MSRDP.OCX question.....

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jim Hubbard
  • Start date Start date
J

Jim Hubbard

I'd like to be able to show the full-screen of the remote desktop in a
resizable window. The full screen should always be visible, just resized to
fit within the control as it is resized by the user.

Currently it looks like the control only allows the remote screen size to be
set before connecting, and there doesn't seem to be the ability to change
the remote screen size without reconnecting.

Am I missing something? Please tell me that I am. The speed is great, but
I really need to be able to do this resizing thing.
 
Jim Hubbard said:
Nevermind.....I figured out a workaround.
Click to expand...

Would you mind sharing your workaround with us? I'd be interrested to know
how you did as i could use that in my application as well.

Thanks
 
No problem.....

I have a form with a textbox, an msrp.ocx (MsTscAx1) control, and a connect
button on it.

Under the connect button, here is the main code (error handling omitted)
that seems to allow resizing of the MSRDP.OCX while showing the full screen.

------------------code under connect button start
With MsTscAx1
'add the ip you are connecting to....
.Server = Text1.Text

.AdvancedSettings3.SmartSizing = True

.width = Screen.width
.height = Screen.height

.Connect

.width = Form1.width - 1000
.height = Form1.height - 2000

End With
------------------code under connect button end

The code above starts the screen out at the maximum screen resolution of the
client's screen, connects to the host (at which time the host screen is set
to the max resolution of the client) then resizes it to fit in my form.

And, of course, you need to handle the resizing of the MSRDP.OCX when the
form is resized....

------------------------resize code start
Private Sub Form_Resize()

With MsTscAx1
.width = Form1.width - 1000
.Left = 500
.height = Form1.height - 2000
End With

End Sub
-----------------------resize code end

Hope this helps.......

Jim Hubbard
Hubbard Software
 
Hi Jim,

Jim Hubbard said:
No problem.....
Click to expand...

Thanks a lot. I always assumed that automatic resizing was not a feature of
XP Remote desktop as even the Microsoft Remote Desktop application didn't do
it. I've tried your code and it works! However, i don't know what
programming language you are using (VB 6?) but i had to make some changes to
make it work in C#:
- AdvancedSettings3 didn't exist. The SmartSizing property was actually in
AdvancedSettings2
- The width (height) property was read-only so i had to use DesktopWidth
(DesktopHeight) instead

And i didn't have to handle the resizing myself. My remote desktop activex
is placed in a panel and is set to fit the panel size so when my window is
resized, the panel is also resized which makes the remote desktop to resize
istself automatically. Nice... but a bit slow.

While we are at it, have you noticed this bug in Remote desktop which seems
to "steal" the focus? Explanation: i have on my form a group box with 2
buttons (connect and disconnect) and a panel in which is placed the remote
desktop Activex. When remote desktop is disconnected, everything works fine,
i can click the 2 buttons the normal way. But when remote desktop is
connected, i have to click twice on my buttons for the click to be
registered: the first click seems to only give the focus to the button and
the second click actually does the click action. I've found a workaround for
that but it doesn't satisfy me and i'd really like to find the proper way to
solve this problem.
 
Thanks a lot. I always assumed that automatic resizing was not a feature of
XP Remote desktop as even the Microsoft Remote Desktop application didn't do
it. I've tried your code and it works! However, i don't know what
programming language you are using (VB 6?) but i had to make some changes to
make it work in C#:
- AdvancedSettings3 didn't exist. The SmartSizing property was actually in
AdvancedSettings2
- The width (height) property was read-only so i had to use DesktopWidth
(DesktopHeight) instead
Click to expand...

I am using VB6 as a testing area for the activeX control because of its
ability to make changes to my test app without having to stop and restart
the app for every change. I am also creating an ActiveX control that is
easier and a little more secure in VB6 than .net.

I have VS.Net 2003 loaded which may have given me a newer version of the
MSRDP.OCX. You can try
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/tools/rdclientdl.mspx of I can
send you version 5.1.2600.1095 of the control if you need it to get the
AdvancedSettings3 stuff.
And i didn't have to handle the resizing myself. My remote desktop activex
is placed in a panel and is set to fit the panel size so when my window is
resized, the panel is also resized which makes the remote desktop to resize
istself automatically. Nice... but a bit slow.
Cool...

