Session experience

Full-screen mode

How to configure

To configure your desktop session to always open in full-screen mode, edit the Google Admin Policy by including the following:

Note:

• By default, desktop sessions open in maximized windows, where the “window state” value is set to “maximized”.

{

      "settings": {

                     "Value": {
                     "settings\_version": "1.0",
                     "engine\_settings": {
                     "ui": {
                     "sessionsize": {
                     "windowstate": "fullscreen"
                              }
                                      }
                                               }
                            }
                }
}
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Session size

How to configure

The session size setting lets you customize resolutions for a session. Edit the Google admin policy by including the following:

{
    "settings": {
      "Value": {
            "settings_version": "1.0",
            "engine_settings": {
            "ui": {
                "sessionsize" : {
                    "minwidth" : 240,
                    "minheigh" : 120,
                    "available" : {
                            "default" : "Fit_To_Window",
                            "values" : [
                                            "Fit_To_Window",
                                            "Use_Device_Pixel_Ratio",
                                            "1280x800",
                                            "1440x900",
                                            "1600x1200"
                                       ]
                        }
                    }
                }
            }
        }
    }
}

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List of various resolution options and their descriptions:

• minwidth: 240: The minimum width for sessions.
• minheight: 120: The minimum height for sessions.
• available: Options to set resolution preferences for sessions.

  • default: The value that you set applies to the default resolution. By default, the value is set to “Fit_To_Window”. You can change the default value as follows:

    • values: Other resolution values are:
      • Fit_To_Window: The default resolution value available. It matches the window size to emulate various screen resolutions.
      • Use_Device_Pixel_Ratio: Scales sessions to match the DPI of the device.
      • 1280x800: Sets the session size to 1280 * 800 pixels.
      • 1440x900: Sets the session size to 1440 * 900 pixels.
      • 1600x1200: Sets the session size to 1600 * 1200 pixels.

Net promoter score

Citrix Workspace app for ChromeOS prompts you periodically for Net Promoter Score (NPS) feedback. The prompt asks you to rate your experience with Citrix Workspace app for ChromeOS. We use NPS feedback as a tool to measure customer satisfaction and to further improve the app.

You can rate your experience on a scale of 1–5, with 5 indicating that you’re satisfied.

How to configure

To configure NPS, use the Google admin policy by including the following. If the option is set to true, the user can provide the rating.

{
    "settings": {
        "Value": {
            "settings_version": "1.0",
                "engine_settings": {
                    "ui": {
                        "netPromoters": true
                          }
                }
        }
    }
}

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Auto-launch of ICA sessions

Citrix Workspace app for ChromeOS supports auto-launch of ICA (Independent computing architecture) sessions on Google managed devices or users.

With this feature, you can access resources remotely from Citrix Workspace for the web. The downloaded ICA file starts automatically, with the Citrix Workspace app for ChromeOS, if it has been installed on the device. Previously, you were able to only download ICA files and open the files manually to start resources. Also, the ICA file wasn’t deleted when opened and remained on the device. Now, the ICA file is automatically deleted from the device - once it’s used to auto-launch the session.

How to configure

To configure the auto-launch of ICA sessions, log in as an administrator and do these steps:

1. Log on to the Google Admin console.
2. In the Google Admin console, select Devices > Chrome > Settings.
3. Then, under Settings, select Users & Browsers, Device, and Managed Guest Session Settings (as appropriate), set Auto-open downloaded files and add ica under Auto-open file types for User & Browser Settings, Device Settings, and Managed Guest Session Settings as appropriate (for managed users and managed devices).

Then, ask your users to associate the ICA file with the Citrix Workspace app for ChromeOS on their ChromeOS devices as follows:

1. Open File manager and navigate to the previously downloaded ICA file.
2. Click the ICA file.
3. On the right side of the navigation bar, click Open and select the arrow beside it.
4. Then, select Change default.
5. A list of available apps appears.
6. Select Citrix Workspace.

