User specific file association

[Guest Jacob Hornbech]

Hello.

 

I'm working with a problem that I hope that some of you can help me with. We

have a Windows Server 2k3 Enterprise, which functions as a Terminal Server,

about 200 users. The thing is, that some of these users need Microsoft

Office, others don't. The ones who need M$ Office, need to pay the license

fees to M$, while the one who use Open Office get it for free. The question

is, how do I limit some users to only use M$ Office, and hence restrict

others from using it, on the same server?

 

I've thought about changing the registry in HKCU, but hesitate to do so due

to the complications in this approach. Do you guys have some considerations

or thoughts on the subject?

 

I've also found "cprofile", which was supposed to be able to change file

associations, but can't get it to work.

 

Kind regards

Jacob Hornbech Jespersen

Terminal Server Administrator

[Guest Cláudio Rodrigues [MVP]]

Re: User specific file association

 

Jacob Hornbech wrote:

> Hello.

>

> I'm working with a problem that I hope that some of you can help me

> with. We have a Windows Server 2k3 Enterprise, which functions as a

> Terminal Server, about 200 users. The thing is, that some of these users

> need Microsoft Office, others don't. The ones who need M$ Office, need

> to pay the license fees to M$, while the one who use Open Office get it

> for free. The question is, how do I limit some users to only use M$

> Office, and hence restrict others from using it, on the same server?

>

> I've thought about changing the registry in HKCU, but hesitate to do so

> due to the complications in this approach. Do you guys have some

> considerations or thoughts on the subject?

>

> I've also found "cprofile", which was supposed to be able to change file

> associations, but can't get it to work.

>

> Kind regards

> Jacob Hornbech Jespersen

> Terminal Server Administrator

1. Use Start Menu redirection to create custom start menus based on

Group membership. This means users on Group A will see a different Start

Menu than users on Group B.

2. Use NTFS permissions to lock down access to the office executables.

For example, assign read/execute rights on the office executables only

to Group A and for the OpenOffice ones, to Group B.

 

Using these two steps you will be able to do what you want.

Files associations can be changed as well on a per group basis with some

basic scripting.

Check this article:

http://www.brianmadden.com/content/article/Creating-Custom-File-Associations-to-Support-Side-by-Side-Applications

 

 

--

Cl·udio Rodrigues

CEO, TSFactory Inc.

 

Microsoft MVP

Windows Server - Terminal Services

http://www.tsfactory.com

[Guest Jacob Hornbech]

Re: User specific file association

 

 

""Cláudio Rodrigues [MVP]"" <CR@NOSPAM-TSFactory.ca> skrev i meddelelsen

news:eTDm3jSBIHA.2268@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...

> Jacob Hornbech wrote:

>> Hello.

>>

>> I'm working with a problem that I hope that some of you can help me with.

>> We have a Windows Server 2k3 Enterprise, which functions as a Terminal

>> Server, about 200 users. The thing is, that some of these users need

>> Microsoft Office, others don't. The ones who need M$ Office, need to pay

>> the license fees to M$, while the one who use Open Office get it for

>> free. The question is, how do I limit some users to only use M$ Office,

>> and hence restrict others from using it, on the same server?

>>

>> I've thought about changing the registry in HKCU, but hesitate to do so

>> due to the complications in this approach. Do you guys have some

>> considerations or thoughts on the subject?

>>

>> I've also found "cprofile", which was supposed to be able to change file

>> associations, but can't get it to work.

>>

>> Kind regards

>> Jacob Hornbech Jespersen

>> Terminal Server Administrator

> 1. Use Start Menu redirection to create custom start menus based on Group

> membership. This means users on Group A will see a different Start Menu

> than users on Group B.

> 2. Use NTFS permissions to lock down access to the office executables. For

> example, assign read/execute rights on the office executables only to

> Group A and for the OpenOffice ones, to Group B.

>

> Using these two steps you will be able to do what you want.

> Files associations can be changed as well on a per group basis with some

> basic scripting.

> Check this article:

> http://www.brianmadden.com/content/article/Creating-Custom-File-Associations-to-Support-Side-by-Side-Applications

>

>

> --

> Cl·udio Rodrigues

> CEO, TSFactory Inc.

>

> Microsoft MVP

> Windows Server - Terminal Services

> http://www.tsfactory.com

 

Thanks for the help, I greatly appreciate it. What you proposed seems like a

good idea, and even though I can't get the HKCU user specific file

association to work, by adding a key like .doc with the value

opendocument.writerdorcument.1 to work, it's a step further.

 

Another problem. I'm trying to give folder permissions to a user with a

ActionScript that runs when the user login. The problem is of course that

the user don't have permissions to do this, but maybe there is a workaround.

I'm trying with xcacls.vbs but that don't seem to work. Anyone has

experience with this?

 

Kind Regard.

 

Jacob Hornbech