HowTo: Publishing Explorer and Printers in XenApp 7.x

Products:

  • XenApp and XenDesktop 7.15.1000 LTSR
  • Windows Server 2012 R2

Background:
Our customer was looking to publish Windows Explorer as well as the Printers folder (for setting persistent printer preferences). Although Windows Explorer is commonly publushed, there’s been sparse details on doing so in FMA (XAXD 7.x) as compared to IMA (XA 6.5 and below) which Citrix documented in CTX884335. Working with  the KB article as a reference, we’re documenting the functional syntax below (tested with Windows Server 2012 R2 and Windows Server 2016).

Publishing Printers Shell Folder:
Path to the executable file: %SystemRoot%explorer.exe
Command line argument: /e,::{2227A280-3AEA-1069-A2DE-08002B30309D}
Working directory: %SystemRoot%

Publishing Windows Explorer (Landing on My Computer):
Path to the executable file: %SystemRoot%explorer.exe
Command line argument: shell:MyComputerFolder
Working directory: %SystemRoot%