While we are at it, have you noticed this bug in Remote desktop which seems
to "steal" the focus? Explanation: i have on my form a group box with 2
buttons (connect and disconnect) and a panel in which is placed the remote
desktop Activex. When remote desktop is disconnected, everything works fine,
i can click the 2 buttons the normal way. But when remote desktop is
connected, i have to click twice on my buttons for the click to be
registered: the first click seems to only give the focus to the button and
the second click actually does the click action. I've found a workaround for
that but it doesn't satisfy me and i'd really like to find the proper way to
solve this problem.
Click to expand...

Yes I have, but this really isn't a bug. The first click gets you back to
your desktop (think of it like using a software KVM switch), then your
desktop can accept the next click anywhere. This must happen as RDP must
change the output from the mouse/keyboard to go to the PC you have chosen.

Some mice have an X-Windows type function that automatically changes the
focus to the window that the mouse is over as it enters the window. You
could try changing your mouse settings to emulate this X-Windows
functionality and see if that gives you the desired results.

I'll post a link to my client as soon as it is ready. It will be freeware.
 
I have VS.Net 2003 loaded which may have given me a newer version of the
MSRDP.OCX. You can try
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/tools/rdclientdl.mspx of I can
send you version 5.1.2600.1095 of the control if you need it to get the
AdvancedSettings3 stuff.
Click to expand...

I don't really know if i need that actually. Do you know what features does
this interface add?
which makes the remote desktop to
resize

Cool...
Click to expand...

Cool but I forgot to add that the SmartSizing property is not supported
under Windows 95, 98 and ME :-( So this works only under 2000 and up. I
don't think that any workaround exists for this problem.
Yes I have, but this really isn't a bug. The first click gets you back to
your desktop (think of it like using a software KVM switch), then your
desktop can accept the next click anywhere.
Click to expand...

Well, even if it is not a bug, it is very disturbing for my users as the
remote desktop is just a small part of my app and i don't see myself trying
to explain that they have to click twice for each button only in this
particular window of my app because of some IO problems between their
desktop and the remote desktop. It makes sense but it is not the behaviour
that a "normal" user would expect.
I'll post a link to my client as soon as it is ready. It will be
Click to expand...
freeware.

Thanks. Will you post the link here? I'd be interrested to see what you've
done. By the way, i always wondered if the ClearTextPassword property was
secure or not. Nothing in the doc about that. Are you using it in your
client?
 
Elp said:
I don't really know if i need that actually. Do you know what features does
this interface add?
Click to expand...

Not really that different. Only adds a couple of interfaces....see
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/d...rv/termserv/imsrdpclientadvancedsettings3.asp .
Cool but I forgot to add that the SmartSizing property is not supported
under Windows 95, 98 and ME :-( So this works only under 2000 and up. I
don't think that any workaround exists for this problem.
Click to expand...

You tested the code on these legacy systems?

Well, even if it is not a bug, it is very disturbing for my users as the
remote desktop is just a small part of my app and i don't see myself trying
to explain that they have to click twice for each button only in this
particular window of my app because of some IO problems between their
desktop and the remote desktop. It makes sense but it is not the behaviour
that a "normal" user would expect.
Click to expand...

Problem is.....this control is behaving like a window, but it doesn't look
like a window.

Do this little experiment for me. Open Word up, then open Notepad. Make
sure Notepad is on top of Word, but not obstructing the toolbar in Word.
Now click on the New Blank Document icon (or any icon) on the Word toolbar.
It must be clicked twice to work because the first click is giving focus to
the new window.

Perhaps placing a window-like frame around your msrdp control (that changes
color when it has the focus - like other windows do) would help your users
understand that this control is actually a window just like any other
program. I know it can be confusing because it runs inside your
application - but the only other option I see right now would be to disable
(gray out) your buttons and menus while the ocx has the focus.
freeware.

Thanks. Will you post the link here? I'd be interrested to see what you've
done. By the way, i always wondered if the ClearTextPassword property was
secure or not. Nothing in the doc about that. Are you using it in your
client?
Click to expand...

Yes, I'll post it here. I am going to try and move my client to it instead
of GoToMyPC.

Sorry, I haven't used the ClearTextPassword property yet.
 
You tested the code on these legacy systems?
Click to expand...

:-) legacy or not, my application has to run on these systems (well not
Windows 95 as .NET is not supported on this one anyway). So yes, i've tested
under Windows 98 and it throws a "not implemented" exception.
 
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