings for more information). |
Item | Description |
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The RGS Receiver toolbar provides easy access to the most frequently used options via the following menus:
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Scroll bars appear if the resolution of the sender is larger than the size of the RGS Receiver window, or when the Receiver window is adjusted below the size of the sender resolution. |
In Setup Mode, transmission of keyboard and mouse input to the sender is suspended. Instead, the keyboard and mouse can be used to interact with the RGS Receiver window on the receiver. In this mode, you can do the following:
Setup Mode can be activated in two ways:
Type the default hotkey sequence as follows:
Press and hold down Left Shift. While pressing Left Shift, press and release Space. Setup Mode will remain active as long as Left Shift is held down.
NOTE:The default hotkey sequence can be changed (see Changing the Setup Mode hotkey sequence).
This section provides information about the following topics:
RGS allows you to change the Setup Mode hotkey sequence from its default value of Left Shift press, Space press, and Space release.
When defining a new Setup Mode hotkey sequence, the following keys can be used:
Every sequence must begin with Ctrl, Alt, or Shift. Two actions are associated with each key:
To change the Setup Mode hotkey sequence:
Click Reset restores the Setup Mode hotkey sequence to its default values.
This section describes the settings available in RGS Receiver, which are divided into the following categories:
The following table describes the settings available in the Connection panel.
Setting | Description |
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Forces the authentication prompt to display when starting an RGS connection. In certain scenarios, RGS will not prompt you to enter a domain, user name, and password when starting an RGS connection. If you need to enter a domain, user name, and password, then check this box. ![]() TIP:This is advantageous when using RGS in Directory Mode where there are different connection needs for each session. |
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Do not change the resolution or layout of the sender’s displays. |
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Attempts to set the sender’s display resolution and layout to match the receiver’s display resolution and layout. For example, if the receiver has two monitors side-by-side and an overall display resolution of 2560 × 1024, RGS attempts to set the same resolution and layout on the sender’s displays. If that fails, RGS attempts to set a resolution of 2560 × 1024 on a single sender display. ![]() NOTE:This option is not supported on Linux by default. You must configure the X Server with the proper modelines and/or metamodes for this option to work. See Matching display resolution and layout (Linux-based sender) for more information. |
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Attempts to set the sender’s display resolution and layout to match the specified display properties. See Image and Display for more information. ![]() NOTE:This option is not available if no display properties are found in the configuration file. |
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![]() NOTE:Windows/HP ThinPro only |
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Becomes active when Directory Mode is enabled. Allows the user to remote USB devices to a sender selected from the drop-down list. |
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Specifies what the RGS Receiver does if the verification of the sender certificate fails. |
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The performance settings allow you to improve the interactive experience. Typically, these adjustments will be made when working with highly interactive applications (such as a CAD application) in a low-bandwidth or high-latency network environment.
The following table describes the settings available in the Performance panel.
Setting | Description |
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Advanced Video Compression on Sender ![]() NOTE:Windows/Linux only |
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Sets the maximum image quality. When not using Adaptive image quality, RGS will maintain the image quality specified by this option. When selecting Adaptive image quality, RGS will use this option’s setting as the target image quality when the updates-per-second value allows. |
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When Enable adaptive image quality is selected, RGS will begin to degrade the image quality down to the Minimum image quality setting (from 0–100) anytime the updates-per-second value falls below the Target update rate (from 0–30 updates per second). When Increase text rendering quality is selected, RGS uses different encoding for areas of the sender's display with few colors (areas with mostly text) to increase the quality when those areas are displayed on the receiver. In video-centric or bandwidth-constrained environments, disabling this option might improve RGS performance. ![]() NOTE:These options are disabled when Advanced Video Compression is enabled. |
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![]() TIP:See Performance optimization for more information about ways to optimize RGS performance. |
NOTE:These features are not supported on Windows 7.
You can use the gesture settings to map hotkey sequences to the gestures that are not used by RGS by default. For a list of the gestures that can be customized, see Using touch features (Windows touch-capable devices only).
To map a hotkey sequence to a gesture:
To un-map a hotkey sequence from a gesture:
The following table describes the settings available in the Audio panel.
The following table describes the settings available in the Network panel.
Setting | Description |
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Sets the time in seconds that RGS Receiver will wait before ending the connection after failing to detect RGS Sender. |
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Sets the time in seconds that RGS Receiver will wait before displaying a warning dialog to the local user after failing to detect RGS Sender. |
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Sets the time in seconds that RGS Receiver will wait for a response to a dialog being displayed on the sender (such as an authentication dialog). The request will be canceled if there is no response. |
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Enables the use of a proxy server with RGS. If you use a proxy server, configuring these settings is required to activate RGS Advanced Features such as Advanced Video Compression and HP Velocity. See RGS Advanced Features for more information. |
The following table describes the settings available in the Hotkeys panel.
Setting | Description |
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Forces the first key of a local hotkey sequence to be transmitted to the sender. By default, if a key press matches the first key of a local Setup Mode sequence, all key events are held until RGS determines whether the next keys pressed are completing the sequence. If it is not a Setup Mode sequence, all key press events are then transmitted to the sender. However, commands for some remote applications might require that the first key press event arrive separately for them to function correctly. Enabling this option will ensure the immediate transmission of the first key press. ![]() NOTE:In addition to transmitting the first key press to the sender, the key is also still processed by the receiver. |
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Enables the use of a Ctrl+Alt+End key sequence as a Ctrl+Alt+Delete sequence for the sender. This is useful when logging into the sender because, on some computers, the local operating system will interrupt the standard Ctrl+Alt+Delete key sequence and bring up local Windows security options instead. ![]() TIP:The Ctrl+Alt+Del sequence can also be sent using the RGS Receiver toolbar. |
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Enables the processing of key repeats for when the Shift key is held down. By default, key repeat processing is disabled by RGS, but some remote applications might require this functionality. ![]() NOTE:If this option is enabled, the default Setup Mode hotkey sequence will not trigger unless it is typed fast enough. |
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Sets the hotkey sequence for switching to Setup Mode. For more information, see Changing the Setup Mode hotkey sequence. |
The following table describes the settings available in the Logging panel.
The following table describes the information displayed in the Statistics panel.
The following table describes the valid command-line options for the Windows executable rgreceiver.exe, the Linux shell script rgreceiver.sh, and the Mac OS executable HP RGS Receiver.
NOTE:These commands must be issued from the RGS receiver installation directory.
Option | Description |
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Specifies the configuration file to use for the instance of RGS Receiver being opened ![]() NOTE:See Setting property values in a configuration file for more information. |
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Opens RGS Receiver in Directory Mode using the configuration from the specified directory file ![]() NOTE:See Directory Mode for more information. |
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-nosplash |
Disables the splash screen that displays by default when RGS Receiver is opened |
-{version|ver|v} |
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-{help|h|?} |
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Sets the specified RGS Receiver property to the specified value ![]() NOTE:See Setting property values on the command line for more information. |
RGS Sender for Windows is comprised of three processes:
If Windows is already started, there is no additional action required to start RGS Sender (unless you have manually disabled automatic startup for the rgsender service).
The rgsender service must be active for the other two processes to be running, so if you want to completely disable RGS Sender, stop the rgsender service.
To stop, start, or restart the rgsender service:
RGS Sender for Linux is started by the rge X server extension when Linux starts. RGS Sender cannot be manually started, stopped, or restarted on Linux.
TIP:You can verify that the extension loaded and that RGS Sender started by viewing the X server log file Xorg.0.log.
The sender is automatically restarted in the event of a failure. On Linux, the X server will restart the sender if it is stopped.
Command-line options for RGS Sender can be applied to the rgsender service by modifying a registry key.
To apply command-line options to the rgsender service:
Add the desired command-line options to the ImagePath value.
For example, to disallow collaboration, change the value data to the following:
C:\Program Files\HP\Remote Graphics Sender\rgsendersvc.exe -nocollab
IMPORTANT:The folder path C:\Program Files\HP\Remote Graphics Sender\rgsendersvc.exe -nocollab applies to 64-bit versions of Windows. On 32-bit versions of Windows, the folder path is C:\Program Files\Hewlett Packard\Remote Graphics Sender\rgsendersvc.exe -nocollab.
The following table describes the valid command-line options.
Command | Description |
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-nocollab |
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Specifies the timeout value, in milliseconds, after which RGS Sender disconnects an inactive connection |
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Specifies the timeout value, in milliseconds, that the collaboration authentication dialog is shown before the request is denied automatically |
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-{version|ver|v} |
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-{help|h|?} |
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Sets the specified RGS Sender property to the specified value ![]() NOTE:See Setting property values on the command line for more information. |
Command-line options for RGS Sender can be applied to the shell script rgsender.sh. The following table describes the valid command-line options.
Command | Description |
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-{version|ver|v} |
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-{help|h|?} |
The notification icon for RGS Sender is located in the Windows notification area and animates if there is an active RGS session. You can use the notification icon to do the following:
Left-click the notification icon to open the HP RGS Collaborators window (see Collaboration for more information).
In addition to standard logging, RGS Sender logs events. This information is output to a log named HPRemote, which is viewable in the Event Viewer tool in Windows, and can be useful in several different ways:
Remote application termination—See Creating an agent for remote application termination (Windows only) for more information.
RGS connections may be restricted by configuring the Sender ipfilter.txt file to specify the IP addresses, subnet masks, and the fully qualified computer and/or domain names of the receiver systems that are allowed to make a connection. If a receiver does not match one of the filters, the connection will be denied.
The file ipfilter.txt is located in the installation folder on Windows and in /etc/opt/hpremote/rgsender on Linux.
Connection filtering based on hostname and domain name requires DNS to be configured to allow reverse DNS lookup. For example, if the receiver IP address is 10.13.19.1, the command nslookup 10.13.19.1 will return a hostname and domain name. RGS will similarly use reverse look up for hostname and domain name filtering.
As an example, adding the following lines to the ipfilter.txt file on a sender system will only allow connections from receiver systems computername1 and computername2:
HOSTNAME:computername1.networkdomain.name
HOSTNAME:computername2.networkdomain.name
Filtering on the domain name compares the text after the first period in the domain name. For example, if DNS reverse lookup returns “james.auth.corp.net, the filter will compare auth.corp.net against domain name entries in the ipfilter.txt file to determine whether or not to allow connections from the receiver.
