Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

Chakkaradeep — Tue, 08 May 2007 07:32:06 GMT

Hi,

I tried your application sample. I am getting 6 desktops in the ActiveX control and thus am not able to control it effectively and I can see 6 desktops and 6 mouse cursors. I checked in my friend's machine too and I find the same problem - 6 desktops !

Do you have any idea what is happening ? I checked the code, the code seems to be ok.

Would be happy if you could help me.

Thanks,

C.C.Chakkaradeep

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

Seenu — Thu, 17 May 2007 01:40:02 GMT

Are you running the winsharer.exe and winviewer.exe on the same machine? If yes, then you may see multiple desktops one inside the other recursively.

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

C.C.Chakkaradeep — Fri, 18 May 2007 01:13:45 GMT

Initially we did that mistake of running the sharer and viewer in the same machine and later we did run separately and found actually what was happening :D

Its working perfect with two different machines.

Thanks !

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

C.C.Chakkaradeep — Fri, 25 May 2007 08:33:15 GMT

Hi,

What is the easiest way to make RDPViewer full screen other than using the size property

Thanks

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

C.C.Chakkaradeep — Mon, 28 May 2007 08:35:46 GMT

Hi,

Is there a way to control the resolution of the shared desktop using RDPViewer ?

P.S

===

I am not able to locate any help other than this blog and MSDN and thus I am posting my queries here. I am working in Microsoft Imagine Cup Project where I use this Remote Desktop Sharing API. I would appreciate any help i get thru this blog..thanks :)

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

Seenu — Mon, 28 May 2007 10:22:25 GMT

Chakkaradeep, you should be able to switch to full screen by pressing Ctrl+Alt+Break when the viewer control has focus. I dont have the app off hand to verify but this key combination should work. Press the same keys to switch to the original window mode. Also you can set SmartSizing property (IRDPSRAPIViewer) to True to see the full screen smart sized in the window.

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

Seenu — Mon, 28 May 2007 10:30:51 GMT

There is no API to set the resolution of the sharing desktop from the viewer control. However, you can change the desktop resolution as you normally do from the RDPViewer itself by right clicking on the desktop and going to display properties. OnSharedDesktopSettingsChanged is fired to the viewer app. You can then adjust the viewer control window size, if needed.

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

Chakkaradeep — Mon, 28 May 2007 12:38:21 GMT

Hi Seenu,

Thanks for the reply :), I will check with the Full Screen view

Thanks

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

Chakkaradeep — Mon, 28 May 2007 13:50:36 GMT

I tried setting the property SmartSize as,

rdpViewer.SmartSizing=true, but I get exception caught there and a long list of exception message pasted here -- http://pastebin.ca/515749

Do i need to set this smartsizing property only after I connect to a desktop ?

Thanks

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

srneerud — Wed, 30 May 2007 01:37:11 GMT

Yes you need to set the SmartSizing property after you connect in Vista. I couldn't find the actual error code in the pasted text so I am not sure if this was the reason it failed.

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

Chakkaradeep — Thu, 31 May 2007 20:15:51 GMT

SmartSizing works good ;) , Yes , we need to enable it once we establish the connection. The full screen (Ctrl+Alt+Break) is not working, anyways, I will test again and would confirm whether its working or not..

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

C.C.Chakkaradeep — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 18:50:35 GMT

Hi,

I always get InvalidActiveXStateException if I try to use rdpViewer.Connect function in a constructor, but If I invoke Connect function by a Button Click, say Connect Button, it works. Is this a bug or is that how its meant to work ?

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

Seenu — Sat, 02 Jun 2007 06:46:33 GMT

This is how it is meant to work. ActiveX control will not be fully initialized to be able to call Connect in constructor

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

C.C.Chakkaradeep — Sun, 03 Jun 2007 08:06:08 GMT

Hi,

I am not able to take control of the desktop using the same way how WinPresenter is doing so.

