Connecting to Virtual Desktop via the Citrix client for Java/Web Interface on Mac OS X

Overview

When you connect to the Virtual Desktop Web Interface on Mac OS X, the Citrix client for Java is made available to you automatically as a Java applet. This means you do not have to download and install a client to use Virtual Desktop when you connect from a Mac. If you are running a Mac OS X computer, you can also use the Citrix client for Mac OS X. For a description of the differences between the two options, see this article.

Instructions

On a Mac with OS X, go to http://virtualdesktop.uiowa.edu using the Safari browser to access the web interface for Virtual Desktop.
Log in with your HawkID and password.
An area will appear with all of the published software that you have rights to use.

When you click on one of the icons, a connection dialogue window will come up and the program will start in its own window. This window will appear and behave in the same way as any of the other windows on your desktop. You may minimize or resize them.

NOTE: The Web Interface is SSL encrypted. If you are connecting to Virtual Desktop for the first time, you will be asked to verify the SSL certificate. Click Yes.

IMPORTANT! It is possible to configure the Citrix client for Java so that the Virtual Desktop server maps drives back to the local hard drives on your Mac so that you can open and save files locally while in the Virtual Desktop session. Once the drives are mapped, your local drives will appear as “C$ on Client (V:\)” and "D$ on Client (Y:/)" and so on in the Virtual Desktop session.

Additional instructions

For instructions on how to configure the Citrix client for Java so that it automatically creates mapped drives in the Virtual Desktop session to your local hard drives, click here.
For further explanation on how to handle documents while in a Virtual Desktop session, click here.

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Last Updated: 04/24/2008