Filter types may be combined in one ipfilter.txt file. Once a match is made with a filter specified in the ipfilter.txt file, RGS will stop processing the file and allow the connection to be made. By default, the ipfilter.txt file does not filter out any connections. If the receiver connects to the sender over VPN or through another process that causes the IP address to be translated, RGS may prevent connections that users expect to work. For additional information, review the ipfilter.txt file on a system where the RGS Sender has been installed.
By default, HP RGS Receiver attempts to verify the identity of the sender by verifying the sender public-key infrastructure (PKI) certificate before a connection is made. By default, HP RGS Sender creates a self-signed certificate, but can be configured to use a certificate signed by a Certificate Authority (CA).
When the receiver attempts to connect to the sender, a warning is displayed if the certificate verification fails. The certificate verification can fail for the following reasons:
The sender presented a self-signed certificate. This user can compare the certificate fingerprint to the fingerprint available in the Certificate panel of the RGS Sender Configuration tool. See End-user verification of a sender certificate.
NOTE:This is the most common failure, because RGS Sender generates a self-signed certificate by default.
The sender address typed into the receiver window does not match the hostname on the sender certificate. This failure occurs if the user connects with an IP address instead of using the sender hostname. The user must be sure that the IP address resolves to the hostname on the sender certificate before connecting to that sender. Alternatively, the user can reconnect using the hostname on the sender certificate.
This section provides information about the following topics:
The Certificate Verification Error Policy determines how the receiver behaves if the identity of the sender cannot be verified. This setting can be configured in the RGS Receiver Configuration tool (see Using the RGS Receiver Configuration tool (Windows and Linux Only)).
If the verification fails, the RGS Receiver can be configured to do one of the following:
Prompt to accept (default): A warning prompt is displayed, and the user can choose to connect despite the failure. An SHA-256 fingerprint of the sender certificate is displayed with the error message. To verify the identity of the sender, compare the fingerprint displayed with the error message to the fingerprint presented in the Certificate panel of the RGS Sender Configuration tool. An administrator can provide the fingerprint to the user if they do not have access to the RGS Sender Configuration tool.
If the receiver cannot verify the sender certificate and the Certificate Verification Error Policy is configured to prompt to accept, the user can verify that the fingerprint of the certificate displayed in the verification error message matches the fingerprint displayed in the RGS Sender Configuration tool on the sender. An administrator can provide the fingerprint from the RGS Sender Configuration tool, if necessary.
For ease in deployment, HP RGS creates a self-signed certificate for the sender. For greater security, HP RGS can be configured to use a certificate signed by a CA.
To use a certificate signed by a CA, the CA certificate and key files must be present on the sender and receiver system.
This section provides information about the following topics:
For more information about setting RGS properties manually, see Setting RGS properties manually.
This section provides information about the following topics:
After this procedure is complete, HP RGS does not generate new certificates or use a self-signed certificate for sender verification.
You must delete any existing RGS certificates from the file system. See Removing a certificate.
For more information about setting RGS properties manually, see Setting RGS properties manually.
This section provides information about the following topics:
Open the config file. On Windows, the file is located in the RGS Receiver or RGS Sender installation directory. On Linux, the file is located in /etc/opt/hpremote/rgreceiver or /etc/opt/hpremote/rgsender. On Mac OS, this file is named iceconfig and is located in /Library/Application Support/HP/rgreceiver.
NOTE:If HP Velocity is enabled, the following settings must be duplicated with <IceSSL> replaced by <IceLive>.
Open the rgreceiverconfig file. On Windows, the file is located in the RGS Receiver or RGS Receiver installation directory. On Linux, the file is located in /etc/opt/hpremote/rgreceiver or /etc/opt/hpremote/rgreceiver. On Mac OS, this file is named iceconfig and is located in /Library/Application Support/HP/rgreceiver.
After this procedure is complete, HP RGS does not use the default self-signed certificate.
If certificate verification fails, the user can accept the certificate and connect when prompted.
If the Don’t ask about this certificate again check box is selected, RGS Receiver stores the end-user verification of the hostname and certificate. If a user tries to reconnect to the same hostname and the same certificate is presented by the sender, RGS Receiver automatically accepts or rejects the certificate based on the previous choice. This information is stored locally on the receiver. To stop automatically accepting or rejecting the certificate, you must remove the certificate from where it is stored.
This section provides information about the following topics:
To diagnose network or certificate configuration issues, set the Log level to DEBUG and set Ice properties in the sender or receiver Ice configuration files.
Open the config file. On Windows, the file is located in the RGS Receiver or RGS Sender installation directory. On Linux, the file is located in /etc/opt/hpremote/rgreceiver or /etc/opt/hpremote/rgsender. On Mac OS, this file is named iceconfig and is located in /Library/Application Support/HP/rgreceiver.
This chapter discusses the following RGS features and topics:
This section discusses RGS Advanced Features:
IMPORTANT:RGS Advanced Features require a one-time activation that occurs on the receiver when the first RGS connection is established, and this activation requires Internet access. If using a proxy server for your LAN, make sure that your proxy settings are configured correctly (see Network). Activation does not work with a proxy autoconfiguration (PAC) file or with the Web Proxy Auto-Discovery (WPAD) protocol.
The activation process uses https access to the activation.rgs.ext.hp.com URL (15.0.92.201). So you must configure your proxy or firewall to allow it.
For thin clients with a write filter, HP recommends disabling the write filter prior to the first RGS connection so that the files created during activation are permanently written to the hard drive. The write filter should be re-enabled afterwards.
Advanced Video Compression is an RGS Advanced Feature that enables the use of a modern video codec to greatly reduce the network bandwidth needed for high-quality video streams.
Advanced Video Compression is ideal for video or 3D applications in textured mode. It is not recommended for use with wireframes or fine lines, as screen artifacts might appear when in motion. Advanced Video Compression can be enabled in the Performance panel of the RGS Receiver settings.
IMPORTANT:System requirements for Advanced Video Compression might be higher than the base RGS system requirements, all of which are described in the QuickSpecs (see Finding more information).
NOTICE:The performance of Advanced Video Compression for resolutions larger than full HD (1920x1080) varies depending on the content.
Advanced Video Compression does not currently support 4K (Ultra HD) resolutions.
HP Velocity is an RGS Advanced Feature that improves performance within a wide area network (WAN).
HP Velocity status is displayed on the RGS Receiver toolbar:
NOTE:HP Velocity might increase network bandwidth usage.
This section provides information about the following topics:
There are three different authentication methods available for an RGS connection:
On Windows, the authentication method is selected during installation of RGS Sender and can be changed later using the RGS Sender Configuration tool (see Using the RGS Sender Configuration tool (Windows/Linux only)). Smart card redirection is supported for standard authentication and Easy Login (see Using smart card redirection).
On Linux, Easy Login can be enabled during installation and disabled using an RGS Sender property (see Other global properties).
This section provides information about the following topics:
Standard authentication is the process by which a local user attempts to connect to a sender that has neither Single Sign-on nor Easy Login enabled.
In normal operation, users are required to authenticate twice when establishing an RGS connection from a receiver to a sender. The two steps are as follows:
The second authentication step is when logging in to or unlocking the sender desktop session. The login or unlock dialog is generated by the sender and is displayed in the RGS Receiver window on the receiver.
NOTE:If another user is already logged in to the sender, the second authentication step does not take place. Instead, the currently logged-in user receives an authorization prompt to allow or deny the new user access to join the existing desktop session (see Collaboration for more information).
When a Windows Receiver and Windows Sender are in the same workgroup and the same user name and password are used on both systems, the first authentication step will be accomplished using a secure token. The user will not be required to enter a password. To connect as a different user, enable the prompt for user name and password setting (for more information, see RGS Receiver settings.)
When a Windows or Linux Sender is connected to a Windows domain, the first authentication step can be accomplished using Kerberos when using a Windows Receiver connected to the same domain. The user will not be required to enter a password. Kerberos authentication to a Linux Sender requires a hostname to be entered as the Sender identifier. Kerberos authentication to a Linux Sender will not work with an IP address. To connect as a different user, enable the Prompt for user name and password setting (see RGS Receiver settings).
If you use Easy Login, the first authentication step (RGS authentication) is skipped.
NOTE:At the login screen, you might see an additional user account named HP RGS ELO. Do not use this account to log in. Use your normal user account.
NOTE:There are several issues that can prevent an Easy Login authentication. The Diagnostics panel of the RGS Sender Configuration tool can help troubleshoot these issues. See Using the RGS Sender Configuration tool (Windows/Linux only) for more details.
With Single Sign-on, the second (System) authentication is skipped. When connecting, the user will be prompted for user name a password. Upon verification, the user will be connected directly to the sender’s desktop.
NOTE:Single Sign-on does not support smart card or ActivKey authentication.
NOTE:If you lock the desktop, you might see an additional user account named HP RGS SSO. Do not use this account to log in. Use your normal user account.
NOTE:Smart card redirection is supported on Windows-based receivers and Windows-based and Linux-based senders only.
On Windows-based and ThinPro-based receivers, smart cards can be remoted using Remote USB. See Remote USB (Windows/ThinPro only).
When smart card redirection is enabled, both the receiver and sender can access the same smart card that physically exists on the receiver-side only. This means that you can unlock the receiver desktop using the smart card, connect to the sender, and then use the same smart card with the sender desktop.
NOTE:Smart card redirection can be used with standard authentication or Easy Login only. It cannot be used with Single Sign-on.
To use smart card redirection:
Enable smart card redirection during the installation of both RGS Receiver and RGS Sender (see Installation).
If Remote USB is enabled, see Configuring Remote USB for smart card redirection.
NOTE:If the smart card removal policy has been set on the receiver, the receiver desktop is locked if the smart card is removed. If the smart card removal policy has been set on the sender, the sender desktop is locked when the RGS connection is ended or when the smart card is removed.
This section provides information about the following topics:
Smart card readers typically connect to the system via USB, so you must prevent the smart card reader from being remoted by the Remote USB feature to use the smart card redirection feature.
To prevent the smart card reader from being remoted:
If you used the default Remote USB installation option USB devices are Local/Remote when installing RGS Receiver, connect the smart card reader to the receiver before starting an RGS session, and do not disconnect the smart card reader during the session.
Set the remoting behavior of the smart card reader to local (see Configuring the remoting behavior of individual USB devices (Windows only)).
Consider the following limitations when using smart card redirection:
RGS enables the primary user to share their desktop session with several users simultaneously. This feature can be used in a variety of collaborative scenarios including classroom instruction, design reviews, and technical support.
