Introduction
A Citrix Independent Computing Architecture (ICA) virtual channel is a bidirectional error-free connection used for the exchange of generalized packet data between a MetaFrame XP server and an ICA Client. You can create virtual channels to add functionality to Citrix ICA Clients. Possible uses for virtual channels include support for administrative functions, new data streams, and new devices.
The Citrix Virtual Channel Software Development Kit (VCSDK) allows you to write both server-side applications and client-side drivers to support additional virtual channels using the Citrix ICA protocol. The server-side virtual channel applications run on Citrix WinFrame and MetaFrame servers. This SDK provides support for writing new virtual channels for the Citrix Win32 and Windows CE ICA clients. See the accompanying documentation for detailed information about the client versions supported.
IMPORTANT: Use Version 2.3 of the Citrix Virtual Channel SDK ONLY with Citrix ICA Clients Version 6.0 or later.
The Citrix Virtual Channel SDK provides the following:
- A description of the architecture of the ICA protocol as it relates to virtual channels.
- The Citrix Virtual Driver Application Programming Interface (VDAPI) that you use with the virtual channel functions in the Citrix Server SDK to create new virtual channels. The virtual channel support provided by VDAPI makes writing your own virtual channels easier.
- Working source code for several example virtual channels that demonstrates programming techniques.
For more information about this SDK, refer to the documentation that is installed with the SDK. The documentation is provided as a printable Adobe Acrobat PDF file. Acrobat is a trademark of Adobe Systems Incorporated and can be downloaded for free from Adobe's Web site .
New In This Release
- Support for Microsoft Visual Studio .NET.
- Fixes to the problems reported since the Version 2.2 release.
System Requirements
The Virtual Channel SDK can be installed on any server running Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000, or Windows Server 2003. The Citrix Server SDK must also be installed for server-side development. The virtual drivers and applications can be built on any platform, but must be run on a MetaFrame XP server.
Development Environment
- For Win32 Clients, use Microsoft Visual C++ Version 5.0 or 6.0. The client side virtual channel modules, however, can be developed using Visual C++ .NET.
- For Windows CE clients, use Microsoft embedded Visual Tools 3.0 and the platform SDK for your target processor.
- For server-side development, use Microsoft Visual C++ Version 6.0 or 7.0 (and the Citrix Server SDK).
Version 2.3 of the Citrix Virtual Channel SDK supports developing server-side programs for Citrix MetaFrame XP. Use Version 2.1 of the Virtual Channel SDK to develop server-side applications for WinFrame 1.7/1.8 and MetaFrame 1.0/1.8 servers.
NOTE: Although the compiler software packages include C++, only C code is used in this SDK.
This SDK was not tested with any other compilers or any other combinations, although other compilers, such as Microsoft Visual C++ Version 6.0 with the Windows CE Toolkit for Visual C++ should work as well.
Execution Environment
Server Requirements
Client Requirements
One of the following Citrix clients:
- Win32 ICA Clients Version 6.00.000 or later
- Windows CE ICA Client Version 6.00.000 or later
The 6.0 ICA Clients have changes to the client-side virtual channel code that makes these clients incompatible with the older 2.1 version of the VCSDK. Use Version 2.1 of the Virtual Channel SDK with the older ICA Clients. The server-side code is not affected by these changes. Any server-side programs developed for use with Version 2.1 of the Virtual Channel SDK will work with Version 2.3 without recompilation.
Installing the SDK
1. Set up the compiler environment for each of the target platforms that you build.
The makefiles use variables to find the compiler and its files. Normally, installing the compiler sets these variables as environment variables for you or give you a batch file to run that will set the variables; for example, VCVars32.bat. If not, you can set the environment variables yourself, or set the defaults in the \Src\Examples\Build\User.mak makefile. See the accompanying documentation for a chart of the target platform, variables, and default values.
2. If the Citrix Server SDK is not already installed, install it before installing this SDK.
NOTE: You must have administrator privileges to install the SDK.
3. Click Start, Run, and enter d:\Path\Vcsdk (where d:\Path is the path to Vcsdk.exe) OR browse the CD with Explorer and double-click Vcsdk.exe. The installation program starts.
Complete the following tasks during installation:
- Accept the license agreement.
- Specify a destination folder for the Citrix Virtual Channel SDK.
- Specify the program folder to contain the Citrix Virtual Channel SDK icons.
- Optionally view the Readme.txt file.
4. Log off and log on or set the CLNTROOT environment variable to the directory where you installed the SDK; for example, C:\VCSDK23.
5. Edit \Src\Examples\Build\User.mak and set DEFAULT_TARGETS to the list of platforms you want to build.
Note: Because of variations in the compilers and support libraries for Windows CE, you may need to modify the provided makefiles and other scripts to get the Windows CE examples to compile and run.
Uninstalling the Virtual Channel SDK
To uninstall the Virtual Channel SDK:
- From the Citrix Virtual Channel SDK program group, select Remove Virtual Channel SDK and follow the prompts.
OR
- Use the Add/Remove Programs utility in Windows Control Panel to remove the Citrix Virtual Channel SDK.
