How to customize the View Portal for Client Download with VMware View 5.1

In some organizations end-users do not have administrative rights on their machines in order to install the VMware View Client.

In order to give these users the ability to access their VMware View Virtual Machines you could provide them with a thinapped version of the VMware View Client and make it available as a download link on your connection server.

This can be very handy for organizations that provide access for external consultants to the corporate environment through VMware View virtual desktops, where the external consultant is using a laptop provided by his own company.

For instructions on how to thinapp the VMware View client see my previous post.

Procedure

  • Log on to your VMware View Connection server
  • Create the directory C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware View\Server\broker\webapps\downloads
  • Copy your thinapped version of the VMware View Client to C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware View\Server\broker\webapps\downloads
  • Create Directory C:\ProgramData\VMware\VDM\portal
  • Copy C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware View\Server\extras\PortalExamples\portal-links.properties to C:\ProgramData\VMware\VDM\portal
  • Copy C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware View\Server\extras\PortalExamples\portal.properties to C:\ProgramData\VMware\VDM\portal
  • Edit C:\ProgramData\VMware\VDM\portal\portal-links.properties and change the following lines
# TODO: Update links to point to vmware.com alias once available
link.win=https://www.vmware.com/info?id=1109#win
link.mac=https://www.vmware.com/info?id=1109#mac
link.linux=https://www.vmware.com/info?id=1109#linux
link.unknown=https://www.vmware.com/info?id=1109

by

# TODO: Update links to point to vmware.com alias once available
link.win=https://<yourconnectionserverurl>/downloads/VMware View Client.exe
link.win.1=https://www.vmware.com/info?id=1109#win
link.mac=https://www.vmware.com/info?id=1109#mac
link.linux=https://www.vmware.com/info?id=1109#linux
link.unknown=https://www.vmware.com/info?id=1109
  • Edit C:\ProgramData\VMware\VDM\portal\portal.properties and hange the following lines
# keys based on key names in portal-links.properties
text.win=View Client for Windows

by

# keys based on key names in portal-links.properties
text.win=Thinapped View Client for Windows
text.win.1=Installable View Client for Windows
  • Reboot yur connection server

References & Documentation

Go to the VMware View 5.1 Evaluator’s Guide and search for Evaluation Tasks for View 5.1 New Features, then View Client Unbundling.

See also http://blogs.vmware.com/euc/2012/05/vmware-view-5-1-client-download-portal-customizing.html

 

2 Comments

  1. where did you find “C:Program FilesVMwareVMware ViewServerextrasPortalExamplesportal-links.properties ” I have looked and its not there on any of my connection servers. Is this something that has to be installed at view connection server creation?

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