A collaboration session is created when one or more users are authorized by the primary user to connect to the primary user’s desktop session. This allows all users to view and interact with the primary user’s desktop.
The user currently controlling the mouse and keyboard is called the floor owner. Only one user, the floor owner, can interact with the desktop at a time. To transition the floor owner, the current floor owner must cease using the keyboard or mouse for 0.5 seconds. If another user uses the mouse or keyboard while the current floor owner is inactive after this period, floor ownership transfers to the new user.
TIP:The delay’s value of 0.5 seconds can be changed using the RGS Sender Configuration tool on Windows (see Using the RGS Sender Configuration tool (Windows/Linux only) for more information).
Click the RGS Sender notification icon in the Windows notification area to open the HP RGS Collaborators window, which allows you to do the following:
Enable or disable collaborator input for individual collaborators or all collaborators at once by clicking the appropriate mouse pointer icon
TIP:Individual collaborator input can also be enabled when authorizing the collaborator to connect by selecting Enable Input for this user in the authorization dialog.
Note the following additional information about collaboration:
This section provides information about the following topics:
Many RGS scenarios require that the resolution and display layout transmitted by the sender match the display configuration on the receiver. The following sections describe how to configure the sender if RGS is unable to match the resolution and display layout by default.
This section provides information about the following topics:
During an RGS connection, RGS transmits the sender’s entire desktop area to the receiver. If the sender has more monitors or higher-resolution monitors than the receiver, scroll bars appear in the RGS Receiver window so you can view the sender’s entire desktop area. If the sender has multiple monitors, it might be beneficial to use the options described in Matching display resolution and layout (Windows-based sender) or Matching display resolution and layout (Linux-based sender).
Multiple monitors on the receiver are also useful for a many-to-one connection. If the receiver is connected to two senders, each sender frame buffer can be displayed on its own monitor if the receiver has two monitors (see the following image).
NOTE:On Mac OS, if the OS setting Displays have separate Spaces is not selected, an RGS Receiver window can span multiple sender monitors. If the RGS Receiver has multiple monitors, one monitor displays full-screen mode and the other monitors display nothing.
There are four ways to have RGS automatically configure the sender’s display resolution and layout:
Per-session display properties: Per-session display properties can be set in the configuration file or used in an auto-launch file. See Auto-launch properties (Windows only). The per-session display properties can be used to describe the resolution, position, and orientation of one or more displays. Each display has the following fields where <n> is the session number and <x> is a display number:
NOTE:For more information about these properties and their expected values, see Using display properties to set resolution and layout.
NOTE:If any per-session display property is in the configuration file, RGS disables the Set Sender display(s) to match Receiver display(s) and the Set Sender display(s) to match display properties settings.
Set Sender display(s) to match Receiver display(s): If the Set Sender display(s) to match Receiver display(s) setting is enabled, RGS automatically tries to set the resolution and display layout of the sender to match that of the receiver.
You can also control this function with the following properties:
NOTE:By default IsMatchReveiverPhysicalDisplaysEnabled is enabled when the Set Sender display(s) to match Receiver display(s) setting is enabled. This property is deprecated and will be removed in a future release.
Set Sender display(s) to match display properties: If the Set Sender display(s) to match display properties setting is enabled, RGS automatically tries to set the resolution and display layout of the sender to match the specified display properties.
NOTE:The Set Sender display(s) to match display properties option is disabled if no display properties were found in the configuration file.
The display properties can be used to describe the resolution, position, and orientation of one or more displays. Each display has the following fields where <x> is a display number:
NOTE:For more information about these properties and their expected values, see Using display properties to set resolution and layout.
You can also enable the Set Sender display(s) to match display properties setting with the Rgreceiver.UseDisplayPropeties property.
When attempting to match the resolution and display layout, the most important thing to remember is that the sender must support the same resolution and layout as the receiver.
To avoid possible resolution-matching problems, test the resolution in advance using the following procedure:
Depending on the NVIDIA GPU and driver you are using, you might need to perform additional configurations on the sender. The required configurations can vary depending on the hardware, as described below:
Blade workstation—If the sender is a blade workstation, then its NVIDIA driver exposes all display outputs to the operating system as if they have monitors attached. The resolutions provided by the NVIDIA driver cover a broad range of settings and should meet most user needs. If the desired resolution is not available, see Adding custom resolutions.
Virtual workstation—If the sender is a virtual workstation with a hypervisor, the NVIDIA driver presents a single display to the operating system. The resolutions provided by the NVIDIA driver cover a broad range of settings and should meet most user needs. If you are using a single display at the receiver, no further action is required. If you need to configure additional resolutions and/or make additional displays available, see NVIDIA resolution-matching (Windows-based senders with NVIDIA graphics only).
Traditional workstation—If the sender is a traditional workstation, then its NVIDIA driver expects to find a display attached to one or more outputs. When it does, it queries the EDID (Extended Display Information Data) information from the display for its supported resolutions and makes the display and resolutions available to the operating system. On Windows 7, if there is not a display attached, the NVIDIA driver reverts to a single VGA output with basic display resolutions. For servers, rack-mounted workstations, and non-NVIDIA graphics, use an EDID emulator device or create an EDID file to allow resolution matching. See Creating and applying an EDID file and Matching display resolution and layout (Windows-based sender) for more information. Alternatively, RGS will load EDID files automatically. See NVIDIA resolution-matching (Windows-based senders with NVIDIA graphics only).
Headless workstation—When connecting to a workstation that has no physical displays connected, RGS requires that an EDID be loaded first. RGS can be configured to automatically load a custom EDID which supports most resolutions up to 4k. To enable automatic EDID loading on headless workstations with Nvidia GPU:
This section provides information about the following topics:
NVIDIA resolution-matching provides the following additional features over the default resolution-matching method:
NOTE: If NVIDIA resolution-matching fails to match the requested resolution/resolutions, RGS attempts the default resolution-matching method.
To enable NVIDIA resolution-matching:
NOTE:For more information about setting the property, see Setting property values in a configuration file.
NOTE:NVIDIA resolution-matching is enabled by default on Windows 10 Redstone 1 and later but must be enabled on Windows 7, Windows 8.1, and Windows 10 pre-Redstone.
Extended Display Identification Data (EDID) data is a standardized means for a display to communicate its capabilities, such as resolution and video characteristics, to a source device. This allows the source device (PC, graphics card) to generate the necessary graphics that match the needs of the system. EDIDs provide a powerful and convenient method for RGS to manage complex customer requirements.
There are software tools available to create and edit an EDID file, but the easiest method is to use an existing monitor from the receiver, temporarily attaching it to the sender and using the NVIDIA Control Panel to export the EDID file. If you have several different displays that you use on the receiver, HP recommends that you capture the EDID information of the monitor that has the highest display resolution. This will address all other resolution needs.
NOTE:If you apply the file to multiple DisplayPort connectors, RGS will be able to support multi-display configurations.
Under the View System Topology screen of the NVIDIA Control Panel, you should now be able to see that an EDID file has been applied to the DisplayPort connectors that you selected. RGS should now be able to match the desired display resolution and display layout.
The following steps describe how to add a resolution that is not already supported by the NVIDIA driver:
When attempting to match the resolution and display layout, the sender must support the same resolution and layout as the receiver. If the resolution is not supported, RGS instead uses the preferred resolution of the sender from the file xorg.conf.
For example, if the receiver has dual-monitors set at a 1280 ×1024 resolution, RGS asks the sender to set its resolution to 2560 ×1024. If the resolution is not supported, RGS instead uses the preferred resolution of the sender from the file xorg.conf.
The easiest way to check if the sender can match the receiver resolution is to attempt to set the resolution on the sender manually. If you can set the resolution manually, then RGS can do it for you automatically. If you cannot set the resolution manually, you must modify the file xorg.conf to support the additional required resolutions.
To test whether you can match the resolution manually, establish an RGS connection with the Do not change the sender display(s) setting enabled.
Once you establish an RGS session, open an X terminal window and use the xrandr tool to list all the currently supported resolutions for the X server. The tool can also be used to configure the X server display settings, including size and orientation.
Previous releases of the X Window System used the file /etc/X11/xorg.conf to store initial setup information. When a change occurred with the monitor or video card, you were required to edit the file manually. Although current releases of Red Hat® Enterprise Linux® (RHEL) have largely automated the process, you still need to edit the file to support configurations where no monitor is attached or where you want the X server to simulate that it has a different monitor attached to it with different resolution capabilities. Similarly, this is also the case when you want to match the receiver’s resolution in an RGS session where the X server cannot determine the capabilities of the receiver’s monitors.
NOTE:Some window managers (such as GNOME) allow you to modify display preferences, which can sometimes result in the creation of the following file:
When you log in to the system and a window manager starts a session, it uses information from this file to set the current desktop resolution. This can reverse the resolution matching performed by RGS and cause the desktop to be set to an undesired resolution.
For example, if you set the desktop resolution of the sender to 1024 × 768 using a window manager, that resolution is stored in monitors.xml. If an RGS connection is then established with display resolution matching enabled on a receiver with a resolution of 1920 × 1200, the sender display resolution changes to 1920 × 1200 and then to 1024 × 768. There is no notification that the resolution match request failed (because it did not).
To avoid this behavior, avoid setting the resolution using window manager controls. It is safe to delete monitors.xml to restore display resolution matching functionality. See the documentation for your operating system or window manager for more information about where and how it manages display settings.
This section provides information about the following topics:
The X server can be configured in several different ways. This section describes the suggested methods for two different scenarios.
This section provides information about the following topics:
If all receivers have the same configuration, then using the Virtual entry under the Screen section of the file xorg.conf is the easiest method.
For example, if all receivers have four monitors configured at 1280x1024 each, configure the X server to run at a resolution of 5120x1024 by making the following additions to the file xorg.conf.
Add the following under the Device section:
Option "UseDisplayDevice" "none"
Option "UseEDID" "false"
Add the following under the Screen section:
SubSection "Display"
Virtual 5120 1024
Depth 24
EndSubSection
Now the X server is configured to have a single screen running at a resolution of 5120x1024, which covers all four of the receiver’s monitors. You can use this method to support a very large virtual display limited only by frame buffer memory.