The scenario is below,

1) I connect to Desktop

2) I set SmartSiziing Property to true

3) RequestControl(RDPCOMAPILib.CTRL_LEVEL.CTRL_LEVEL_INTERACTIVE)

I have put a MessageBox in the Server side, I do get the Messagebox popup when the ControlLevelChange request occurs and it also displays the Requested Level in MessageBox, but I dont get the control. Any idea why its happening?

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

C.C.Chakkaradeep — Sun, 03 Jun 2007 08:07:22 GMT

And yes, it was working earlier and suddenly stopped working :(

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

C.C.Chakkaradeep — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 13:19:06 GMT

Hi,

I tested several times,I am not able to take control of the desktop all the times. Out of 20 times I tried, I got only once full control and 5 times partial - mouse would moved a bit and then it stop, and rest failure.

Any idea or suggestions?

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

Alexnaldo Santos — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 13:34:01 GMT

Hi,

Is it possible to work behind a firewall ? ..If I try to connect a computer into a network without true IP I need to create a NAT in router for it for each computer on network.

Is there a way where the "Sharer Application" connect to "Viewer application" like a "invert connection", so can "Sharer" can be behind a firewall.

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

C.C.Chakkaradeep — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 07:57:22 GMT

Ok, Its weird, If I take Control of the desktop(by clicking a button) and then click on the ActiveX control, minimize that window, and then restore,I get control of the remote desktop...we managed to show our demo using this trick...any idea why its happening like this?

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

srneerud — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 08:32:38 GMT

Chakkaradeep, please make sure that you set the appropriate control level in the OnControlLevelChangeRequest event handler in sharer application. Also when the viewer actually gets the requested control, API will fire "OnAttendeeUpdate" event on both sharer and viewer. Once you get this event you can check if the viewer\attendee indeed has the requeted control.

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

srneerud — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 08:35:06 GMT

Alexnaldo, yes you can reverse connect to viewer from the sharer. Please look at ConnectToClient API of IRDPSRAPISharingSession and StartReverseConnectListener of IRDPSRAPIViewer interface.

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

paal_a — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 09:34:13 GMT

I'm also having problems with setting the control level. I've modified the sample WinPresenter application to share only two single windows instead of the whole desktop. As Chakkaradeep I can only get interactive control maybe one out of 10-20 tries.

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

Alexnaldo Santos — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 15:43:44 GMT

Thanks. I saw the correct API.

Now, Is it possible to record all RDP traffic ? We need to create a "image logger" to record the session and playback again, like a "session_xyz.avi".

As far as I know there is no publically available RDP documentation, so is very hard to interact with it.

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

C.C.Chakkaradeep — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 19:13:42 GMT

Here is my Code - http://pastebin.ca/540462

I think I have everything. The problem is, if i Minimize or move the window from the current focus and then bring back the window (where this activex contol is) , i can take control of the desktop.

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

srneerud — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 20:34:17 GMT

Alexnaldo, there is no API to record all RDP traffic. Please contact the Terminal Server newsgroups for RDP Documentation.

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

srneerud — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 20:51:33 GMT

Chakkaradeep, I dont see OnAttendeeUpdate event being handled in the Viewer application. Until the viewer gets this event, viewer wont have the control requested for. In this handler you can check the control level of the viewer. From what you describe, it seems that ActiveX control doesnt seem to have focus until you minimize and maximize the application. It could be a bug in setting the focus to ActiveX control in your application.

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

Chakkaradeep — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 10:03:38 GMT

Ok, I will look into it and reply :)

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

Chakkaradeep — Sun, 10 Jun 2007 02:40:31 GMT

Is there an event to grab the Click event on the control ? Did i miss it or its not implemented ?

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

Alexnaldo Santos — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 00:32:53 GMT

Is possible to uses RDP libraries of Windows Vista in the Windows XP?

I need this features but in the Windows XP.

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

srneerud — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 01:37:38 GMT

No there is no event to grab the Click event.

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

srneerud — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 01:38:51 GMT

Alexnaldo, WDS Api components are not compatible with XP. This is a new feature in Windows Vista.

