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Version: Developer

Windows RemoteApps

Overview​

Microsoft RDP and RDS can run a single application over an RDP connection, a technology Microsoft calls RemoteApp. Kasm Workspaces supports RemoteApp, whether the application runs in a Microsoft RDS infrastructure or on stand-alone Windows servers that Kasm manages. This guide registers an application as a RemoteApp and configures Kasm to deliver it through a browser-native portal. The result is governed access to individual Windows applications without delivering a full desktop.

Prerequisites​

Before you begin, confirm the following:

Solution approach​

This guide progresses through the following phases:

  1. Register the application as a RemoteApp.
  2. Enable multiple RemoteApp instances for a single user.
  3. Configure the Kasm server and workspace.
  4. Launch a RemoteApp with the Developer API.

Detailed steps​

Register a RemoteApp​

Register the application as a RemoteApp, or configure the server to allow RDP connections to pass the full path to the application. Registering RemoteApps is more secure. The following Microsoft Registry export file registers Microsoft Edge as a RemoteApp.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Terminal Server\TSAppAllowList\Applications]

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Terminal Server\TSAppAllowList\Applications\Microsoft Edge]
"Name"="Microsoft Edge"
"Path"="C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Microsoft\\Edge\\Application\\msedge.exe"
"VPath"="C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Microsoft\\Edge\\Application\\msedge.exe"
"RequiredCommandLine"=""
"CommandLineSetting"=dword:00000001
"IconPath"="C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Microsoft\\Edge\\Application\\msedge.exe"
"IconIndex"=dword:00000000
"ShowInTSWA"=dword:00000000

Apply the file in one of two ways:

  1. Import the file manually with reg import filename.reg.
  2. Use Kasm File Mapping to map a file with the above contents to C:\Program Files\Kasm\scripts\registry\edge_remoteapp.reg. The Kasm Desktop Service must be installed on the target server. When the service starts, it downloads file mappings and applies any .reg files in that location.

Enable multiple RemoteApps for a single user​

By default, Windows limits a user to a single instance of a RemoteApp. To allow multiple instances for a single user, disable a Group Policy setting.

  1. Press Windows + R to open the Run prompt.
  2. Enter gpedit.msc, then click OK.
  3. Go to Computer Configuration.
  4. Select Administrative Templates.
  5. Select Windows Components.
  6. Expand Remote Desktop Services.
  7. Select Remote Desktop Session Host.
  8. Select Connections.
  9. Open the Restrict Remote Desktop Services users to a single Remote Desktop Services session setting.
  10. Set it to Disabled.

Configure the Kasm server and workspace​

Kasm can point to a single fixed Windows server, a pool of fixed servers, or a pool of AutoScaled servers. The server and workspace steps match the RDS configuration:

For a pool of identical servers that Kasm load-balances, first create a pool, then select that pool when you create each server.

Launch a RemoteApp with the Developer API​

The UI steps cover user-requested sessions. To launch a session and specify the RemoteApp and its arguments programmatically, use the Kasm Developer API. The following JSON payload uses the request_kasm API.

{
    "api_key": "<KASM_API_KEY>",
    "api_key_secret": "<KASM_API_SECRET>",
    "user_id": "<USER_ID>",
    "image_id": "<IMAGE_ID>",
    "enable_sharing": false,
    "connection_info": {
        "guac": {
            "type": "rdp",
            "settings": {
                "security": "any",
                "ignore-cert": true,
                "enable-font-smoothing": true,
                "enable-wallpaper": true,
                "enable-theming": true,
                "enable-full-window-drag": false,
                "enable-menu-animations": false,
                "resize-method": "display-update",
                "server-layout": "en-us-qwerty",
                "printer-name": "Kasm",
                "remote-app": "||KasmLauncher",
                "remote-app-args": "\"C:\\Program Files\\Microsoft Office\\root\\Office16\\EXCEL.EXE\" C:\\Users\\Public\\Documents\\example.xlsx"
            }
        },
        "rdp_thick_client_properties": {
            "connection type": 6,
            "networkautodetect": 1,
            "bandwidthautodetect": 1,
            "screen mode id": 2,
            "singlemoninwindowedmode": 1,
            "keyboardhook": 2,
            "disable full window drag": 1,
            "disable menu anims": 1,
            "bitmapcachepersistenable": 1,
            "session bpp": 32,
            "dynamic resolution": 1,
            "autoreconnection enabled": 1,
            "videoplaybackmode": 1,
            "allow desktop composition": 1,
            "disable themes": 0,
            "allow font smoothing": 1,
            "smart sizing": 1,
            "desktopscalefactor": 100
        },
        "kasm_svc": {
            "port": 4902
        }
    }
}
note

Use an API key scoped to the minimum permissions required, and store the key and secret in a secret manager. Do not commit credentials to source control. For authentication details, see the Developer API reference.

Common troubleshooting steps​

  • A RemoteApp does not launch. Confirm that the application is registered as a RemoteApp, or that the server allows the full application path. Confirm that the .reg file applied. The Kasm Desktop Service must be installed to apply file-mapped registry files.
  • A user cannot open a second instance of a RemoteApp. Disable the single-session Group Policy setting. See Enable multiple RemoteApps for a single user.
  • A registered RemoteApp name is not recognized. Prepend registered RemoteApp names with double pipes, for example ||Microsoft Excel.
  • Multiple users cannot connect to the server. Configure single sign-on. See Windows authentication.