In the more likely scenario where you need to support many different display resolution and monitor configurations, you can use the NVIDIA TwinView® mode to match the resolutions. TwinView mode is where two display devices (digital flat panels, CRTs) can display the contents of a single X screen in different configurations. This method for using multiple monitors has the following distinct advantages over other techniques such as Xinerama (which is not supported by RGS):
For example, if all receivers have either single or dual monitors, you should configure the X server to think it has the monitor with the highest resolution used on any of the receivers. This allows the X server to support as many display resolutions as possible. You do this by capturing the EDID information from the monitor (see Creating an EDID file) and making the following additions to the file xorg.conf.
The below example uses dual HP LP2465 displays. The following text is added under the Device section of xorg.conf:
Option "ConnectedMonitor" "DFP-0,DFP-1"
Option "CustomEDID" "DFP-0:/etc/X11/lp2465edid.bin;DFP-1:/etc/X11/lp2465edid.bin"
Now that the X server thinks it has dual HP LP2465 displays attached to it, enable TwinView support and configure the supported single and dual display layouts under the Screen section:
Option "TwinView" "True"
Option "MetaModes" "DFP-0: 1920x1200 +0+0, DFP-1: 1920x1200 +1920+0; DFP-0: 1920x1200 +0+0, DFP-1:NULL"
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
EndSubSection
NOTE:In the above example, NULL represents a single display configuration. This line will cover both dual and single display configurations.
To support additional resolutions, define additional combinations on the same line:
Option "MetaModes" "DFP-0: 1920x1200 +0+0, DFP-1: 1920x1200 +1920+0; DFP-0: 1920x1200 +0+0, DFP-1:NULL; DFP-0: 1680x1050 +0+0, DFP-1: 1680x1050 +1680+0; DFP-0: 1680x1050 +0+0, DFP-1:NULL; DFP-0: 1600x1200 +0+0, DFP-1: 1600x1200 +1200+0; DFP-0: 1600x1200 +0+0, DFP-1:NULL; DFP-0: 1400x1050 +0+0, DFP-1: 1400x1050 +1400+0; DFP-0: 1400x1050 +0+0, DFP-1:NULL; DFP-0: 1280x1024 +0+0, DFP-1: 1280x1024 +1280+0; DFP-0: 1280x1024 +0+0, DFP-1:NULL"
NOTE:The EDID file provided to the X server must still support the listed resolutions.
TIP:You can also use the method for Windows described in Creating and applying an EDID file and copy the EDID file to the Linux system.
You can use the display properties to describe the resolution, position, and orientation of one or more displays.
You can configure each display using the following fields:
NOTE:If a field is not specified, the default value is 0.
For the display properties to be valid, the following conditions must be met:
When more than one display is specified, the additional conditions must be met:
The display properties are validated during the connection attempt. If this validation fails, an error dialog box is displayed and the connection uses the sender’s current configuration.
For example, see the following display properties. These properties define two 1920 × 1200 displays that are positioned side by side.
Rgreceiver.Display.1.Width=1920
Rgreceiver.Display.1.Height=1200
Rgreceiver.Display.1.Orientation=0
Rgreceiver.Display.2.Width=1920
Rgreceiver.Display.2.Height=1200
Rgreceiver.Display.2.Orientation=0
RGS Sender, by default, blanks the screen of the sender monitor (if one is connected) so that the desktop session is not visible at the sender side.
IMPORTANT:Screen blanking is not supported if the sender is a virtual machine.
The default behavior is that the sender screen, with the exception of the cursor, blanks to black when you start an RGS session. The sender screen un-blanks when the RGS session is ended.
See the following additional information about RGS Sender screen blanking:
If the sender is an HP workstation, then most input from any physically-connected keyboards or mice at the sender side is blocked while screen blanking is occurring. When RGS Sender receives keyboard or mouse input from RGS Receiver, the sender monitor enters a power-saving mode, which blanks the cursor as a result.
The Ctrl+Alt+Del key sequence is not blocked by RGS Sender for any physically connected keyboards at the sender side. When this sequence is input into the sender using a physically-connected keyboard, the Windows logon screen of the remote desktop is displayed at the receiver side in the RGS Receiver window. The sender monitor remains blank while this occurs, but the monitor will exit its power-saving mode, and sender keyboard input is not blocked until the logon screen is closed.
Screen blanking can be disabled using the RGS Sender Configuration tool (see Using the RGS Sender Configuration tool (Windows/Linux only)).
This section provides information about the following topics:
NOTE:RGS does not support touch features for Windows 7.
RGS supports the following touch features:
Virtual keyboard and virtual mouse—The virtual keyboard and virtual mouse can be accessed using the RGS Receiver toolbar. The virtual mouse provides a visual indication of the remote cursor position, which is normally not present in the tablet GUI. The virtual mouse is useful when precise cursor positioning or hovering is required.
TIP:The virtual mouse can also be enabled and disabled using the 4-finger tap gesture.
Hotkey sequence mapping—See Gestures (Windows touch-capable devices only) for more information.
The following table describes the gestures supported by RGS.
IMPORTANT:A press is 0.5 seconds or more, while a tap is less than 0.5 seconds.
Gesture | Description |
---|---|
![]() NOTE:The zoom will snap to 100% if close after you lift your fingers. |
|
These gestures can be customized. See Gestures (Windows touch-capable devices only) for more information. |
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![]() TIP:For a graphical demonstration of these gestures, select the Gestures panel in the RGS Receiver settings, and then select See gestures tutorial. ![]() NOTE:Some gestures are disabled when the virtual mouse is enabled. |
To use a Wacom pen for input on Linux, the correct Wacom drivers must be installed on both the sender and the receiver. For HP ThinPro, Wacom drivers are either included in the RGS installation package or are preinstalled on the operating system image. For all other Linux operating systems, kernel modules and X drivers need to be compiled and installed on the both the sender and the receiver. Source code and instructions can be found at https://sourceforge.net/projects/linuxwacom/ (in English only).
Wacom pen capability should first be tested on both the sender and the receiver independently. For Linux operating systems other than HP ThinPro, this is most easily tested with pressure sensitive applications, which help verify that pen events are being created instead of mouse events. For HP ThinPro, you need to ensure only that the cursor moves with the Wacom pen.
After a Wacom pen is connected, it is usable only within the RGS Receiver window. A mouse is necessary to interact with the RGS interface and the local desktop.
NOTE:A Wacom pen does not respect floor control in a collaboration session. Multiple users attempting to simultaneously provide any kind of input might result in undesirable behavior.
The usage of Remote USB and the usage of a Wacom pen are mutually exclusive. To enable the usage of a Wacom pen when Remote USB is enabled, open USB Manager in HP ThinPro and set the USB protocol to Local.
Game Mode lets you lock the cursor inside the RGS Receiver window to perform functions that rely on relative cursor movements, such as 3D environment interaction. If Game Mode is not enabled, such interactions might cause erratic cursor behavior.
You can set the default state of Game Mode (enabled or disabled) with the RGS Receiver Configuration tool or Receiver Configuration File. You can toggle Game Mode on and off while RGS Receiver is in Setup Mode by pressing the G key.
All keyboard layouts and languages are supported.
Remote Audio allows audio generated by the sender to play back on the speakers of the receiver.
The following sequence describes the path taken by audio during an RGS connection:
NOTE:Sounds that play through an internal speaker, such as the ToggleKeys sound on Windows, are not captured by RGS.
For information on the audio settings in RGS Receiver, see Audio.
For Remote Audio troubleshooting tips, see Remote Audio issues.
This section provides information about the following topics:
On Windows, Remote Audio should work by default. If the sender has an audio device, the RGS Sender installation process detects it. If the sender does not have an audio device (or if you disable all audio devices prior to installation of RGS Sender), then the HP Remote Audio virtual audio device is also installed during the RGS Sender installation process and will be used by RGS instead.
On Linux, some manual configuration might be required for Remote Audio depending on the audio capture method you intend to use.
If the sender has an audio device, RGS supports two different methods of audio capture:
PulseAudio—See PulseAudio.
Advanced Linux Sound Architecture (ALSA)—See ALSA.
The following property specifies which audio capture method will be used (see Other global properties for more information):
Rgsender.Audio.Linux.RecorderApi
NOTE:Some audio device drivers might not have the capability to capture application-generated audio.
This section provides information about the following topics:
Any audio device that is configured for PulseAudio can be used. PulseAudio provides a software interface similar to the Stereo Mix capability for ALSA. PulseAudio also provides a dummy device that allows the audio system to function when no hardware audio devices are available.
When using PulseAudio to capture audio, RGS Sender attempts to detect and connect to the monitor of the default playback device of the sender automatically. Explicit control of the PulseAudio capture device is available through the following property (see Other global properties for more information):
Rgsender.Audio.Linux.DeviceName
If this property is set, RGS Sender attempts to connect to the device specified by this property. The command pactl list is useful for determining the PulseAudio device names. To capture from a specific device, specify the corresponding PulseAudio monitor source string (such as alsa_output.pci-0000_00_1b.0.analog-stereo.monitor).
PulseAudio allows the user to configure and control the audio devices in the system. Changing the output device during an RGS session results in a loss of audio. To restore audio, either reselect the original device or stop and start the audio stream using the audio settings in RGS Receiver.
When using the ALSA audio system to capture audio, an audio device is required to be installed on the sender for application-generated audio to be sent to the receiver. Furthermore, the audio device installed in the sender must have the ability to record from a control that is the mix of all audio signals. On a Windows computer, by way of comparison, this control is often called Stereo Mix. Linux, however, does not follow a standard naming convention for this control, hence the need to evaluate individual audio devices to determine their suitability for use on Linux.
The audio devices on Linux are not consistent in the naming conventions of the audio controls. The RGS Sender installer will attempt to adjust volume levels for known audio devices to allow audio to be captured. This section describes how to adjust volume levels for the supported audio devices. This information may be helpful for configuring audio devices that are not currently supported by the RGS Sender installer.
Volume levels can typically be adjusted through the Volume Control application. This is usually found in the gnome panel or the system preferences menu. The Volume Control application may not show all available volume controls. The preferences for the Volume Control application may need to be adjusted to allow access to hidden volume controls.
The alsamixer is a command-line tool for adjusting volume. This application will not hide audio controls like its GUI counterpart; however, it is not as intuitive. Press the h key after running alsamixer to get additional information on how to control capture volumes.
Unsupported PCI audio devices are known to allow capture of application generated audio. The names of the controls that need to be adjusted are not consistent. Names of controls that might need to be adjusted include PCM, Capture, and Mix.
