We want to use a 3rd party software on Windows EC2/Cloud Instances, Windows Server 2022. The software requires GUI Interaction. When we close the RDP connection, suddenly our app crashes because of missing UI. Its not a valid option to modify the 3rd party software.
Is there a possibility to start running windows UI rendering without connecting via RDP to that machine before?
Briefly; lets say we started a new Windows instance, without connecting via RDP to that instance, is there a way to start GUI Rendering on that instance? It can be tested with some screenshot scripts, if they work fine without RDP connection on that machine.
As a workaround we do not directly close the RDP connection, instead we are running some scripts which keeps the UI still alive but closes only the RDP session. But with this solution we still need to connect to the machine via RDP first and run this command once. [https://stackoverflow.com/questions/15887729/can-the-gui-of-an-rdp-session-remain-active-after-disconnect]
Related
Im launching an UFT script in a Remote machine. The access to that Remote machine es from my Local machine (the script is launched in the Remote, not from local).
The problem is that if I close the Remote Desktop, the script pauses until I start another time the machine.
How can the script continue with the Remote Desktop closed? I tried going in UFT to Tools -> Options -> Run session -> allow scripting when RDP is closed and entering user and pass with a verified conection, but does not work.
Thanx!
More of a workaround. Have not seen this flag working for some time, but that could just be inexperience.
Alternatives are:
Configure a service account that logs in and starts UFT Run time as soon as the server is started.
Stay logged into the remote session and disable auto screen lock.
Use mouse move tools like MouseJiggle to stop the screen locking
UFT documentation give several places where settings must be configured. (during installation, post installation)
Context :
I execute automated GUI tests on virtual machines (there are few of them) on running on windows and using UFT/Ranorex, executions are piloted by Jenkins.
Problem:
VM must have an active graphic session, otherwise, UFT won't run GUI tests (unable to launch browser) and Ranorex will run but poorly and without screenshots. i mean that in my tests, the VM is configured not to "sleep" or to have any screen saver, vm is connected with jenkins properly.
The behavior is : i launch via Jenkins the test, one the build done inthe vm, automation tools start running but then finds difficulties to open browser.
I would like to know if there is any workaround to run those tests without being needed to physically open VMware or Remote desktop Connection.
Notice that the VM is running all the time and the session is always open (we are using a server to host the VM).
So the problem is: how to simulate in windows active graphical session. I guess it's like simulating that there is actually a screen connected even though there isn't...
Any suggestions will be welcomed.
Had to go through this many times and you can find a lot of resources related to your issue in the Ranorex Forum. (My username there is Martin for reference).
But to go through the points you need to do quickly:
1) Have an RDP machine to connect to that is used to run your tests
2) You need to disable screen saver for that machine (I had to do it from registry)
3) Then disable the "On Resume, display logon screen" option under Personalize settings for the screen saver
4) And finally create a .bat script with the following content "%windir%\System32\tscon.exe RDP-Tcp#0 /dest:console"
So basically when you have everything set up (required only once) you will run the .bat script. This will close the RDP window BUT the session will be left open with the screen enabled.
Just connect the RDP with Jenkins and you have full functionality that you need to run your tests.
Regards
Martin
In the Tools ⇨ Options menu, select General ⇨ Run Sessions there you will find an option to Enable continued testing on locked/disconnected remote computers.
If this fails, see my other answer.
I had the same problem when I try to run an automate tests on virtual machine and I find this solution to generated a graphical session although you are not connected to the virtual machine. You need to created a task to opend a session on the virtual machine when you disconected or terminated the session , this created a graphical session but will not function when you are connected and you have the screen minimize. Here is the link for the solution and the explanation
http://blogs.microsoft.co.il/arnona/2016/01/03/keeping-an-active-desktop-session/
I have script which uses mircrosoft's UIAutomation to automate an application. The script is inside a VPS running Windows Server 2012. The script works perfectly while I am connected to the VPS via Remote Desktop (RDP).
When I am not connected, the script seems to be stuck on SetFocus for a object... which leads me to believe that the script needs a Display/Screen/Session in order to work... but I am not sure if it is possible to do it while I am not connected to the VPS.
I can see 2 possible solutions here, either modify the script in someway to work in this environment or make the VPS have a virtual desktop while I am not connected (this solution might be more related to Server Fault rather than StackOverflow).
I am very confused, thanks for the help in advance :)
I managed to workaround the issue by actually connecting to the server to itself (to 127.0.0.1) via RDP so that it will always have an active RDP session for the automation script to run.
I am not happy with the results but it works... I cannot give clear instructions on how you would need to modify the settings in Windows to allow RDP connections from self, it was a one big trial and error process, I have to modify some policies in the Group Policy Editor and then some stuff that I don't remember.
There is another downside to this, a Windows server will allow 2 simultaneous connections to it but by using this method we are reserving a slot so only 1 connection at a given time is possible, something to be aware of.
I am running several automated browser tests with selenium on our build server. There is no problems taking screenshots while running Chrome or Firefox driver, but when running Internet Explorer driver I just get a black screen.
Virtual Machine
Selenium version: 2.53.0
IEDriver: 2.53.0
OS:
Windows Server 2012
Browser:
Internet Explorer 11
I have gone through all the required configuration in the documentation https://github.com/SeleniumHQ/selenium/wiki/InternetExplorerDriver
I have also tried the third option here:
https://lostechies.com/keithdahlby/2011/08/13/allowing-a-windows-service-to-interact-with-desktop-without-localsystem/
I have also enabled service interaction globally:
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/ms683502(v=vs.85).aspx
When I remotely access the build server, I can trigger running the tests manually. This works fine. So there must be a problem with our CI(TeamCity) setup interacting with the build server.
I am currently stuck and could need some help ?
This is the default behavior of Windows. since Internet Explorer is tightly coupled with Windows, it behaves this way but other browsers don't.
In order to have better resource utilization, when running on remote, windows detects that since session is running in remote mode and nobody is watching the screen, it takes away the resources required to show the screen and screen goes black. When you log into the machine, resources to show screen UI are deployed again.
Hence, when running in remote mode, since there is no screen being showed, screenshot comes out to be blank.
There are only workarounds, no solution.
Workaround:
Workaround 1: Use VNC server for your remote session instead of RDP since VNC keeps the remote session alive.
Workaround 2: Add this command to batch file : tscon rdp-tcp#1 /dest:console
It will switch the session to "1" which is active mode.
By default it will be running on "0" mode. It will disconnect your session and now you can run your test case.
I'm trying to run a SikuliX Script 24/7 on a VPS but I do not want to leave my computer on all the time while it runs. I know sikuli requires that you have a monitor, so I am not sure how I can have it run while my VPS isn't even open on my computer.
If your VPS is running Linux you could use a tool such as Xpra, it allows for an X application to be run even when the client disconnects. It can also be used with a nested X server like Xephyr to run a full remote desktop that persists disconnects.
On Windows Server this this superuser page details how to allow a Windows Server RDP session to persist even after the client has disconnected.