Using the Citrix Client for Mac OS X with the Web Interface

This article applys to the following Citrix/Virtual Desktop clients:   mac_osx_smallmac_osx_small

Overview

This article will show you how to use the Citrix Client for Mac OS X in conjunction with the Virtual Desktop Web Interface. Usually, you must create icons (Citrix ICA files) manually before you launch any Virtual Desktop applications. However, you may also configure the Virtual Desktop Web Interface so that it launches applications with the native Citrix Client for Mac OS X instead of the Java Client, which is the default behavior. This way, you don't have to pre-create any Citrix ICA files.

 

How to Change the Default Citrix Client in the Virtual Desktop Web Interface

On a Mac, the default client is the Citrix Client for Java. This means that when you log into the web interface and click on an application icon, the Virtual Desktop is launched using the Java Client. This is due to a default setting in the Virtual Desktop Web Interface that can easily be changed. Follow these instructions to configure the appropriate setting:

  1. First, you must have the Citrix Client for Mac OS X installed. Click here for those instructions.

  2. Browse to the Virtual Desktop Web Interface and log in using your Hawk ID Credentials.

    login


  3. After you have logged in and your applications icons appear, click the second icon from the left at the top of the Applications section. (Click the one with the two orange check marks.)

    wi_icons


  4. Next, click the middle link labelled "Client Preferences"

    wi_settings

  5. Click the link labelled "Click here to change the selected client."

    client_type_java

  6. On this page, if the drop-down menu says "Select Automatically", then the Java client will be used by default. Select "Native Client" from the drop-down menu and click the OK button.

    select_client_native_page

  7. When you click the OK button, you will be taken back to this page. click the first icon at the top to return to your application icons in the Virtual Desktop Web Interface. (Click the blue one that looks like a blue CD case.)

    client_type_local

  8. Now, any application icons you click will be launched with the local Mac OS X client instead of the Java client.

More Information

For instructions on installing and using the Virtual Desktop clients, see the main Virtual Desktop Documentation page.


Return to Virtual Desktop Support Center

Last Updated: 04/24/2008

Copyright © 2008, The University of Iowa, all rights reserved.