The device the audio is recorded from must be specified using the following property:
Rgsender.Audio.Linux.DeviceName
From this, you will see a list of the audio devices and it will look something like this:
0: [ 0] : control
1: : sequencer
8: [ 0- 0]: raw midi
16: [ 0- 0]: digital audio playback
17: [ 0- 1]: digital audio playback
24: [ 0- 0]: digital audio capture
32: [ 1] : control
33: : timer
48: [ 1- 0]: digital audio playback
56: [ 1- 0]: digital audio capture
Use an audio device only if it contains the word capture (device number 24 or 56 in the example above). Between each pair of square brackets, the first number is the sound card and the second number is the mixer device.
Use the following syntax to set the audio capture device, where <c> is the sound card number and <d> is the mixer device number:
Rgsender.Audio.Linux.DeviceName=plughw:<c>,<d>
Using the example above, you could specify audio device number 24 like below:
Rgsender.Audio.Linux.DeviceName=plughw:0,0
You could alternatively specify audio device number 56 like below:
Rgsender.Audio.Linux.DeviceName=plughw:1,0
Remote Clipboard allows you to cut, copy, and paste data between the receiver and the sender or between two different senders.
Cutting and pasting text is supported on Windows, Linux, and Mac OS. Cutting and pasting an image is only supported between a Windows-based sender and Windows-based receiver.
On Windows, Remote Clipboard must be enabled during both the RGS Sender and RGS Receiver installations (see Installation).
On Linux, Remote Clipboard is installed by default.
On Windows, Linux, and Mac OS, Remote Clipboard must also be enabled in RGS Receiver (see Connection).
TIP:Setting the logging level of RGS Receiver or RGS Sender to DEBUG enables Remote Clipboard log information.
Remote USB allows a receiver’s physically-attached USB devices to be virtually attached (mounted) to the sender. This gives the sender direct access to the USB devices, as if the devices were physically attached to it.
See the following list for information about Remote USB support:
This section provides information about the following topics:
The remoting behavior for individual USB devices can be altered from what was set globally during installation.
IMPORTANT:This configuration requires modifications to the Windows registry. Registry modifications should be made with extreme caution, and you should always make a backup of the registry prior to making any changes.
To configure the remoting behavior of a USB device:
Find the vendor ID and device ID for the USB device (see Determining USB device information (Windows)).
Set the value of Mode to auto, local, or remote.
NOTE:If set to auto, the USB device switches its mounted location between the sender and the receiver at the start and end of an RGS connection respectively. If set to remote, you must physically disconnect the USB device from the receiver after the RGS session ends and then reconnect the USB device for it to be usable on the receiver.
The Remote USB driver (on the receiver) supports the USB isochronous data type, which is commonly used for streaming data such as that generated by audio and video devices. This enables certain isochronous USB microphones to be accessed directly by the sender in the same manner as other USB devices.
To remotely attach USB microphones to the sender, either of these Remote USB Configuration settings can be selected:
USB devices are Local/Remote—If selected, how the USB microphone can be accessed by the sender depends on when the microphone is connected to the receiver relative to establishment of the RGS connection:
If the microphone is connected to the receiver after establishment of an RGS connection, the microphone will be a remote device only and can be accessed directly by the sender.
TIP:The Windows Recording devices dialog in the sender allows the user to set the default sound recording device (microphone).
RGS Sender supports an Access Control List (ACL) file that contains rules that specify whether to allow a Remote USB connection from a USB device on the receiver side.
Each rule in the ACL file has a type of allow or deny. The rules are evaluated for each Remote USB connection request as described below:
The ACL file is implemented in XML format and is accompanied by an XSD (XML Schema Definition) file that defines the XML elements. The default ACL file hprDefaultUsbAcl.xml and the XSD file hprUsbAcl.xsd are both in the RGS Sender installation directory.
TIP:You can specify different files using the RGS Sender Configuration tool (see Using the RGS Sender Configuration tool (Windows/Linux only)).
The default ACL file contains the following contents, which allows all USB connections to be made:
<hprUsbAcl> <ruleset> <rule type="allow"> <name>Allow all USB devices (HP default)</name> </rule> </ruleset></hprUsbAcl>
Rules can contain the filters described in the following table.
TIP:See hprUsbAcl.xsd for examples of using filters.
To determine USB device information:
Determine the vendor ID, product ID, class, subclass, and protocol.
Select Compatible Ids from the drop-down menu. The class, subclass, and protocol are represented by numerical codes and are displayed in the following format:
USB\Class_<class code>&SubClass_<subclass code>&Prot_<protocol code>
In the below example, the class code is 08, the subclass code is 06, and the protocol code is 50:
USB Class_08&SubClass_06&Prot_50
To determine USB device information, use an open source program named USBView, which is available at http://sourceforge.net/projects/usbview.
Remote USB can be enabled for RGS Receiver on HP ThinPro if the sender is Windows-based.
To enable Remote USB on HP ThinPro:
Directory Mode lets you connect to multiple senders simultaneously from a single receiver. When you start RGS Receiver in Directory Mode, it looks for a directory file containing user names and computer names. RGS Receiver reads this file and attempts to connect to each specified sender automatically.
The default directory file is directory.txt in the RGS Receiver installation directory.
NOTE:This file contains examples that are commented out using the # character.
This section provides information about the following topics:
The directory file is often a common file for a group, department, organization, or an entire company. The directory file can manage and administer the senders for any number of users. HP recommends that you save the directory file on a readily-accessible network file share or mapped drive so it can be shared by multiple receivers.
The directory file is a text file with the following format for each user:
<domain name> <user name> <computer name> [<computer name> ...]
The domain name of a Windows-based sender depends on the environment. For a domain account, using the example worldwide\user1, the domain name used for Directory Mode would be worldwide.
The following example directory file specifies the senders for user1 and user2 in a domain account environment:
worldwide user1 RC_1 RC_2 RC_3
worldwide user2 RC_4 RC_5 RC_6
For a local account, using the example user1_computer\user1, the domain name used for Directory Mode would be user1_computer.
The following example directory file specifies the senders for user1 and user2 in a local account environment:
user1_computer user1 RC_1 RC_2 RC_3
user2_computer user2 RC_4 RC_5 RC_6
For Linux-based senders, use UNIX as the domain name.
The domain name does not apply when using the directory file for Linux users. Instead, use the keyword UNIX in place of the domain name. For example:
UNIX user1 RC_1 RC_2 RC_3
If the user name contains white-space characters, the name can be enclosed in double-quotes as shown below:
domain1 "user1 user" RC_1 RC_2 RC_3
domain1 "user2 user" RC_4 RC_5 RC_6
NOTE:Before attempting a connection in Directory Mode for the first time, HP recommends that you first verify that RGS can connect to each computer individually.
Windows 7: Select Start, select All Programs, select HP, select HP Remote Graphics Software, and then select HP RGS Receiver Directory Mode.
Windows 8.1: Select the HP RGS Receiver Directory Mode tile on the Start screen.
Windows 10: Select Start , type RGS, and then select HP RGS Receiver Directory Mode from the search results.
Alternately, RGS Receiver can be started in Directory Mode on the command line, using either of the following:
rgreceiver.exe -directory <file name>
If a file name is specified after -directory, RGS Receiver uses that file as the directory file. If no file name is specified, you are prompted to specify the path and name of the directory file.
In Directory Mode, RGS Receiver displays the name of the directory file. The Change button enables you to specify a different directory file. The Connect All button is used to establish a connection to the senders listed in the directory file.
After clicking Connect All, you’ll need to independently authenticate and log into each sender.
To bring a specific RGS Receiver window to the front:
Enable Setup Mode using the hotkey sequence (see Setup Mode).
Run either of the following commands on the command line:
open -a "HP RGS Receiver" --args -directory Filename
open -a "HP RGS Receiver" --args -directory
If a file name is specified after -directory, RGS Receiver uses that file as the directory file. If no file name is specified, you are prompted to specify the path and name of the directory file.
On Windows and Linux, RGS Receiver and RGS Sender each include a configuration tool that allows you to modify some of the more advanced RGS settings. Most of the options in the configuration tools correspond to one of the properties in the rgreceiverconfig and rgsenderconfig files respectively.
On Mac OS, properties must be set manually by editing the file /Library/Application Support/HP/rgreceiverconfig.
This chapter discusses the following topics:
NOTE:When settings are changed using the configuration tools, the process described in Setting property values in a configuration file is automated. Manual editing of the configuration files is not necessary unless you want to add or modify properties that do not have a corresponding option in one of the configuration tools, such as the per-session properties of RGS Receiver.
See Setting RGS properties manually and Other properties for more information.
When an option’s setting is changed using the RGS Receiver Configuration tool (or by manually editing the properties in the rgreceiverconfig file), the new setting overrides any setting for that option that was previously persisted when RGS Receiver was last closed. However, the setting can be further overridden on the command line or using the RGS Receiver settings (if the same option is available).
In the following hierarchy, settings configured using methods higher on the list override settings configured using methods lower on the list (with 1 being the highest and 5 being the lowest).
To use the RGS Receiver Configuration tool:
TIP:To restore all default RGS Receiver Configuration settings, make sure RGS Receiver is not running, and then select Restore to default in the lower-left corner of the RGS Receiver Configuration tool. Alternatively, uninstalling and then reinstalling RGS Receiver restores all default settings.
This section provides information about the following topics:
The following table describes the options available in the General panel of the RGS Receiver Configuration tool. The corresponding property in the rgreceiverconfig file is noted for reference.