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

mams — Tue, 26 Jun 2007 03:23:09 GMT

Hello...

I'm new to c# (I use to work with c++ but 10 years ago and I left it) so I'm a novice now.

I would like a little assistance on this.

I tried to run the app (WinPresenterFinal.zip) in windows xp but it gave me an error... (

basically... winxp doesn't have the dll (RdpEncom.dll), so I grab it from a windows vista installation and copied it to c:\windows\system32

I tried to register the dll but it gave me an error. (regsvr32 <file>)

can't register the file...

can't run the app..

another thing.. I'm using VS2005.

Thank you

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

srneerud — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 04:30:00 GMT

mams, rdpencom.dll will not work in Windows XP. It is supported only in Windows Vista and up operating systems.

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

Chakkaradeep — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 00:37:10 GMT

Hi all,

Thanks to the Microsoft Team who helped me here to build my application. I was building for New Zealand Imagine Cup and my team won second place in the New Zealand finals :)...thanks to all :)

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

Chakkaradeep — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 13:24:43 GMT

mams, you cant run this application in Windows XP and its meant only for Windows Vista. Please read all the comments to get familiar with this application.

Thanks

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

David — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 13:54:44 GMT

Hi,

I wanted to develop similar application for windows 2000, where I need functionalities like Remote Desktop Sharing (Entire desktop sharing)and selected Application sharing. Can u throw light to proceed further.

Thanks for the co-operation.

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

Raj — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 07:58:59 GMT

what are the apis that will be used for WDS in windows xp

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

srneerud — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 21:27:02 GMT

WDS API is only available Vista & up. Its not available downlevel (Windows XP, Windows 2000 etc.,).

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

Rajendra — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 08:20:17 GMT

when im sending date using virtual channels from sharer to viewer, viewer is receiving the data(onChannelReceiver event is firing),but when im sending data from Viewer to sharer, sharer is not receiving tha data (OnchannelReceive event of sharer is not firing)

Rajendra

Is there way to create an remote assistance invitatation in XP ?

Dioman — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 17:26:07 GMT

Is there way to create an remote assistance invitatation in XP ?

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

ddd — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 13:19:21 GMT

how can get this thing in winxp sp2

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

dantetrevino — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 19:30:00 GMT

Can anyone tell me how "teamviewer" has done this in comparison to the model described above. That product is working for 2000/xp already.

App Sharing between XP and Vista machines ?

Jaime Santana — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 19:46:48 GMT

I have this application using App Sharing (RTC 1.3) in XP but it cannot run in Vista because Vista does not support RTC..I can update the App to use Desktop Sharing API but it won't run in XP from what I read here. Then I guess I need two versions, one with RTC for XP and another with Desktop Sharing API for Vista.

Then, How can do App Sharing between a XP and a Vista machine ?? I would appreciate your orientation guys !

Thanks,

Jaime.

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

srneerud — Sat, 15 Dec 2007 06:47:01 GMT

ddd, this API is not supported on XP.

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

srneerud — Sat, 15 Dec 2007 06:51:06 GMT

Jaime, I dont think you can do interop between WDS API and RTC API.

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

Harry — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 12:25:34 GMT

Can anyone tell me what infrastructure one requires for creating Desktop Sharing Application in XP?

I have seen many querries on this but no replies. Please throw some light on this.

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

Harish — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 08:19:07 GMT

Thanks a lot for such a nice information on the WDS.

How can i share particular application using this API.

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

srneerud — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 08:54:40 GMT

Harry, you can probably look at NetMeeting API or RTC API to acheive Desktop Sharing on XP.

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

srneerud — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 08:59:43 GMT

Harish, look at IRDPSRAPIApplicationFilter interface. This link http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa373267(VS.85).aspx should have details on this interface. To enable application sharing, you need to set "Enabled" property on this interface. Also available application and/or windows can be enumerated using the "Applications" and "Windows" API respectively.

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

Jaime Santana — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 22:00:50 GMT

srneerud,

If I can not interop between RDS API and RTC API. Do you know how can I have a XP and a Vista do App Sharing between them ??

