Customizing Session Document Files

What are best practices for customizing sessions?

For best practices and information about customizing sessions, see Create and Customize Session Documents.

How do I create and deploy a session?

Create a session and save it in a session document file. Then package this file in a companion MSI file and specify to install it to a trusted location. See Setting up a Basic Deployment.

What is the difference between using compound session document files versus regular session document files?

Compound session document files include customized session settings for QuickPads, keyboard maps, themes, mouse maps, hotspots, and ribbons. Regular session document files save these settings in separate files. Compound files are easier to deploy because you don’t have to deploy the supporting files but regular session files offer more flexibility for sharing common configurations. See Create and Customize Session Documents.

How do I set up a serial port connection for a bidirectional device?

When you want a bidirectional device on a serial port (such as a printer or bar-code reader) to be able to send information via Reflection, you can enable serial device-to-host communications. See Enabling Serial Device-to-host Communications. These settings are saved in your session file.

Can I open and use .rsf files in Reflection Desktop?

You can open .rsf files as shown in Other Customized Files and Supported Files from Other Products.

How do I customize the screen text, input fields, theme colors, background colors and other attributes?

You can configure these settings by changing the theme used for your session or by creating a new theme as shown in Change the Look and Feel of a Session.

If you save your session as a compound session file, the theme is deployed as part of the session file. If you save it as a regular session file, you’ll need to deploy the .themex file to the Themes subfolder as shown in Package Sessions and Custom Settings Files.

How do I modify and deploy the Ribbon for specific users?

See Customize the Ribbon. To deploy the custom Ribbon interface .xuml file that these settings are saved in, see Package Sessions and Custom Settings Files.

To set up a Hotspot, see Enable and Define Hotspots.

If you save your session as a compound session file, the Hotspot is deployed as part of the session file. If you save it as a regular session file, you’ll need to deploy the Hotspot .hxsfile to the Hotspots Maps subfolder as shown in Package Sessions and Custom Settings Files.

How can I create numerous session files that have the same settings but with different host names?

Set up a Reflection Desktop template with all of the settings you want to use as shown in Set up Session Templates. Then use VBA or .NET API to create the session document files based on that template and specify the host name for each file from a list of host addresses.

How do I create a layout?

See Create or Modify a Layout. To deploy the layout, see Package Sessions and Custom Settings Files.

To import a legacy toolbar, see Import Legacy VT Toolbars to the Ribbon.

How do I set up and deploy custom keyboard maps or themes or other files referenced by a session?

To configure these settings, see Select and Map the Keyboard and Mouse and Change the Look and Feel of a Session.

If you save the session that uses a custom keyboard map or theme as a compound session document, these settings are saved in your session file. Compound session documents also include settings for QuickPads, mouse maps, hotspots, and ribbons.

If you save it as a regular session document, they are saved in separate files. You will need to make sure these files are deployed to the correct locations. (For information about deploying these files, see Package Sessions and Custom Settings Files.)