Option | Description |
---|---|
Enables borders on the RGS Receiver window. Configuration file property (Windows/Linux only): Rgreceiver.IsBordersEnabled |
|
Snap the Receiver window when close to the edge of the screen |
When enabled, the RGS Receiver window will snap when close to the top or left edge of the screen. Configuration file property (Windows/Linux only): Rgreceiver.IsSnapEnabled |
Enables the RGS Receiver toolbar. Configuration file property (Windows/Linux only): Rgreceiver.IsMenubarEnabled |
|
Display a warning that disconnecting from RGS while logged in will not log the user out of the remote system |
When enabled, RGS Receiver will display a warning that disconnecting an RGS connection will not automatically log them out of the sender. Configuration file property (Windows/Linux/Mac OS): Rgreceiver.IsDisconnectWarningEnabled |
Use the Color and Transparency controls to set the color that overlays the RGS Receiver window when RGS Receiver detects a network disruption. Configuration file property (Windows/Linux/Mac OS): Rgreceiver.ConnectionWarningColor |
|
When enabled, mouse cursor snaps (such as to the default button of a dialog box) will be communicated by RGS. Configuration file property (Windows/Linux/Mac OS): Rgreceiver.IsMouseSyncEnabled |
|
Sets the number of recent remote connections to list in RGS Receiver. Configuration file property (Windows/Linux/Mac OS): Rgreceiver.MaxSenderListSize |
|
Specifies the file to use for Directory Mode. Configuration file property (Windows/Linux/Mac OS): Rgreceiver.Directory |
|
Always prompt for the domain, user name, and password when establishing a connection |
When enabled, RGS Receiver will always prompt for the domain, user name, and password when establishing a connection. Configuration file property (Windows/Linux only): Rgreceiver.IsAlwaysPromptCredentialsEnabled |
Specifies what RGS Receiver does if the verification of the sender certificate fails. Select Accept, Prompt to accept, or Deny. Configuration file property (Windows/Linux/Mac OS): Rgreceiver.Network.Certificate.VerificationPolicy={Accept | Prompt to accept | Deny} |
|
Allow user to modify Certificate Verification Failure Policy |
Enables the user to change the Certificate Verification Failure Policy setting. Configuration file property (Windows/Linux/Mac OS): Rgreceiver.Network.Certificate.VerificationPolicy.IsMutable={0 | 1} |
When enabled, a user can modify the Enable remote clipboard setting in RGS Receiver . Configuration file property (Windows/Linux/Mac OS): Rgreceiver.Clipboard.IsMutable |
|
Enables Remote Clipboard by default. Configuration file property (Windows/Linux/Mac OS): Rgreceiver.Clipboard.IsEnabled |
|
![]() IMPORTANT:This property is for advanced users only. It should only be changed from its default value if Remote Clipboard does not support the clipboard format required by your application. The Selected filters window specifies the clipboard formats that are allowed to be transferred using Remote Clipboard. By default, all filters are selected, but filters can be removed by moving them to the Available filters window. ![]() NOTE:For more information about clipboard formats, go to http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms649013.aspx. Configuration file property (Windows only): Rgreceiver.Clipboard.FilterString |
The following table describes the options available in the Image and Display panel of the RGS Receiver Configuration tool. The corresponding property in the rgreceiverconfig file is noted for reference.
The following table describes the options available in the Audio panel of the RGS Receiver Configuration tool. The corresponding property in the rgreceiverconfig file is noted for reference.
The following table describes the options available in the Network panel of the RGS Receiver Configuration tool. The corresponding property in the rgreceiverconfig file is noted for reference.
The following table describes the options available in the HP Velocity panel of the RGS Receiver Configuration tool. The corresponding property in the rgreceiverconfig file is noted for reference.
NOTE:See HP Velocity documentation for more information about HP Velocity settings.
The following table describes the options available in the USB panel of the RGS Receiver Configuration tool. The corresponding property in the rgreceiverconfig file is noted for reference.
The following table describes the options available in the Hotkeys panel of the RGS Receiver Configuration tool. The corresponding property in the rgreceiverconfig file is noted for reference.
The following table describes the options available in the Logging panel of the RGS Receiver Configuration tool. The corresponding property in the rgreceiverconfig file is noted for reference.
The following table describes the options available in the Activation panel of the RGS Receiver Configuration tool. The corresponding property in the rgreceiverconfig file is noted for reference.
To override default settings in RGS Sender:
To use the RGS Sender Configuration tool:
TIP:To restore all default RGS Sender Configuration settings, make sure the RGS Sender service is stopped, and then select Restore to default in the lower-left corner of the RGS Sender Configuration tool. Alternatively, uninstalling and then reinstalling RGS Sender restores all default settings.
NOTE:Sender authentication settings can also be changed via the command line. When the tool is used with command line arguments, the tool's GUI is not displayed. See Authentication (Windows only) for details.
This section provides information about the following topics:
The following table describes the options available in the General panel of the RGS Sender Configuration tool. The corresponding property in the rgsenderconfig file is noted for reference.
The Authentication panel of the RGS Sender Configuration tool can be used to choose between standard authentication, Easy Login, or Single Sign-on.
NOTE:This panel replaces the RGS Admin tool previously included with RGS Sender on Windows.
TIP:Authentication settings can also be changed via the command line. The following commands are supported:
Enable Standard Authentication: senderConfigApp.exe –enableStandardLogin
Enable Single Sign-on: senderConfigApp.exe -enableSSO
Enable Easy Login: senderConfigApp.exe -enableEasyLogin
Display the current selected method: senderConfigApp.exe –status
The following table describes the options available in the Image and Display panel of the RGS Sender Configuration tool. The corresponding property in the rgsenderconfig file is noted for reference.
The following table describes the options available in the Network panel of the RGS Sender Configuration tool. The corresponding property in the rgsenderconfig file is noted for reference.
Option | Description |
---|---|
Sets the time in seconds that RGS Sender will wait before ending the connection after failing to detect RGS Receiver. Configuration file property (Windows/Linux): Rgsender.Network.Timeout.Error |
|
When enabled, RGS Sender will listen for connections on all network interfaces. Configuration file property (Windows/Linux): Rgsender.Network.IsListenOnAllInterfacesEnabled |
|
Specifies which network interfaces RGS Sender will listen for connections on. See Sender network interface binding for more information on how to determine the value that corresponds with each network interface. ![]() NOTE:This option is not available if the Listen for RGS connections on all network interfaces option is enabled. Configuration file property (Windows/Linux): Rgsender.Network.Interface.<n>.IsEnabled ![]() NOTE:If setting the property manually, replace <n> with the number of the network interface. |
|
Specifies the range of IP addresses that RGS Sender will listen for connections on. A network interface must be enabled using the Listen to a specific network interface option, and its IP address must be in the specified range. ![]() NOTE:This option is not available if the Listen for RGS connections on all network interfaces option is enabled. Configuration file property (Windows/Linux): Rgsender.Network.AllowIpAddressSubnet |
|
Specifies the port to use for communication between RGS Sender and RGS Receiver. ![]() IMPORTANT:This setting must match the port setting on RGS Receiver. Configuration file property (Windows/Linux): Rgsender.Network.Port |
The following table describes the options available in the HP Velocity panel of the RGS Sender Configuration tool. The corresponding property in the rgsenderconfig file is noted for reference.
NOTE:See HP Velocity documentation for more information about HP Velocity settings.
Option | Description |
---|---|
Configuration file property (Windows/Linux only): Rgsender.Network.HPVelocity.Enabled |
The following table describes the options available in the USB panel of the RGS Sender Configuration tool. The corresponding property in the rgsenderconfig file is noted for reference.
The following table describes the options available in the Collaboration panel of the RGS Sender Configuration tool. The corresponding property in the rgsenderconfig file is noted for reference.
Option | Description |
---|---|
Enables the collaboration notification dialog. ![]() IMPORTANT:This option should normally remain enabled. When disabled, neither remote users nor local users are notified who is participating in a collaboration session. The warning dialog that is displayed when the sender is unable to blank its monitor is also prevented from being displayed. Configuration file property (Windows/Linux): Rgsender.IsCollaborationNotificationEnabled |
|
Automatically give permission for authorized collaborators to join the session |
When enabled, collaborators will always be accepted without having to be authorized by the primary user. Configuration file property (Windows/Linux): Rgsender.Collaboration.AlwaysAcceptCollaborators |
Sets the amount of time in milliseconds that the collaboration authentication dialog is shown before the request is denied automatically. ![]() NOTE:Set the value to be equal to or less than Rgreceiver.Network.Timeout.Dialog for all collaborating receivers. See Network for more information. Configuration file property (Windows/Linux): Rgsender.CollabUI.Dialog.Timeout |
|
Delay before another user can take floor control when active user stops giving input |
Sets the delay in milliseconds after the active user stops making inputs before another user can take control of the floor in a collaboration session. The value can range from 500 milliseconds (0.5 seconds) to 15000 milliseconds (15 seconds). Configuration file property (Windows/Linux): Rgsender.RequestFloorControlTime |
The following table describes the options available in the Logging panel of the RGS Sender Configuration tool. The corresponding property in the rgsenderconfig file is noted for reference.
The Diagnostics panel of the RGS Sender Configuration tool can be used to detect potential issues that might prevent a remote connection.
The Certificates panel of the RGS Sender Configuration tool provides information about the self-signed certificate generated by the RGS Sender.
This section provides information about the following topics:
The following example shows the RGS property syntax:
Rgreceiver.Network.Timeout.Warning=10000
In this example, the name of the property is Rgreceiver.Network.Timeout.Warning, and the value of the property is 10000. This setting specifies that RGS Receiver will wait 10,000 milliseconds (10 seconds) before displaying a warning dialog that indicates that it is no longer able to communicate with RGS Sender. This particular setting is duplicated in the Network panel of the RGS Receiver settings.
A property could also be set to an empty value like in the following example:
Properties with empty values initialize as follows:
IMPORTANT:No user notification is provided if a property name is misspelled, and the property will not take effect. If you specify a property in a configuration file or on the command line and it does not take effect, verify that the property name is spelled correctly (including uppercase and lowercase usage).
RGS property values can be set in a configuration file. The Receiver configuration file is named rgreceiverconfig and the Sender configuration file is named rgsenderconfig. On Windows, the files are located in the RGS Receiver or the RGS Sender installation directory. On Linux, the files are located in /etc/opt/hpremote/rgreceiver or /etc/opt/hpremote/rgsender. On Mac OS, the rgreceiverconfig file is located in /Library/Application Support/HP/rgreceiver.
The configuration files contain one property per line. All properties in the configuration files are initially commented out with the # character. To set a property in a configuration file, first delete the # character preceding the property name, and then set the property to the desired value. For RGS Receiver, once a property is uncommented in the configuration file, the property's setting is persisted when RGS Receiver is closed.
IMPORTANT:After an RGS Receiver property is persisted, commenting out the property in the configuration file again will not reset its value to default. To reset a value to default, set the property back to its default value in the configuration file and leave the line uncommented.
NOTE:If a property is listed more than once, the value of the last entry is used.
NOTE:RGS properties set in a configuration file might not take effect until the computer is restarted.
Property values for RGS Receiver on Windows and Linux, and for RGS Sender on Windows, can be set on the command line. See RGS Receiver command-line options and RGS Sender command-line options (Windows) for examples.
NOTE:Per-session property values cannot be set on the command line.
