Citrix Workspace app for HTML5 - Preview

This documentation describes the features and configuration of Citrix Workspace app for HTML5 2411. This version is the preview for the latest version of Citrix Workspace app for HTML5.

EAR build is for the purpose of testing or validation with the intent to make organizations ready for the upcoming release and is NOT advised to be deployed in production environments.

Install the EAR build from Citrix Downloads.

What’s new

Following are the features:

Sustainability initiative from Citrix Workspace app

Previously, virtual desktops were left in a disconnected state when users closed them by tapping the X button. This consumed unnecessary energy and power resources.

Starting from the 2405 version, we have introduced a sustainability initiative that encourages users to conserve energy that might be used due to running unused virtual desktops.

Starting from the 2411 version, admins can customize the disconnect and log out dialog box contents.

With this feature enabled, when users tap on the X icon to disconnect the session, a prompt is displayed to log out from the desktop session. This feature can be helpful in enterprises that use Windows OS policies to shut down VMs when no users are logged in.

Note: This feature is disabled by default. To use this feature, you must enable the new toolbar feature. To enable, see Improved in-session toolbar.

Prerequisites

The minimum StoreFront version required is 2407.

Configuration

Admins can customize the sustainability dialog box contents using the following keywords in DDC for both on-premises and cloud setup:

Keyword Description
ICA-LogOffOnClose Keyword for enabling/disabling Sustainability. The default value is false.
ICA-Icon Keyword for enabling/disabling Sustainability leaf Icon. Even if this setting is empty, the ICA-LogOffOnClose setting applies.
ICA-PromptMessage Keyword for customizing the prompt message that appears in the dialog box. If you haven’t given a customized message, then the default message applies.
ICA-Title Keyword for customizing the title that appears in the dialog box. If you haven’t given a customized message, then the default message applies.

For more information about the DDC configuration, see Sustainability initiative from Citrix Workspace app in the Citrix Workspace app for Windows documentation.

Notes:

  • The disconnect and log out dialog boxes appear according to the parsed key.
  • If you choose not to use the sustainability feature, then the admin can configure the key LogOffOnClose to false. However, the user sees the default dialog box, and can choose to click the “Don’t ask me again” check box. When the user clicks this option, the session disconnects, but the dialog box doesn’t appear in subsequent sessions.

End user experience

When users tap on the X icon to disconnect the session, the following prompt appears:

Disconnect Prompt

End users can exit from the session in the following two ways:

  • Log out to save energy - This sustainability action shuts down the virtual machine and conserves energy. End users must make sure to save their work before logging out.
  • Disconnect - click Disconnect to close the virtual desktop session window. However, the virtual session remains active until the next sign-in. End users can resume their work easily.

Note:

The sustainability leaf icon appears only when your admin has enabled the sustainability feature.

Improved in-session toolbar

Starting with the 2408 version, an enhanced toolbar UI appears when you start a desktop session. The look and feel of the in-session toolbar UI has changed. The toolbar UI is designed to enhance the end user experience by organizing the options in a user-friendly manner.

Old toolbar UI

Old Toolbar UI

New toolbar UI

New Toolbar UI

Note:

This feature is disabled by default. To enable the feature, follow the configuration steps.

Known issue in the feature

  • When you move the toolbar notch in the session, the tooltip for the notch doesn’t appear. [RFHTMCRM-14281]

Configuration

You can configure the new toolbar feature for on-premises setups as follows:

Configuration.js**

In Citrix Workspace app for HTML5, the configuration.js file is located under the C:\Program Files\Citrix\Receiver StoreFront\HTML5Client folder. Edit this file to configure the feature.

NOTES:

  • Citrix recommends that you back up the configuration.js file before modifying it.
  • Administrator-level credentials are required to edit the configuration.js file.

To enable the new toolbar feature:

  1. Navigate to the configuration.js file in the HTML5Client folder.
  2. Add the switchToNewToolbar attribute and set the attribute to true. For example:
   {
       'ui': {
           'toolbar': {
               'switchToNewToolbar': true,
           }
       }
   }
<!--NeedCopy-->

Icons and Actions

Note:

The icons are visible to the end users only if their organization’s admin has enabled the specific feature.

