SDK and API

HDX SDK

Citrix Workspace app for ChromeOS introduces an API (Experimental API) that allow third-party Chrome apps to lock, unlock, and disconnect from:

• Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops
• Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service) session

Using this API, you can launch Citrix Workspace app for ChromeOS in both embedded mode and kiosk mode. Sessions launched in embedded mode function in ways similar to sessions launched kiosk mode.

For the SDK documentation, see HDX SDK for Citrix Workspace app for ChromeOS.

For HDX SDK examples, refer to the Citrix download page.

Enhancements to Chrome HDX SDK APIs

Previously, external apps with the HDX SDK for ChromeOS integration lacked visibility into sessions that were started through methods other than the SDK.

Starting with the 2408 version, the new enhancements to the Chrome HDX SDK provide the ability to identify all active sessions, disconnect specific sessions, disconnect all active sessions, and log out the user from all stores in the Citrix Workspace app (only on-premises stores).

For more information on using APIs, see Enumerate sessions.

Citrix Virtual Channel SDK

The Citrix Virtual Channel Software Development Kit (SDK) supports you to write server-side applications and client-side drivers for additional virtual channels using the ICA protocol.

The server-side virtual channel applications are on Citrix Virtual Apps or Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops servers. This version of the SDK supports you to write new virtual channels for Citrix Workspace app for ChromeOS. If you want to write virtual drivers for other client platforms, contact Citrix.

The Virtual Channel SDK provides:

• An easy interface that can be used with the virtual channels in the Citrix Server API SDK (WFAPI SDK) to create new virtual channels.

• Working source code for several virtual channel sample programs that demonstrate programming techniques.

• The Virtual Channel SDK requires the WFAPI SDK to write the server side of the virtual channel.

For the VC SDK documentation, see Citrix Virtual Channel SDK for Citrix Workspace app for ChromeOS.

Enhancements to Virtual Channel SDK

Starting with the 2305 release, Citrix Workspace app for ChromeOS supports Window Management APIs in the Virtual Channel SDK. Web APIs enable IT administrators to create interactive applications and customize them for their end users.

Procedure to consume the API in the third-party Chrome app

1. Install the latest version of Citrix Workspace app for ChromeOS. See the Citrix downloads page for details.

2. Add the third-party Chrome app to the allow list by adding the policy file for Citrix Workspace app for ChromeOS. Use the Chrome management settings to add the policy.

   For more details, see Manage Chrome Apps by organizational unit on Google support.

   To add the third-party Chrome app to the allow list, here’s the sample policy.txt JSON data:

   {
         "settings": {
                "Value": {
                "settings_version": "1.0",
                "store_settings": {
                "externalApps": [“<3rdParty_App1_ExtnID>”,“<3rdParty_App2_ExtnID>”]
                                  }
                          }
                   }
   }
    

   Note:

   <3rdParty_App1_ExtnID> is used as an example for the name of externalApps and can send messages to Citrix Workspace app for ChromeOS. Get your appid from the chrome://extensions site.

3. Launch the application or a desktop session in Citrix Workspace for ChromeOS as follows:

• Get the workspaceappID

  var workspaceappID = " haiffjcadagjlijoggckpgfnoeiflnem ";

  Note:

  In this example, workspaceappID indicates the store version of Citrix Workspace app for ChromeOS. If you’re using a repackaged version of Citrix Workspace app for ChromeOS, use the appropriate workspaceappID.

• Convert ICA data from INI to JSON format.

  Note:

  Typically, the ICA file is retrieved from StoreFront as an INI file. Use the following helper function to convert an ICA INI file into JSON.

