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client-servercallremote-desktop

Can a program run through Remote Desktop call a program on the client computer?


I am developing a program that will be run through Windows remote desktop, and at a certain point it opens a webpage. Someone pointed out that it would be great if the program could launch the webpage on the local PC, though, instead of on the remote PC you're connecting to. This way it would launch in your favorite web browser, would load faster, and you could browse with less latency.

However, is it even possible to do this? Is there some feature of remote desktop that would let me send a command to the user's PC from the session they're logged in to?

If not, is there any other way to do this? For example, I know the clipboard is shared/transferred between client and remote PC when using remote desktop; is there anything I can do to use that?

Thanks in advance for any answers!


Solution

  • Yes, this is possible using Remote Desktop Virtual Channels. See here for a C# sample. Since virtual channels have both a client and server piece, this would of course require that all RD clients that want to use the virtual channel have the client bits installed.