This section describes the RGS properties that do not have a corresponding option in the configuration tools and can only be set via the configuration file or on the command line.
This section provides information about the following topics:
The per-session properties of RGS Receiver, which are applicable to Directory Mode only, let you specify settings for each RGS session individually.
NOTE:When typing per-session properties, replace <n> with the number of the session. The first session is 0, the second session is 1, and so on.
This section provides information about the following topics:
Auto-launch files for RGS Receiver have the extension .rgreceiver and use the same syntax for setting property values as rgreceiverconfig (see Setting RGS properties manually).
When an auto-launch file is opened, RGS Receiver starts automatically and attempts to establish a connection to a single sender, as configured in the file.
NOTE:Auto-launch files do not support starting RGS connections to multiple senders. For information about connecting to multiple senders, see Directory Mode.
The following table describes the auto-launch properties. Since you can auto-launch only one connection at a time, the session number should always be 0.
Property | Description |
---|---|
Rgreceiver.Session.0.IsConnectOnStartup |
If this property is enabled, RGS Receiver will attempt to auto-launch the connection when the auto-launch file is opened. |
Rgreceiver.Session.0.Hostname |
This property sets the hostname or IP address for the auto-launch connection. |
Rgreceiver.Session.0.Username |
This property sets the user name for the auto-launch connection as a UTF-8 encoded string. |
Rgreceiver.Session.0.Password |
This property sets the password for the auto-launch connection as a UTF-8 encoded string. |
Rgreceiver.Session.0.PasswordFormat |
Encrypted=This password format is supported on Windows only and is the hexadecimal string representation of the password encrypted using the Windows command CryptProtectData. See http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa380261(VS.85).aspx for more information. Clear=This password format is unencrypted text. XOR=This password format is the hexadecimal string representation of a password encrypted using an XOR cipher using a key of 129. |
Settings from the RGS Receiver Configuration tool (and the rgreceiverconfig file) are ignored when you use an auto-launch file, so you need to add any desired property settings to the auto-launch file. See below for an example.
Rgreceiver.Session.0.IsConnectOnStartup=1
Rgreceiver.Session.0.Hostname=192.168.0.47
Rgreceiver.Session.0.Username=MyUserName
Rgreceiver.Session.0.Password=MyPassword
Rgreceiver.Session.0.PasswordFormat=Encrypted
Rgreceiver.Network.Timeout.Error=60000
Rgreceiver.Network.Timeout.Warning=4000
Rgreceiver.Network.Timeout.Dialog=30000
Rgreceiver.IsBordersEnabled=0
The following suggestions apply to all operating systems:
Enable HP Velocity (see HP Velocity for more information).
The following suggestion applies to Windows only:
RGS depends on low network latency and reasonably high network bandwidth. There are several methods to test and measure the network bandwidth, latency, and the number of hops between the receiver and the sender:
Use the tools NTttcp Utility, ipref, or something similar, which are available at https://gallery.technet.microsoft.com/NTttcp-Version-528-Now-f8b12769.
Once you’ve characterized your network performance, you can decide if improvement is required.
The network interface will auto-negotiate the network speed with the network switches on the local network. Most modern network interfaces and switches will negotiate the highest possible speed available. However, unless the network has been carefully designed for maximum throughput, the network interfaces and switches might auto-negotiate to a sub-optimal speed.
If the network interface and switches are configured to auto-negotiate properly, you can leave the settings to auto-negotiate. If you want to force the network to operate at a particular speed, the settings in the network interface and switches can be hard-coded. You must be careful with these settings, however. If the network interface and switch settings don’t complement each other, the network will have poor performance.
To configure a network interface to force a particular network speed on Windows:
To configure a network interface to force a particular network speed on Linux:
If you are not satisfied with your network performance, look at the log files on your network switch (if the receiver is connected to one). A significant number of errors on the switch port may indicate that the computer or network is not configured correctly. Work with your IT organization to optimize your computer and network configuration.
This section describes the most common issues that cause RGS connection attempts to fail.
This section provides information about the following topics:
Use the following checklist to troubleshoot failed connection attempts from the receiver side:
Use the following checklist to troubleshoot failed connection attempts from the sender side:
NOTE:After going through this checklist, make sure you log out of the sender before attempting an RGS connection again.
Verify that RGS Sender has started on the sender (see RGS Sender overview for more information).
If you changed the network interface binding of RGS Sender from its default of listening to all network interfaces, verify that the sender is listening on the correct network interface (see Sender network interface binding for more information).
Verify that the sender is not using Automatic Private IP Addressing (APIPA) by typing the following in a command window:
netstat -n -a
If the IP address associated with the RGS Sender listening port (42966 by default) is private, APIPA is the likely cause. For information about how to disable APIPA, go to http://support.microsoft.com/kb/220874.
Verify that the sender is not using an X desktop started on the command line. Outside connection attempts might fail because of incomplete PAM session management and permissions for the console. Login management should be handled by the display manager started by init run level 5.
RGS Sender natively supports the following display managers:
If the sender system uses a different PAM-based display manager, you can try the following:
NOTE:This configuration might not work for some display managers.
Kerberos authentication is available only on a Windows receiver. The receiver must be connected to the same Windows domain as the Windows or Linux sender. Kerberos authentication requires that the RGS Receiver and RGS Sender systems have synchronized clocks. Some tolerance is allowed for clock differences. The tolerance is dependent on parameters setup on the domain controller. In order to allow the Kerberos ticket to be used for login on the sender, the Rgsender.KerberosLogon property needs to be set and the domain controller needs to have delegation enabled for the computer. This feature may not be configured for all services. Other PAM services may be able to authenticate with the Kerberos ticket by adding auth sufficient pam_rg.so to the associated PAM service in /etc/pam.d. This must be added before the authentication line that includes password-auth or system-auth.
A Linux sender must be identified by the hostname and not an IP address in order for the receiver to obtain the necessary service ticket. The service ticket for a host with the name hostname.example.com can be seen by running the command line program klist on the receiver. This ticket will be listed with the server name host/hostname.example.com.
RGS Sender is set by default to listen to all network interfaces present on the sender. If this is undesirable, the network interface binding can be manually reconfigured.
There are three methods to reconfigure RGS Sender network interface binding:
Manually configure the desired network interface to be the one listened to by RGS Sender. See Reconfiguring network interface binding manually for more information.
Use the RGS Sender Configuration tool to specify which network interface to listen to. See Reconfiguring network interface binding using the RGS Sender Configuration tool for more information.
If you enter a hostname instead of an IP address when establishing an RGS connection, it is possible that the hostname will resolve to the IP address of an incorrect network interface. This could be caused by a number of factors, including how your DHCP and DNS servers are configured.
If the hostname resolves to the IP address of an incorrect network interface, do one of the following:
Use the nslookup command to determine the IP address that the hostname resolves to, and then follow the steps in Reconfiguring network interface binding manually to set the corresponding network interface to be listed first in the list of connections.
This section provides information about the following topics:
To manually configure which network interface the sender binds to:
Disable the Listen for RGS connections on all network interfaces option in the RGS Sender Configuration tool.
NOTE:See Using the RGS Sender Configuration tool (Windows/Linux only) for more information.
Before configuring options in the RGS Sender Configuration tool, you’ll need to determine the number that corresponds to the network interface you want RGS Sender to listen to. To do this, follow these steps:
After determining the number that corresponds to the desired network interface, follow these steps to configure the appropriate RGS Sender settings:
NOTE:See Using the RGS Sender Configuration tool (Windows/Linux only) for more information.
The network timeout properties of RGS Receiver and RGS Sender provide a way to handle network disruptions. Although TCP/IP is reliable, it does not guarantee network packet delivery. Possible issues include the following:
See below for a list of timeout-related issues and solutions.
When connecting to a Linux-based sender, the PAM authentication dialog on the receiver does not display long enough for credentials to be entered. | |
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Cause | Solution |
This section provides information about the following topics:
Some software uses large crosshair cursors that might not display correctly on the receiver. Full-screen crosshair cursors can be disabled by typing the following in an X terminal:
X11xprop -root -remove _SGI_CROSSHAIR_CURSOR
The color in a 3D application on the sender can look incorrect when displayed on a receiver. This is because the gamma of the receiver monitor does not match the gamma of the sender monitor.
Any tool that can adjust the gamma for a display can help resolve this issue. Some tools adjust the gamma for the entire display, while others adjust the gamma on a per-window basis. A per-window tool that can adjust the RGS Receiver window only should provide the best results.
If the sender is set to less than 24-bit or 32-bit color depth (depending on the graphics adapter), the RGS Receiver window might display a black or blank desktop session. Increase the color depth of and restart the sender usually resolves the issue.
See below for a list of audio-related issues and solutions.
RGS Receiver is not outputting audio. | |
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Cause | Solution |
|
Audio is disrupted. | |
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Cause | Solution |
The audio quality settings are too high for a low-bandwidth connection. |
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There is no audio on a sender or a receiver with multiple audio devices. | |
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Cause | Solution |
Disable extra audio devices to make sure RGS uses the correct device. |
The following information describes Remote USB troubleshooting tips:
Verify that the USB device is detected by the receiver.
Linux: Verify that the USB device is listed in /proc/devices/usb_remote/devices. If only one USB device is recognized by the receiver, the devices file will have a single file descriptor named 192, which is the Remote USB device. Dumping this file with the command cat 192 displays data about the device. If multiple devices are connected, then each will have a file descriptor numbered consecutively starting at 192.
Verify that both the sender and the receiver support Remote USB (see Remote USB (Windows/ThinPro only)).
Verify that the USB device is supported (see Remote USB (Windows/ThinPro only)).
Uninstall and reinstall RGS Receiver to make sure that Remote USB is configured correctly during installation (see Installing RGS Receiver (Windows)).
Uninstall and reinstall RGS Sender and make sure that Remote USB is enabled during installation (see Installing RGS Sender (Windows)).
Consider the following when troubleshooting smart card redirection:
If the smart card service on RHEL 7 does not start correctly, you might need to modify the pcscd startup script located at /usr/lib/systemd/system/pcscd.service. Open the script for editing and change the ExecStart option to the following:
ExecStart=/usr/sbin/pcscd --foreground --auto-exit -c /etc/reader.conf.d/hpremotescr.conf
VMouseSetup.exe must be installed on systems without a physical pointer device (e.g. servers or blade workstations) on Windows 8 and later. VMouseSetup.exe will install a Virtual Pointer Driver to enable HP RGS to correctly display the mouse cursor on systems without a pointer device. VMouseSetup.exe is included in the RGS Install package for the Windows Sender.
