Windows Embedded CE Terminal Services Client (CETSC) (Windows Embedded CE 6.0)

  • Article

1/6/2010

Windows Embedded CE Terminal Services Client (CETSC) supports the user interface (UI) for both Windows Terminal Services and Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP). This software is derived from the Microsoft Terminal Services Client (MSTSC) found on Windows-based operating systems.

CETSC is included when both the SYSGEN_RDP variable and the SYSGEN_RDP_UI variable are added to an operating system design.

CETSC Overview

The CETSC program is software that enables a Windows Embedded CE powered device to access Windows-based applications on a server that is running Terminal Services. For more information, see Running Cetsc.exe.

The following illustration shows the architecture of CETSC.

CETSC Shell Architecture

The CETSC UI is a dialog box–based UI that starts when the user runs CETSC.exe. When the user interacts with the CETSC UI to configure a connection or connect to a server, user preferences are saved in an .rdp file. This file is created on a Remote Desktop device, and then the RDP session is closed. For more information, see Terminal Services Client Configuration through the .rdp File.

CETSC can also be configured to read user preferences from the registry instead of from the .rdp file. Windows Embedded CE powered devices that use the Windows Thin Client Shell typically read user preferences by using registry settings. Windows Embedded CE powered devices that use the Standard Shell typically read user preferences from the .rdp file. For more information on CETSC registry settings, see Configuring the Terminal Services Client.

Portions of the RDP CETSC UI source code are available for your reference or for customization. This source code is located in %_WINCEROOT%\PUBLIC\RDP\OAK\CETSC.

Remote Desktop ActiveX Control

CETSC is also the host to the Microsoft Terminal Services Client ActiveX (mstscax) control.

Mstscax, also known as the Remote Desktop ActiveX control (COM object), is the client part of Remote Desktop for Windows Embedded CE powered devices. It contains the code that handles all communications between the RDP client on the Windows Embedded CE powered device and the RDP client on the server. It also contains the code that performs graphical updates in the client window. The Remote Desktop ActiveX control can be embedded in a Web page in order to host a client session with a remote server that is running Terminal Services.

Developers can use the Remote Desktop ActiveX control to enable a virtual channel client application that interacts with an application on a server that runs Terminal Services. For more information, see Remote Desktop ActiveX Control Interfaces.

In This Section

  • Customizing CETSC UI
    Describes how to customize CETSC UI, including information about how to customize UI text and how to add a custom property page.
  • CETSC UI Reference
    Provides descriptions of programming elements that can be used to customize the CETSC UI.

See Also

Concepts

RDP OS Design Development
Running Cetsc.exe

Other Resources

Thin Client Registry Settings