Windows PowerShell Remote App Association Script

Sometimes, when you deploying remote application, you may want to automatically associate file with the remote application on all computers in the domain.

With this script you can deploy easily all modification to the registry to associate automatically your file with your remote app. This script is made to work with RDSH. It's created in order to deploy on many Windows Server in production through GPO to use with RDSH, also fix when you have problem with the icon of your distant program.

Starting

If you want to use this script you have to get some informations, example for Project 2016 :

• RAPP.EXAMPLE - Name of the application
• Example 2016 (Work Resources) - Alternative Name

If you want to do a backup before using this script :

reg export HKCU\Software\Classes $env:USERPROFILE\Desktop\rapp-backup.reg

Remember that you have to change the -Application, -ApplicationValue variables and $extensions array.

On a computer who already have the remote app deployed you can find the name of the remote application in HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\, it's the folder prefixed by RAPP, like RAPP.MSPROJECT. You can find the alternative name in HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\RAPP.MSPROJECT\shell\open\command at the end of the default item value for example.

Manage Extensions

You have to declare the list of wich extension you want to associate with the remote app.

• $extensions = @(".jpg",".png")

Usage examples

Deploy for MSProject 2016 :

function main {
    $extensions = @(".mpd",".mpp",".mpt",".mpw",".mpx")

    deployApplication -Path "HKCU:Software\Classes\" -Application "RAPP.MSPROJECT" -ApplicationValue "Project 2016 (Work Resources)" -Extension $extensions
    return 0 | Out-Null 
}

Deploy for MSAccess 2013 :

function main {
    $extensions = @(".accdb",".accdc",".accde",".accdr",".accdt",".accdu",".accdw", `
    ".ade",".adn",".adp",".mad",".maf",".mag",".mam",".mar",".mas",".mau",".mav",".maw", `
    ".mdb",".mdbhtml",".mde",".mdn",".mdt",".mdw",".wizhtml")

    deployApplication -Path "HKCU:Software\Classes\" -Application "RAPP.MSACCESS" -ApplicationValue "Access 2013 (Work Resources)" -Extension $extensions

    return 0 | Out-Null 
}

For clean output (hide error), uncomment -erroraction 'silentlycontinue' at the end of the lines.

Shortcut to Desktop

You can copy the shortcut to the remote app on the user desktop. I've created another little function to do that :

function createShortcut {
    param (
        [parameter(Mandatory=$true)]
        [ValidateNotNullOrEmpty()]$Application
    )
    $shortcutPath = $env:USERPROFILE + '\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Work Resources (RADC)\' + $Application + '.lnk'
    $copyPath = $env:USERPROFILE + '\Desktop\' + $Application + '.lnk'
    Copy-Item $shortcutPath $copyPath
}

You have to add the function to the script and just call it from the deployApplication function :

createShortcut -Application $applicationValue