You can switch between an RGS session and a Windows Remote Desktop Connection session without having to log out of the remote desktop on the sender as long as you use the same credentials for both sessions. The existing session is ended when you start the new session using the other program.
If you try to use different credentials to start a Remote Desktop Connection session with a sender that is already in an RGS session, Remote Desktop Connection allows you to force a log off for the remote user account currently in the RGS session. Forcing a log off requires Windows administrator privileges and ends the RGS session.
If you try to use different credentials to start an RGS session with a sender that is already in a Remote Desktop Connection session, RGS will display an authorization failure message. You cannot force a log off in this scenario.
IMPORTANT:See the following information about security and authentication concerns:
If you switch from an active Remote Desktop Connection session to an RGS session, the remote desktop might enter into a logged on and unlocked state. This might not be desirable if an unlocked remote desktop is a security concern. To avoid this, log off of the remote desktop using Remote Desktop Connection before starting the RGS session.
If you have an active Remote Desktop Connection session that you authenticated using a smart card and try to switch to an RGS session using Easy Login on a receiver other than the one that started the active Remote Desktop Connection session, RGS will prompt you for your user name and password, which is not normally required for Easy Login authentication. If you do not know your user name and password because you normally use smart card authentication, then you will not be able to switch to an RGS session. In this scenario, the Remote Desktop Connection session must be ended manually to release the smart card reader for use by RGS.
When an RGS session is unintentionally ended, you might want applications on the sender to be terminated to prevent them from operating unsupervised.
This appendix describes how to create an agent on the sender that provides remote application termination by monitoring events in the RGS Sender event log HPRemote.
The HPRemote log contains information about recent RGS connection activity. By default, the most recent events are listed first.
To view the properties of an event, double-click it to open the Event Properties window.
NOTE:For additional information on Windows event logging, go to Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) at http://msdn.microsoft.com/.
Data in the HPRemote log consists of a message ID followed by optional data in both string and binary formats.
The following table describes the events logged in the HPRemote log. The message IDs are defined in the header file RGSenderEvents.h and are 32-bit values. The EventID is from the Code field within the message ID and, for the HPRemote log, ranges from 1 to 13.
Designing an agent to provide Remote Application Termination requires consideration of a number of issues in order to minimize data loss and determine when a last-resort shutdown of a disconnected desktop session is required. Listed below are several topics to consider when designing application control agents for your environment. The topics are not exhaustive—use them as a starting point for a more complete design that meets your business requirements.
This section provides information about the following topics:
Benefit—Implementing a full desktop session shutdown/logout ensures that all connection activity ceases immediately and ensure that applications are prevented from further unattended actions. Shutdown of a remote session frees the workstation for connection by other users. This approach is the most absolute and secure solution for desktop session management. Agent relies upon Windows logout routines to terminate environment—simple in design and result.
Issue—Forcing a desktop session shutdown/logout can result in data loss for any open applications on the desktop session. Forcing session logouts can result in application alert prompts requiring user interaction to save altered data. These prompts can delay or halt an interactive logout. Session termination also destroys memory of window placement on the desktop, and requires user intervention at restart.
Benefit—Preserves the active desktop session for connection at a later time. Selectively terminates the applications of interest. Preserves data not governed by an automated shutdown policy. Supports session recovery with an arbitrary connection time. If done in layers (giving some applications more time to live than others), then a gradual "soft landing" shutdown can occur that ultimately results in a full logout. Idle resources over a specific amount of time can be returned to a remote server pool.
Issue—Potentially more complicated to implement. Can require coordination of multiple agents to handle layered shutdown. May still result in data loss for specific applications. May also require a master semaphore to halt/terminate multiple agents if the user reconnects and wants to stop the shutdown process.
Benefit—Application-specific agents can be implemented as plug-ins or support utilities for a given application. In the future, certain software providers may provide custom interfaces for safe shutdown messages from an agent or the operating system. Custom agents can be independently maintained and tied to specific application releases for greater support flexibility. Independent agent design supports unit testing and decouples environmental dependencies.
Situation—Instead of shutting down an environment, an agent can be designed to alert an administrator or operator to determine the status of the user before taking action. This watchdog approach can further be defined to exploit redundant network connection support to a remote system to allow user-directed shutdowns to occur.
Situation—Users must first be warned about the consequences of disconnection. Agents that provide protection for a disconnected session may become a nuisance for unsuspecting users if they fail to address protective measures in place for their safety. For example, users must know how much time they have to reconnect before safeguards take action. If a remote agent arms itself for application termination, users should be presented with a large, unmistakable disarming "opt-out" panel that, upon login and discovery, they can halt any agent actions before termination. Organizations should carefully discuss and publicize safety measures due to potential data loss.
In developing an agent, HP recommends following these guidelines:
This section discusses restart options for RGS Sender and possible interactions of the agent with the sender.
By default, most Windows services are installed without any automatic restart or recovery settings. The same is true for the RGS Sender service.
Restarting the RGS Sender service can help reconnect a lost RGS connection (unless a system error prevents the RGS Sender service from restarting).
When designing the agent, you should consider whether to check for the existence of a running RGS Sender service as an indication of a sufficient primary user connection. If service restarts are programmed for your environment, this test may be unnecessary.
To set the RGS Sender service to restart automatically, you must change its recovery settings on the Recovery panel of its properties (right-click the service and select Properties).
Actions to take for the first failure, second failure, and subsequent failures are available in the properties menu. The Recovery options include:
The following sample Windows agent monitors the HPRemote event log and interprets its events. Comments are included in the agent code showing where additional code would be added to determine if the number of primary users has dropped to zero. If so, further code can be added to terminate applications on the sender.
The sample code is a fixed-polling Windows agent that reads and interprets the HPRemote event log. The agent uses two functions:
To properly use the function monitorEvents(...), the following strings must be defined in the function call:
The sample agent uses Microsoft event logging functions such as OpenEventLog, ReadEventLog, and CloseEventLog.
The sample agent is listed below. Where noted, user-specific code should be added. The agent header file, RGSenderEvents.h, is installed in the RGS Sender installation directory under the following path:
#define BUFFER_SIZE 1024 // safe EVENTLOGRECORD size for now
#define EVENT_SERVER NULL // remote server = "\\\\nodename"; local = NULL
#define EVENT_SRC "rgsender" // specifies specific event name source in // HPRemote
BOOL processEvent(LPCTSTR eventServer, LPCTSTR eventSource, DWORD dwEventNum)
// Open, read, close event log ===========================================
if ((h = OpenEventLog(eventServer, eventSource)) == NULL)
// Set the pointer to our buffer. Strings and data will get appended to the EVENTLOGRECORD structure.
pevlr = (EVENTLOGRECORD *) &bBuffer
// Read the event specified by dwEventNum
result = ReadEventLog(h, // event log handle
EVENTLOG_SEEK_READ | // start at specific event
EVENTLOG_FORWARDS_READ, // advance forward
BUFFER_SIZE, // size of buffer
&dwRead, // number of bytes read
&dwNeeded); // bytes in next record
if (CloseEventLog(h) == false)
// Process event (example: print out event) ==============================
// We only know how to process specific events
if (pevlr->EventID == RGSENDER_CONNECT_STATE)
// Retrieve the two UINT32 fields of this message
// representing primary and non-primary connections.
unsigned int *pData = (unsigned int *)
((LPBYTE) pevlr + pevlr->DataOffset);
// Examine state of primary connections here for other
// agent response if number drops to zero...
... example only prints out retrieved record to console ...
printf ("Event: %u Primary: %u Secondary: %u\n",
dwEventNum, pData[0], pData[1]);
... Process other events here if desired ...
... report unrecognized event here ...
void monitorEvents(LPCTSTR eventServer, LPCTSTR eventSource, int seconds)
// This function will monitor the log for the specified number of
// seconds. If seconds is less than zero, we will wait forever.
for (waitedFor = 0; seconds < 0 || waitedFor < seconds; )
// Open, read status of log, close event log =========================
if ((h = OpenEventLog(eventServer, eventSource)) == NULL)
... report error status here ...
// If an event is added, either the start or count will change.
// Get the start and count. Microsoft does not specify what
// reasons these functions could fail, so we cannot ensure
// success. Check the return value.
if (GetOldestEventLogRecord(h, &dwCurrentStart) == false ||
GetNumberOfEventLogRecords(h, &dwCurrentCount) == false)
... report error - unable to obtain event logs ...
if (CloseEventLog(h) == false)
... report error status here ...
// Determine state of log change =====================================
// Compute the index of the last event. If the count is zero, then
// there are no events and the index is 0.
dwNewIndex = dwCurrentStart + dwCurrentCount - 1;
// If the new index is different than the current, update the current
// and process the current event. Otherwise, we sleep for a while.
if (dwNewIndex != dwCurrentIndex)
// We have at least one new event. Print out the last event.
if (processEvent(eventServer, eventSource, dwCurrentIndex))
... event processing error here ...
// No new events. Sleep for 1 second.
... setup and initialize agent ...
monitorEvents(EVENT_SERVER, EVENT_SRC, seconds);
... cleanup agent here or send alerts ...
... may wish to return status from monitorEvents ...
To uninstall RGS Receiver on Red Hat Enterprise Linux or SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop (SLED):
To uninstall RGS Receiver on HP ThinPro:
Execute the following command to remove the listed packages:
dpkg –P <package name> [<package name> ...]
IMPORTANT:When inputting package names, omit the brackets and braces. For syntax help, see User input syntax key.
NOTE:Beginning with ThinPro 7.0, the hptc-rgs-usb package is installed by default with the OS. Do not remove this package.
If the default installer (install.sh) was used for installation, then execute the following command to determine the names of the RGS Sender packages to remove:
rpm -q -a | grep -i rgsender
The package names will be something similar to the following:
rgsender_linux_64-7.3.0-1
rgsender_config_64-7.3.0-1
rgsender_smartcard-7.3.0-1
Execute the following command to remove the RGS Sender packages:
rpm -e --allmatches rgsender_linux_64 rgsender_config_64 rgsender_smartcard
IMPORTANT:If rgsender_config_64-*.rpm is installed, it must be removed either simultaneously with or prior to the removal of rgsender_linux_64-*.rpm. The above command removes both packages simultaneously. This resolves dependencies between the packages and undoes any configuration file modifications the package made automatically during installation.