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

robrek — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 09:44:41 GMT

Hey guys - I am interested in a particular project which a customer has been asking me to investigate.

What i want to do is to develop a terminal server program which can be installed on windows XP.

Tha aim of this program would be allow me to connect to my windows XP machine from any RDP client application running on any OS, whilst supporting multiple users at one time.

Any guidelines on where i can start on this?

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

sam — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 17:29:28 GMT

I am sometimes not able to control, it just beeps when i click on activex. Seeing other discussions, it was faced by Chakkaradeep also i think, its the same issue.

I have OnAttendeeUpdate handler both in viewer and sharer, viewer always fires, sharer never fires.

Any inputs?

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

sam — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 18:27:39 GMT

hmm. setfocus() did the trick.

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

amit — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 17:06:07 GMT

Is there any way to add click event.

I am displaying few sessions in a form (thumbnail / small size session-viewer) and I want to open a bigger window when user clicks on the thumbnail.

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

LIX — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 15:00:02 GMT

Can somebody give me help on virtual channels? I'm trying to transfer data from sharer to viewer via on of this channels. I have created channel on sharer's side, permitted access for viewer-attendee and implemented OnChannelDataReceived event for viewer. Sharer is sending data, but receive trigger on viewer side isn't firing.

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

steve — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 23:29:08 GMT

do make us mess. What we want is sharing application. easy to install. and one or 2 click post. If you cant do like that, please dont waste our time with bloody codes. OK?

Loading of ActiveX control

Tarun — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 10:13:26 GMT

in my application i have some 4-5 tabs. what i need is on a button click the tab containing the ACtiveX control should be selected and the shared screen should be shown. the problem comes when i click on the button the corresponding tab is shown but gives an error of InvalidStateException. Maybe the ActiveX control needs some time to load .... becz if i am putting a message box there it works fine.

is there some way in which i can wait or check until the control has been loaded.

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

Akber — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 12:43:19 GMT

When i am building the WinSharer project, getting an error RDPCOMAPILid, AxRDPCOMAPILib, CTRL_LEVEL, RDPSession is not found. What may be the problem.

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

Suman — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 19:47:02 GMT

Hi Seenu,

I tried running the Sharer and Viewer seperately on two Vista machines. The connection disconnects as soon as it is established.

It gives a 2308(socket error) as the reason.

Any idea why this is happening.

Thanks for the post,

-Suman

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

Alex — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 15:34:05 GMT

Hello

How do you set a port number, if using across the internet and need to open a port on a firewall, the port that is in the Invitation file changes each time you run the program, need to have the same port every time.

Thanks

Also question is unrelated to the API is there a way to find your ip address if your WAN Connection from code?

Thanks

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

srneerud — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 10:34:52 GMT

Hi Alex,

You can use put_Property on IRDPSRAPISessionProperties interface to set the property with name "PortId". This will be the listener port that the sharer application will be listening to.

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

srneerud — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 10:36:11 GMT

Alex, here is the URL for information on the above property - http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa373306(VS.85).aspx

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

Alex — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 11:18:00 GMT

Thanks for your help.

Also the WinPresenter is a Great Example, really got me in the right direction

Thank you

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

Alex — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 17:49:29 GMT

Hello Again

Sorry this may sound like a stilly question by how do access the put_Property on IRDPSRAPISessionProperties on the interface in c#

Thank you

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

Alex — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 15:36:29 GMT

Hello Again

Sorry to be a pain, but any info, about how to access that method in c# would be helpfully

Thank you

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

srneerud — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 10:47:06 GMT

I would imagine this should work:

RDPSRAPISessionPropertiesClass RdpProperties = m_pRdpSession.Properties as RDPSRAPISessionPropertiesClass;

RdpProperties["PortId"] = 3511;

m_pRdpSession would be of type RDPSession class in the above code.

