How to use rdesktop-vrdp to start a specific application

[sillav]

Hi, Vbox 4.0.8 on Fedora 15 running MS2003 server as guest with VBoxExtensions installed and terminal services disabled.

I currently have no problem starting the server automatically upon login to gnome, and having the user automatically logged into the server. However, when I try to create a shortcut to say, click an icon and launch Excel, all that happens is the VM comes to the screen. I can then click about and start Excel normally, but that's not really what I want to happen.

I want to create shortcuts (.desktop files) for the applications that the users can run (Word, Excel, etc). I'm using the following command, but it's not working:

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rdesktop-vrdp -r usb -a 16 -N -s "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\OFFICE11\EXCEL.EXE" 127.0.0.1:5000"

The VM is started with this command upon login:

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VBoxHeadless --startvm "WinServ03"

Even if I set the administrator to login automatically, it still fails, so I'm guessing it's not a permissions problem.

Thanks,

EDIT: This is very similar to what I'm trying to do with vrdp http://forums.virtualbox.org/viewtopic. ... dp#p127606
RS

[Leak]

Well, VRDP is just VirtualBox exporting it's display via RDP - it's not connected to the operating system running in the VM in any way, shape or form, so I wouldn't exactly expect it to be able to tell the OS to run something.

On the other hand, "regular" RDP as provided by the OS (or a server process running on that OS) running in the VM of course is installed in that OS, and thus it's easy for it to run a command.

On the third hand, with the guest additions installed VirtualBox CAN launch programs inside the VM, so I guess it would be possible to implement this feature anyway...

[sillav]

I'm not sure I follow.

Are you saying the virtualbox service installed on windows isn't providing a rdp or terminal service to rdesktop-vrdp, presumable it does something else. rdesktop-vrdp just connects to the windows rdp/terminal service, so by turning it off rdesktop-vrdp has nothing to communicate with. But if that's the case, how come I can rdesktop-vrdp to the machine at all?

[Leak]

Are you saying the virtualbox service installed on windows isn't providing a rdp or terminal service to rdesktop-vrdp, presumable it does something else. rdesktop-vrdp just connects to the windows rdp/terminal service, so by turning it off rdesktop-vrdp has nothing to communicate with. But if that's the case, how come I can rdesktop-vrdp to the machine at all?

No, I'm saying that "regular" RDP is provided by the OS itself with all the bells and whistles that the protocol allows, while VirtualBox RDP "just" provides access to the image shown (or, in the case of headless, not shown) in the VM window and the emulated mouse and keyboard.

np: Shackleton - Visontele (Fabric 55)