Icon/Action Description
Toolbar notch When you start an app or a desktop session, the toolbar notch appears at the top of the screen. When you click the notch, the toolbar appears in the unpinned state. Drag and reposition the toolbar notch onto any side of the screen. After you release the mouse, the notch will automatically align itself with the nearest edge.
Pin When you pin it, you can drag and reposition the toolbar onto any side of the screen. After you release the mouse, the toolbar automatically aligns itself with the nearest edge. The advantage of pinning the toolbar is that it doesn’t minimize into a notch after you complete an action that involves toolbar icons.
Unpin When you unpin the toolbar, it minimizes into a notch after you complete an action that involves toolbar icons. You can drag and reposition the toolbar notch onto any side of the screen.
Switch apps Click the icon to view the already opened apps in the same VDA. Note that, this icon doesn’t appear in the desktop session. Switch apps
Ctrl+Alt+Del You can perform the Ctrl+Alt+Del function with the click of a button. This option helps users to sign out, switch users, lock the system, or access the Task Manager.
File transfer

 
  • Upload and Download: you can upload or download a file between a user device and a session. For more information, see File handling.
  • Map a drive: The Client Drive Mapping (CDM) feature allows you to access your local folders and drives from Citrix Workspace app. For more information, see Client Drive Mapping. File Transfer
Clipboard You can use the clipboard option to copy and paste plain text and HTML data from the VDA to the local device and back. For more information, see Clipboard.
Devices
Click to open the USB Devices dialog box. Click Add to view the USB devices connected to the local device. The dialog box lists the devices that can be redirected to the session. To redirect the USB devices, select an appropriate device and click Connect. For more information, see USB device redirection.
Note: You can view the Devices icon only if your IT administrator provides access to connect USB devices through policy settings.
Preferences


 
  • Display Resolution: select the size of the resolution for the session display. By default, the screen resolution is set to Auto-fit screen.
  • Multi-touch mode: click to use the multi-touch mode. You can toggle between Panning and Multi-touch mode. This option is applicable to touch-screen devices. For more information, see Touch and mobility support.
  • More: displays preferences about the soft keyboard button and Citrix Customer Experience Improvement Program (CEIP). Preferences
Help

 
  • Gesture Guide – a gesture guide appears with details on how to use finger taps. This option is applicable only to touch-screen devices.
  • About – displays the current version of the Citrix Workspace app that you’re using.
Fullscreen You can switch your screen from windowed mode to full-screen mode. In Citrix Workspace app for HTML5, the fullscreen icon action doesn’t span the session across monitors. However, if you select the monitors from the custom layout and the session spans to the respective monitors, then when you restore, the Fullscreen icon gets replaced by the Extend option. When you click on the Extend icon, the session spans to the previously selected monitors.
Disconnect


The disconnect action keeps the virtual desktop running. Log out to save energy.
Note: When admin configures both Log out and Disconnect options, the following message appears. Disconnet
Log out to save energy: the log out action shuts down the virtual machine and conserves energy. End users must make sure to save their work before logging out.
Disconnect: closes the virtual desktop session window. However, the virtual session remains active until the next sign-in. End users can resume their work easily. The Sustainability leaf icon appears only when the sustainability feature is enabled. For more information, see Sustainability initiative from Citrix Workspace app.

Enhanced troubleshooting with endpoint telemetry in Citrix Director

This feature significantly enhances the ability of admins to troubleshoot and resolve Citrix session issues by analyzing detailed endpoint telemetry data directly in Citrix Director.

Prerequisites

  • Citrix Workspace app for HTML5 2411 and later
  • VDA version 2411 and later
  • Citrix Director

Support for macOS VDA: clipboard and keyboard shortcuts

Starting with the 2411 release, Citrix Workspace app supports Citrix VDA for macOS. For more information, see Citrix Virtual Delivery Agent for macOS.

The following is the enhancement:

  • Previously, on Mac clients, the Command key was always mapped to the Control key in the Citrix Workspace app, preventing Command+C and Command+V, that is, copy and paste shortcuts from working.

    Starting with the 2411 release, you can send Command+C and Command+V events when interacting with a Mac VDA. This ensures the correct interpretation of Command key presses.

Enhanced desktop launch experience

Starting with version 2411, Citrix Workspace app for HTML5 ensures an enhanced desktop launch experience. You’ll experience a seamless, flicker-free transition to your desktop without intermediate screens. The app also eliminates dark screens and flickering during resizing or stretching, providing a stable and modern interface. This feature is enabled by default.

Enhanced virtual desktop screen resizing experience

Starting with the 2411 version, Citrix Workspace app for HTML5 ensures a smooth transition and prevents dark screens and flickers when resizing or stretching your virtual desktop screen. This feature is enabled by default.

Enhanced log collection

Starting with version 2411, users can download Citrix Workspace app logs in a zip file, simplifying log retrieval and analysis for better troubleshooting and an improved user experience.

The following are the benefits of the feature:

  • Users no longer need to manually gather individual log files.
  • The streamlined process makes accessing logs more efficient.
  • Easy access to comprehensive logs aids in faster and more effective debugging.

