Remote Desktop Manager (MSTSCUI.NET)

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• Download source - 19.6 Kb

MSTSCUI.NET is simply a graphical interface to Microsoft's command-line Remote Desktop Connection, mstsc.exe. This application makes it easier for those who use Remote Desktop sessions often through the day. It uses the .NET Framework v1.1.

Some of the things this app demonstrates:

• Reading a simple XML document
• Creating a systray application
• Dynamically populating a context menu

All in all, a very simple and useful little application.

• General Use
• MSTSCUI.NET.exe.config
• Server Configuration XML (mstscui_servers.xml)
• Select Code Samples

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MSTSCUI.NET runs as a taskbar application to allow quick and easy access to RDP servers:

It's generally reccommended to place an entry in your startup group so that the application launches on startup.

Simply right-click on the taskbar icon to show the menu:

Select "Edit List" for a shortcut to edit your server configuration file, and "Refresh List" to reload it.

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Use the app.config file to set the name of the server configuration file with the "ServerConfigFile" key, and set your preferred editor with the "Editor" key. It's not recommended you change the "ServerConfigFile" key. The "Editor" key should be a fully qualified path if the editor you're using is not already setup in your path environment variables.

Below is the listing of the default app.config file:

<xmp>
<configuration>
    <appSettings>

        <!-- path to XML Server Configuration File -->
        <add key="ServerConfigFile" value="mstscui_servers.xml" />
        
        <!-- XML File Editor to use -->
        <add key="Editor" value="notepad" />

     </appSettings>
</configuration>
</xmp>

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Use the server configuration file to setup each server.

In order to display a horizontal separator bar on the menu, use:

<xmp>
    <server displayname="-" />
</xmp>

Each server element has an attribute called "displayname" - this is the name displayed on the menu. You can be as descriptive here as necessary.

• servername - server name or IP address
• port - default is 3389
• resolution - "fullscreen", or any resolution entered in this fashion: 1024x728
• console - 1 for yes, takeover console session, 0 for no, do not takeover console
• connectionfile - fully qualified path to the RDP file if you want to use one

Below is the listing of a sample server config file:

<xmp>
<servers>

    <server displayname="eventvan02 / secure">
        <servername>eventvan02</servername>
        <port>3389</port>
        <resolution>1024x768</resolution>
        <console>0</console>
        <connectionfile></connectionfile>
    </server>

    <server displayname="-" />

    <server displayname="vancorpbc1">
        <servername>vancorpbc1</servername>
        <port>3389</port>
        <resolution>fullscreen</resolution>
        <console>0</console>
        <connectionfile></connectionfile>
    </server>

</servers>
</xmp>

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Launching msctsc.exe...

Private Sub ConnectToServer(ByVal sServer As String)
    Try
        Dim sCommand As String = _
          System.Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("SystemRoot") & _
          "\system32\mstsc.exe"
        System.Diagnostics.Process.Start(sCommand, _
               GetArgumentsForServer(sServer))
    Catch ex As Exception
        MessageBox.Show(ex.Message)
    End Try
End Sub

Reading the XML configuration file...

Private Function GetArgumentsForServer(ByVal sServer As String) As String

    Dim sConnection As String
    Dim sPort As String
    Dim sResolution As String
    Dim arrResolution() As String
    Dim sConsole As String
    Dim sConnectionFile As String

    Dim sArguments As String

    Dim parentnode As XmlNode = doc.SelectSingleNode("servers")
    Dim servernode As XmlNode = _
        SelectNode(parentnode, "displayname", sServer)
    Dim childnode As XmlNode

    For Each childnode In servernode.ChildNodes
        Select Case UCase(childnode.Name)
            Case "SERVERNAME"
                sConnection = " /v:" & Trim(childnode.InnerText)
            Case "PORT"
                If Trim(childnode.InnerText) <> "3389" And _
                        childnode.InnerText <> String.Empty Then
                    sPort = ":" & childnode.InnerText
                Else
                    sPort = String.Empty
                End If

            Case "RESOLUTION"
                If InStr(UCase(childnode.InnerText), "X") > 0 Then
                    arrResolution = Split(UCase(childnode.InnerText), "X")
                    sResolution = " /w:" & arrResolution(0) & _
                                  " /h:" & arrResolution(1)
                Else
                    'anything else, default to fullscreen
                    sResolution = " /f"
                End If
            Case "CONSOLE"
                If CBool(childnode.InnerText) Then
                    sConsole = " /console"
                Else
                    sConsole = String.Empty
                End If
            Case "CONNECTIONFILE"
                sConnectionFile = childnode.InnerText
            Case Else
                MessageBox.Show("Unrecognized node in XML: " & _
                                childnode.InnerText)
        End Select
    Next

    'build argument string
    sArguments = sConnection & sPort & sResolution & sConsole

    Return sArguments

End Function

Private Function SelectNode(ByVal parentNode As XmlNode, _
        ByVal attributeName As String, _
        ByVal attributeValue As String) As XmlNode
    Dim node As XmlNode = Nothing
    If parentNode.HasChildNodes Then
        Dim nodeName As String = parentNode.ChildNodes(0).Name
        Dim path As String = nodeName + "[@" + _
            attributeName + "='" + attributeValue + "']"
        node = parentNode.SelectSingleNode(path)
    End If
    Return node
End Function

• Online help here: MSTSCUI.NET Online Help
• Help forums here: Support Forums

History

• MSTSCUI.NET v1.0.2497.17154 - released 10/18/2006 - Created by Anthony Collins.