In-session toolbar and dialogs

The in-session toolbar is a floating toolbar that can be moved anywhere on the screen. The toolbar has a Citrix Workspace app icon embedded on it. A customized toolbar improves the user experience. This enhancement provides new options that are accessible from the toolbar to ease common tasks, such as:

• switching to full-screen mode
• uploading or downloading files
• Copy content from an active session to the clipboard to enable sharing between sessions
• accessing more options

Note:

On the touch-enabled devices, the Citrix Workspace app icon appears at the top center to indicate the floating toolbar during desktop sessions. A menu button indicating the floating toolbar transforms to the Citrix Workspace icon when you move your cursor towards it.

How to configure

The toolbar is enabled by default.

To hide or customize individual toolbar items, edit the Google admin policy by including the following:

{
    "settings": {
        "Value": {
            "settings_version": "1.0",
                "engine_settings": {
                "ui" : {
                    "toolbar" : {
                            "menubar" :true,
                            "usb": true,
                            "fileTransfer":true,
                            "about":true,
                            "lock":true,
                            "disconnect":true,
                            "logoff":true,
                            "fullscreen":true,
                            "multitouch":true,
                            "preferences":true,
                            "gestureGuide":true
                                 }
                     }
                }
        }
    }
}

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List of in-session toolbar options and their descriptions:

• menubar: The toolbar appears when set to true, and is hidden when set to false.
• usb: Opens the USB devices dialog box. Contains the list of devices that can be redirected into the session. To redirect a USB device, select an appropriate device and click Connect.
• fileTransfer: Secure file transfer functionality between a user device and a Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops and Citrix DaaS session. You can upload and download files to and from a session and seamlessly access data.
• about: Displays the third-party licenses page and provides the version number.
• lock: Sends “Ctrl+Alt+Del” to the session.
• disconnect: Disconnects the session.
• logoff: Logs off from the session.
• fullscreen: Adjusts the session to full-screen mode. If the session is connected with multiple monitors, the multi-monitor icon appears on the menu bar rather than a full-screen icon. A Restore icon appears on the menu bar while in full-screen mode. To restore maximized mode, click Restore in the toolbar UI.
• multitouch: Remotes all gestures to the virtual session, and the app behaves based on the gestures it supports.
• preferences: Provides options to customize CEIP and display resolution settings.
• gestureGuide: Provides the guide for gestures in touch mode.

To hide the toolbar configuration using the configuration.js file:

The configuration.js file is in the ChromeApp root folder. Edit this file directly to make changes to Citrix Workspace app for ChromeOS.

1. Open the configuration.js file and set the menubar attribute to false.

You can also hide an individual icon to prevent it from displaying in the toolbar. For example, to hide the Ctrl+Alt+Del button in the toolbar:

1. Open the configuration.js file and set the lock attribute to false.

   Notes:

   • Citrix recommends that you back up the configuration.js file before making changes.
   • Citrix recommends editing the configuration.js file only if the Citrix Workspace app for ChromeOS is repackaged for users.
   • Administrator-level credentials are required to edit the configuration.js file.

Session sharing

For session sharing, the applications must be hosted on the same machine and must be configured in seamless window mode with the same settings for parameters, such as window size, color depth, and encryption. Session sharing is enabled by default when a hosted application is made available.

Battery status indicator

The battery status of the device appears in the notification area within the virtual desktop session. Previously, the battery status indicator wasn’t visible in the session, which sometimes led to a loss of productivity when the laptop shuts down after the battery runs out.

This feature is supported only on VDA versions 7.18 and later.

Note:

• With Microsoft Windows 10 VDA, the battery status indicator might take about 1 or 2 minutes to appear.

Service continuity

Service continuity removes or reduces the dependency on the availability of components that are involved in the connection process. You can launch the Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops and Citrix DaaS regardless of the health status of the cloud services. In other words, service continuity allows you to connect to the DaaS apps and desktops during outages. As a prerequisite, your device must maintain a network connection to a resource location.

For more information, see the Service continuity section in the Citrix Workspace documentation.

Notes:

• The service continuity feature is disabled.
• If you previously enabled the service continuity feature and are using an older version of Citrix Workspace app for ChromeOS, you might be unable to use service continuity. To enable this feature, it is recommended that you update the Citrix Workspace app to the latest version, which is 2402.1 or later and follow the instructions in the Knowledge Center article CTX632723.