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

Alex — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 13:54:41 GMT

Hello

Yes that did the trick

Thanks

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

Alex — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 14:22:16 GMT

Hello Again

Is there are a list for the error number that we may come across for example reason 3 or 2308

If there is a list I would find this help troubleshoot error either in code or firewalls etc, or better messages for end users.

Thanks you again

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

lily — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 16:42:59 GMT

hi.. can somebody please help how to start working on an desktop sharing application in windows xp...

thanks

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

srneerud — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 21:28:30 GMT

Hi Lily, This API is only available on Vista & up.

Top 10 RDP Protocol Misconceptions – Part 2

Terminal Services Team Blog — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 05:59:26 GMT

Hi, Nadim here again. Today we’re wrapping up our Top 10 list of RDP Misconceptions. So without further

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

Rishabh — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 12:19:54 GMT

I want to know that where is this code going to be placed while coding. Actually I'm new to C# and .Net technology so I'm confused about a lot of things.

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

Aman — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 07:58:25 GMT

Can you please help me in writing a web based desktop sharing application..

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

Rishabh Ohri — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 08:04:40 GMT

HI All....

I have successfully implemented this API in my project and it works really well..But my Project manager wants it to be bacward compatible , with atleast windows XP,...So, please can anyone tell me how can I use this or any other similar API for XP...Please provide me with links if anyone of you have.

Thanks,

Rishabh

Getting the Bits

Jon Watte — Wed, 06 May 2009 22:51:06 GMT

First, no, these controls are not backwards compatible. On XP, you have to use the NetMeeting APIs, which are not the same, and which do not work on Vista. If you want to support both, you'll have to ship both, or go with some third party solution like VNC (which generally is only available with the Gnu Public License virus).

Second, is there a good way to capture the bits of the remote desktop on the viewing client? I'd like to provide custom management of how the remote desktop is displayed. What's a good way of, say, hosting the viewer into a Direct3D texture or offscreen DIBSection?

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

kk — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 16:37:58 GMT

how to write same in visual basic,

plz help me

how to desktop sharing application in visual basic

kk — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 16:39:51 GMT

how to write desktop sharing application in visual basic

plz help

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application (XP

Henrique Clausing — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 21:09:14 GMT

Is there any API on Windows XP to develop a similar project for it? My project requires this compatility level.

Thanks.

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

Jon Watte — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 01:06:51 GMT

Henrique: The closest to that API you can get on XP is to use the Real Time Communications (RTC) API. Note that that is not compatible with the remote desktop API described here. Thus, you cannot interoperate between Windows XP and Windows Vista/7 using Microsoft technologies -- at all! You have to use a third party technology, like VNC.

If you want to start your own, you should start looking into virtual input device drivers (for keyboard/mouse) and mirror display drivers (for knowing what changes on the screen), and take it from there. It's a very large task.

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

Jon Watte — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 01:08:44 GMT

The sample doesn't work correctly on Windows 7 Ultimate RTM, by the way.

When I click the "control desktop" button, the sharing application gets the event and assigns the requested control level. However, when I try to control the remote computer in the viewer, clicking in the ActiveX control just beeps.

Is there an update for this sample for Windows 7?

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

Barry — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 03:48:46 GMT

I was able to make it work using Windows 7 Release Candidate. Although, Windows 7 was a bit slower than Vista at making the connection. Once connected, it worked fine. My app works by leveraging the Reverse connection option. I was controlling the Win7 desktop while using Vista.

Now I just need to figure out how to get past the UAC hassle, like msra.exe does.

re: Writing a Desktop Sharing Application

Ben — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 13:54:44 GMT

I'm trying to write a behind firewall, private network modification for RDS example. I saw in a previous comment where and how you can force a port, but I was wondering if you could specify an IP address (short of hacking the invite string).

I have had limited success in RDS behind a firewall/private network. I setup a router off my existing network and tried both port forwarding and DMZ to the sharing server in that network and hacked the invite string to include the IP address of the router. Connections were seen by the sharer including a passed Connection ID which includes the connector's IP address. The connector shared screen seemed to update (changing from white to black on connect), but never went any further than that. Any thoughts?