Tray icon is not displayed when using Windows Remote Desktop Connection

Problem

When using a Windows Remote Desktop Connection (MSTSC) to access the PC/server where SilentPrint is installed, the SilentPrint tray icon is not displayed, and when SilentPrint is run again (remotely) and the connection closed, all printing via SilentPrint stops.

Solution

When making a standard remote connection what is actually displayed on the server's screen in real time is not displayed. This means the SilentPrint tray icon will not be be visible, implying it is not running. However, it is likely SilentPrint is running, and running it again remotely causes the existing instance of SilentPrint to be exited. As a result, when the remote session is ended, the instance of SilentPrint that was run remotely is also exited (leaving no instances running at all).

Furthermore, if any SilentPrint dialogs are displayed on the "real" server console, they will not be displayed during the remote session.

To overcome these problems the server's screen must be unlocked...

• Click the Windows Start button.
  
• Select Run and enter MSTSC /CONSOLE on the PC you will use to connect to the server.

Following this, the remote connection process will start as normal but when a connection to the server is made it's screen will be locked and you will see what is on the server console in real time.

Addendum 8/6/12
In more recent versions of MSTSC supplied with Vista/Windows 7 Microsoft have removed this ability from the /CONSOLE switch. At the time of writing they now advise using a /ADMIN switch which is similar in functionality. However, it is not identical and the SilentPrint tray icon is not displayed. The difference in switch functionality is well documented on the Internet.

The only workaround discovered thus far is rather clunky but has shown some success. The steps are -

1. Run MSTSC as normal from your PC to connect.
2. Once connected to the XP/2003 machine (and operating in that remote session) run MSTSC with the /CONSOLE switch and connect to the same server i.e. in effect you are opening a remote console to the same server. Within that session the SilentPrint tray icon should now be visible.