Enhancements to service continuity

The following are the enhancements:

• Previously, during store sign-in, the connection lease files download was delayed by 10 minutes. Starting with the 2408 release, downloading connection lease files happen immediately after sign-in.
• Connection lease files sync up happens when you click the reload button.
• Added the support for the Maintain Leases on Sign-Out feature from the Workspace configuration. When this feature is enabled, the connection leases remain on the end user’s device when they sign out of Workspace.

For more information, see Service continuity in the Citrix Workspace documentation.

Known issues in the feature

The service continuity feature might not work as expected when a custom domain is configured.

Configuration

You can enable the service continuity feature in the following way:

• Google Admin Policy

Google Admin Policy

For managed devices and users, administrators can enable the service continuity feature using the Google Admin Policy as follows:

1. Sign in to the Google Admin Policy.

2. You can apply this configuration to the following:

   • Device > Chrome > Apps and extensions > Users and browsers > Search for the extension > Policy for extensions.
   • Device > Chrome > Apps and extensions > Kiosks > Search for the extension > Policy for extensions.
   • Device > Chrome > Apps and extensions > Managed guest sessions > Search for the extension > Policy for extensions.

   The following is an example of JSON data:

   {
   "settings": {
       "Value": {
           "settings_version": "1.0",
           "engine_settings": {
               "features": {
                   "serviceContinuity":{                         
                       "enable": true
                       }
                   }
               }
           }
       }
   }
   
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Browser content redirection

Browser Content Redirection (BCR) redirects the remote browser’s content to the client’s device. BCR is a frameless-borderless web browser that runs within the remote desktop window and covers (overlays) the remote (VDA) browser’s content area.

BCR redirects the contents of a web browser to a client device, and creates a corresponding browser embedded within Citrix Workspace app. This feature offloads network usage, page processing, and graphics rendering to the endpoint. Doing so improves the user experience when browsing demanding webpages, especially webpages that incorporate HTML5 or WebRTC. Only the viewport (the user’s visible area of a webpage) is redirected to the endpoint. Browser content redirection doesn’t redirect the user interface (the address bar, toolbar, and so forth) of the browser on the VDA.

In other words, BCR provides the ability of rendering webpages in the allow list on the client side. This feature uses Citrix Workspace app to instantiate a corresponding rendering engine on the client side, which fetches the HTTP and HTTPS content from the URL.

For more information on how to set up the allow list see:

• Browser content redirection Chrome extension
• Browser content redirection policy settings

Known issues in the feature

• On BCR overlay, when you open a website link in a new tab, it opens in the client browser instead of the session browser. [HDX-43206]

Known limitations in the feature

• This feature doesn’t support:

  • Server fetch and client render scenario.
  • Integrated Windows Authentication (IWA) webserver.
  • Multimonitor feature.
• When you upload or download a file to some of the BCR-redirected websites, the ChromeOS file picker appears instead of a VDA session file picker. [HDX-43207]
• Printing isn’t supported from BCR-redirected pages.

Improved virtual apps and desktops launch experience

Starting with the 2306 release, the improved app and desktop launch experience provides timely and relevant information about the launch status.

Configure session launch notification display

Starting with 2307, administrators can either enable or disable the display of launch progress notifications using the following configuration.

If this configuration is enabled, you can see the session launch progress notifications on the lower right of the screen. If this configuration is disabled, you can’t see the session launch progress notifications.

Note:

• By default, this configuration is enabled.

When notifications are disabled, end users lack the timely and relevant information about the launch status.

When notifications are enabled, end users see the launch progress in the lower right of the screen.

Configurations

You can configure this feature in one of the following ways:

• Configuration.js
• Google Admin Policy

Configuration.js

To disable this feature using the configuration.js file, do the following:

1. Locate the configuration.js file in the ChromeApp root folder.

2. Edit the file.

   Notes:

   • Citrix recommends that you back up the configuration.js file before making changes.
   • Citrix recommends editing the configuration.js file only if the Citrix Workspace app for ChromeOS is repackaged for users.
   • Administrator-level credentials are required to edit the configuration.js file.

3. Set the CTXTUI value to false to disable the display of launch progress notifications. Following is an example of JSON data:

   {
   "vc_channel":{
       "CTXTUI": false
       }
   }
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4. Save the changes.