   //Helper function to convert ica in INI format to JSON
   function convertICA_INI_TO_JSON(data){
   var keyVals = {};
   if (data) {
   var dataArr;
   if(data.indexOf('\r')==-1){
   dataArr = data.split('\n');
   }else{
   dataArr = data.split('\r\n');
   }
   for (var i = 0; i \< dataArr.length; i++) {
   var nameValue = dataArr[i].split('=', 2);
   if (nameValue.length === 2) {
   keyVals[nameValue[0]] = nameValue[1];
   }
   // This is required as LaunchReference contains '=' as well. The above split('=',2) will not provide
   // the complete LaunchReference. Ideally, something like the following should be used generically as well
   // because there can be other variables that use the '=' character as part of the value.
   if (nameValue[0] === "LaunchReference") {
   var index = dataArr[i].indexOf('=');
   var value = dataArr[i].substr(index + 1);
   keyVals[nameValue[0]] = value;
   }
   }
   console.log(keyVals);//to remove
   return keyVals;
   }
   return null;
   }
  
    

• Send an ICA message from the third-party Chrome app to Citrix Workspace app for ChromeOS.

   var icaFileJson = {...}; // ICA file passed as JSON key value pairs.
   var message = {
   "method" : "launchSession",
   "icaData" : icaJSON
   };
   chrome.runtime.sendMessage(workspaceappID, message,
   function(launchStatus) {
   if (launchStatus.success) {
   // handle success.
   console.log("Session launch was attempted successfully");
   } else {
   // handle errors.
   console.log("error during session launch: ", launchStatus.message);
   }
   });
  
    

For more details on sendMesage API commands, see the following links:

https://developer.chrome.com/extensions/runtime#event-onMessageExternal

https://developer.chrome.com/extensions/runtime#method-sendMessage

Manifest V3 support for SDK scenarios

Starting with the 2305 release, Citrix Workspace app for ChromeOS supports the HDX SDK with Chrome extensions having manifest version 3.

For more information, see Citrix Workspace app for ChromeOS HDX SDK in the developer guides documentation.

Support for Unified Communications (UC) SDK

The Citrix Unified Communications SDK allows Unified Communications vendors, Cloud contact center providers, Communications Platform as a Service (CPaaS) providers, or any WebRTC-based communications vendors to integrate seamlessly with electron-based desktop or browser-based applications.

For more information, see Unified Communications (UC) SDK, which is a tech zone article.

Redirection of WebHID APIs

Unified Communications SDK for Citrix Workspace app for ChromeOS implements the redirection of WebHID APIs as defined in Citrix-WebRTC, with certain known limitations:

• If multiple HID devices of the same type exist, the user can’t select a specific device for testing.

Note:

This feature is disabled by default.

How to configure

You can enable the feature by using:

• Google Admin Policy
• Global App Configuration service

Google Admin Policy

For managed devices and users, administrators can enable the feature using the Google Admin Policy as follows:

1. Sign in to the Google Admin Policy.
2. Go to Device management > Chrome Management > User Settings.

3. Add the following JSON strings to the policy.txt file under the engine_settings key.

   Note:

   You can apply this configuration to the following as well:

   • Device > Chrome > Apps and extensions > Users and browsers > Search for the extension > Policy for extensions.
   • Device > Chrome > Apps and extensions > Kiosks > Search for the extension > Policy for extensions.
   • Device > Chrome > Apps and extensions > Managed guest sessions > Search for the extension > Policy for extensions.

4. Make sure you set the attribute webHID to true. The following is an example of JSON data:

   'features' : {
       'msTeamsOptimization' : { 
           'webHID' : true 
           } 
           }
    

5. Set the attribute hidDeviceBlockList with the correct format. If you want to block some HID devices, the following is an example of JSON data:

   'features' : {
   'msTeamsOptimization' : {       
       // The format of the blocklist is ["VID:PID", "VID:PID", "VID:PID", ...]
       // Each VID and PID is an up to 4-digit hexadecimal number with an optional "0x" prefix.
       // The VID is a required field. The PID is optional, so the colon and PID can be omitted.
       // example ["35ab:21ff", "45ac", "0x567:123a", "0x1234:0x5678"]
       'hidDeviceBlockList' : [] 
       }
   }
    

6. Save the changes.

Global App Configuration service

Administrators can enable the feature by navigating to Workspace Configuration > App Configuration > HDX and Multimedia > MS Teams > Enable webHID redirection and HID Device Blocklist. Select the checkbox and respective toggle button to enable the feature.