End user experience

On the Logging screen, click Download All Logs. The app gathers all relevant log files and compresses them into a zip archive. The downloaded file uses a standardized naming convention, such as CWA_HTML5_LOGS_[timestamp].zip, ensuring clarity and easy identification.

Download all logs

Enhanced keyboard and IME diagnostics tool

Starting with version 2411, Citrix Workspace app for HTML5 supports a new self-service command line tool hosted in Windows Virtual Delivery Agent (VDA) to diagnose keyboard and Input Method Editor (IME) related issues. This tool meets various user requirements, provides platform versatility, and caters to personalized needs. The keyboard and IME functions depend on different configurations and capabilities in VDA and Citrix Workspace apps. Incorrect settings in the VDA or client-side might result in unexpected input behavior.

With this tool, you can easily identify issues that were previously difficult to find. They are:

  • Client keyboard layout and VDA keyboard layout inconsistency: The tool checks if the client keyboard layout matches the VDA keyboard layout.
  • Keyboard input mode selection for Touch devices: The tool checks the VDA policy and the selected keyboard input mode, and client device type to confirm if keyboard functions work well.
  • Generic client IME check for East-Asian language input: The tool checks the client keyboard, IME settings, and VDA policies to confirm if the feature generic client IME works well for typing Chinese, Japanese, and Korean languages.

Prerequisites

  • Citrix Workspace app for HTML5 2411 or later.
  • Windows VDA 2411 or later.

This command line tool is hosted in Windows VDA as CtxKbImeDiagnostics.exe.

Interface Description Note
CtxKbimeDiagnostics Shows diagnostic results for the current user’s ICA sessions. If the user has admin privileges, it shows the diagnostic for all active ICA sessions. If the user has no admin privileges, it shows the diagnostics for the current user’s ICA sessions.
CtxKbimeDiagnostics [-v] Shows setting information and diagnostic results for current user’s ICA sessions. If the user has admin privileges, it shows the diagnostics for all active ICA sessions.
CtxKbimeDiagnostics [-v] [-s Session_Id] Shows setting information and diagnostic results for the current session.  
CtxKbimeDiagnostics [-s Session_Id] Specific to a session and shows the respective diagnostic result for this session. If the user has admin privileges, they can query other ICA sessions. If the user has no admin privileges, the user can only query their own ICA sessions.
CtxKbimeDiagnostics [-s Session_Id] [-v] Specific to a session and shows all setting information and diagnostic results for this session. If the user has admin privileges, they can query other ICA sessions. If the user has no admin privileges, the user can only query their own ICA sessions.
CtxKbimeDiagnostics [-h] Shows supported args/parameters and examples. “Help” interface
CtxKbimeDiagnostics [-V] Shows the current tool version  

Enhanced session reliability

The following improvements address network disruptions, ensuring a better user experience by reconnecting the session reliably:

  • Previously, switching between internet service providers (ISPs) caused the session to become unresponsive. Now, you can reconnect to the session during ISP switches.
  • Previously, switching networks when one Wi-Fi connection lacked internet connectivity caused the session reliability feature to fail. Now, you can reconnect to the session during a network switch.

Fixed issues

  • Audio mapping works after the Citrix Workspace app for HTML5 session starts, but stops working after some time when the StoreFront page signs out. [CVADHELP-26423]
  • When accessing an HTML5 session from Citrix Gateway, and third-party access is blocked through URL rewrite on Citrix Gateway, Citrix Workspace app and desktop sessions might not start successfully. This issue occurs on Citrix Workspace app for HTML5 versions 2404.1 or later for StoreFront stores. [CVADHELP-26253]

Known issues

There are no new known issues in this release.

Technical Preview

Features in the Technical Preview are available to use in non-production or limited production environments, and to give customers an opportunity to share feedback. Citrix does not accept support cases for features in technical preview but welcomes feedback for improving them. Citrix might act on feedback based on its severity, criticality, and importance.

Citrix Workspace app for HTML5 - Preview feedback

You can give the EAR feedback at: https://forms.gle/ef3eFFKBk7gvTi1b6.

Important:

The Early Adopter Release (EAR) documentation is available for information purposes only. It isn’t a commitment, promise, or legal obligation to deliver any material, code, or functionality and must not be relied upon in making Citrix product purchase decisions. The development, release, and timing of any features or functionality described in the EAR documentation remain at our sole discretion and are subject to change without notice or consultation. Citrix does not accept support cases for EAR but welcomes feedback for improving them. Citrix might act on feedback based on its severity, criticality, and importance.

Citrix Workspace app for HTML5 - Preview