Google Admin Policy

For managed devices and users, administrators can disable this feature using the Google Admin Policy as follows:

1. Sign in to the Google Admin Policy.
2. Go to Device management > Chrome Management > User Settings.

3. Add the following strings to the policy.txt file under the engine_settings key.

   The following is an example of JSON data:

   {
       "settings": {
           "Value": {
               "settings_version": "1.0",
               "engine_settings": {
                   "vc_channel":
   
   {                     "CTXTUI": false                 }
   
               }
           }
       }
   }
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4. Save the changes.

Sustainability initiative from Citrix Workspace app

Previously, virtual desktops were left in a disconnected state when users closed them by tapping the ‘X’ button. This consumed unnecessary energy and power resources.

Starting from the 2405 version, we have introduced a sustainability initiative that encourages users to conserve energy that might be used due to running unused virtual desktops.

With this feature enabled, when users tap on the X icon to disconnect the session, a prompt is displayed to sign out from the desktop session. This feature can be helpful in enterprises that use Windows OS policies to shut down VMs when no users are logged in.

End users can exit from the session in two ways:

Sign out to save energy - This sustainability action shuts down the virtual machine and conserve energy. End users must make sure to save their work before signing out.

Disconnect to close the virtual desktop session window. However, the virtual session remains active until the next sign-in. End users can resume their work easily.

HDX adaptive throughput

Starting with the 2408 version, HDX adaptive throughput is supported. This feature intelligently fine-tunes the peak throughput of the ICA session by adjusting output buffers. The number of output buffers is initially set at a high value. This high value allows data to be transmitted to the client more quickly and efficiently, especially in high-latency networks.

This feature provides better interactivity, faster file transfers, smoother video playback, and a higher frame rate and resolution resulting in an enhanced user experience.

Session interactivity is constantly measured to determine whether any data streams within the ICA session adversely affect interactivity. If that occurs, the throughput is decreased to reduce the impact of the large data stream on the session and allow interactivity to recover.

Note:

This feature is enabled by default.

Session reliability

The session reliability feature ensures that sessions remain active on the user’s screen even if there is a disruption in network connectivity. Users continue to see the application they’re using until network connectivity resumes.

When connectivity is lost, the session remains active on the server. To alert the user about the connectivity issue, the display becomes unresponsive and a reconnect overlay screen appears. Until connectivity resumes on the other side of the tunnel, session reliability reconnects users without reauthentication prompts.

Note:

The session reliability timeout policy setting has a default value of 180 seconds or three minutes. Though you can extend the time the session reliability keeps a session open, this feature is convenient to the user.

For more information about the feature, see Session reliability in the Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops documentation.

Important

With the session reliability feature enabled, the default ports for session communication are 2598 for non-SSL VDA and 443 for SSL VDA.

You can use session reliability with Gateway and SSL VDAs. When using a non-SSL VDA with Citrix Gateway, data encryption happens between the user device and Citrix Gateway. When using SSL VDA with Citrix Gateway, data encryption happens from the user device to VDA.

Using session reliability policies

• The session reliability connections policy setting allows or prevents session reliability.
• The session reliability timeout policy setting has a default value of 180 seconds or three minutes. Though you can extend the time the session reliability keeps a session open, this feature is convenient to the user. Therefore, it does not prompt the user to re-authenticate.

Tips

• Extending session reliability timeouts might cause a user to get distracted and walk away from the device, leaving the session accessible to unauthorized users. By default, incoming session reliability connections use port 2598, unless you change the port number in the session reliability port number policy setting. If you use session reliability, it closes, or disconnects, the user session after the amount of time you specify in the Session reliability timeout policy setting.
• Session reliability is enabled by default on the server. To disable this feature, configure the policy managed by the server.

Configuring session reliability from Citrix Studio

By default, session reliability is enabled.

To disable session reliability:

1. Launch Citrix Studio.
2. Open the Session Reliability connections policy.

3. Set the policy to Prohibited.

   

Configuring session reliability timeout

By default, the session reliability timeout is set to 180 seconds.

Note:

Session reliability timeout policy can be configured only with XenApp and XenDesktop 7.11 and later.

To modify session reliability timeout:

1. Launch Citrix Studio.
2. Open the Session reliability timeout policy.
3. Edit the timeout value.
4. Click OK.