Host to client redirection with an http URL address does not work. The URL redirection feature from server to client fails to work correctly.

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Two changes are required in order to set the Citrix Server FTA process as the default program for handling URLs. 

• Registry changes are required to make the ServerFTA process to be listed under default programs for URLs.
• Create group policy and distribute to servers to make ServerFTA as default for URLs.

Note: Both settings need to be distributed to all machines where this feature is desirable.
The policy change is applied during the logon process. If the user changes the default program (Internet browser) within the session, the default program is changed back to Server FTA after logoff and logon.

Registry Changes

1. Open Notepad.
2. Copy the entire text below the "Reg file start" section and above "Reg file end" and paste the in Notepad.
3. Save Notepad file with "Save As" as type All Files and save it as the name ServerFTA.reg
4. Distribute the ServerFTA.reg file to the servers using the Active Directory Group Policy method.

- Reg file start --
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
 
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ServerFTAHTML\shell\open\command]
@="\"C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Citrix\\system32\\iexplore.exe" %1"
 
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Citrix\ServerFTA]
@="ServerFTA"
 
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Citrix\ServerFTA\Capabilities]
"ApplicationDescription"="Server FTA URL."
"ApplicationIcon"="C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Citrix\\system32\\iexplore.exe,0"
"ApplicationName"="ServerFTA"
 
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Citrix\ServerFTA\Capabilities\URLAssociations]
"http"="ServerFTAHTML"
"https"="ServerFTAHTML"
 
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\RegisteredApplications]
"Citrix.ServerFTA"="SOFTWARE\\Citrix\\ServerFTA\\Capabilities"
-- Reg file end --
 

Group Policy Changes

1. Create an XML File using copying text between "xml file start" and "xml file end" to specify file associations mappings and store it as ServerFTAdefaultPolicy.xml:
-- xml file start --
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<DefaultAssociations>
<Association Identifier="http" ProgId="ServerFTAHTML" ApplicationName="ServerFTA" />
<Association Identifier="https" ProgId="ServerFTAHTML" ApplicationName="ServerFTA" />
</DefaultAssociations>
-- xml file end --
2. Use the  new Windows 8 or 2012 group policy: "Computer configuration\administrative templates Windows Components\File Explorer\ Set a default associations configuration file" and provide ServerFTAdefaultPolicy.xml created above as the file.
Network share can be used to set across several machines.

 

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Problem Cause

The default program setting has been changed since Windows 8 or Windows  Server 2012. The default browser setting is user-specific rather than machine-specific.

Host to client redirection with an http URL address is not working. The URL redirection feature from server to client fails to work correctly.

Windows 8: Associate a file Type or protocol with a specific app using GPO (e.g:default mail client for MailTo protocol)