During the Horizon Client installation process, you are prompted to confirm the installation of optional components. The default is to install all components.

The following table provides a brief summary of each optional component.

Table 1. Horizon Client for Linux Installation Options
Option Description
Client Drive Redirection Lets users share folders and drives on the client computer with remote desktops and applications. Drives can include mounted drives and USB storage devices.

The component files are installed in /usr/lib/vmware/view/vdpService/.

HTML5 Multimedia Redirection (HTML5MMR) Redirects HTML5 multimedia content from a Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge browser on the desktop to the client machine, where the stream is processed.
Multimedia Redirection (MMR) Redirects multimedia stream from the desktop to the client machine, where the stream is processed.

The component file is installed in /usr/lib/vmware/view/vdpService/.

Real-Time Audio-Video Redirects webcam and audio devices that are connected to the client system so that they can be used on the remote desktop.

The component file is installed in /usr/lib/pcoip/vchan_plugins/.

Scanner Redirection Lets users scan data into remote desktops with SANE-compliant scanners connected to their local client system. Users do not have to install additional drivers on their remote desktops.

If you allow the Horizon Client installer to register and start the installed services after the installation completes successfully, the scanner redirection daemon runs automatically. Otherwise, you can start the scanner redirection daemon manually by running the following command.

# sudo /etc/init.d/ftscanhv start

Scanner redirection requires remote desktops to have Horizon Agent 7.8 or later, installed with the Scanner Redirection setup option, on the parent or template virtual machines or RDS hosts. In addition, this feature requires the PCoIP or VMware Blast display protocol.

After the installation, you can configure group policy settings for this feature by following the instructions in "Configure Scanner Redirection" in the Configuring Remote Desktop Features in Horizon 7 document.

Seamless Window With this feature, users can interact with an application that is running on a remote desktop as if it was a locally running application.
Serial Port Redirection Lets end users redirect locally connected serial ports, such as built-in RS-232 ports (/dev/ttySxx) or USB-to-Serial adapters (/dev/ttyUSBxx), to their remote desktops. If you allow the Horizon Client installer to register and start the installed services after the installation completes successfully, the serial port daemon runs automatically. Otherwise, you can start the serial port daemon manually by running the following command.
# sudo /etc/init.d/ftsprhv start

To make a USB-to-Serial adapter device available for serial port redirection, deselect Connect USB Device > Automatically Connect at Startup & Automatically Connect when inserted and ensure that the USB-to-Serial adapter device is not selected under the Connect USB Device menu.

Smart Card Lets users authenticate with smart cards when they use the VMware Blast or PCoIP display protocol. Although this option is selected in the client installer by default, this option is not selected by default when you run the Horizon Agent installer in the remote desktop.

Smart card is supported on remote desktops that are deployed on single-user machines and RDS hosts.

The component files are installed in /usr/lib/pcoip/vchan_plugins/.

USB Redirection Gives users access to locally connected USB devices on their desktops and applications.

USB redirection is supported on remote desktops and applications that are deployed on single-user machines.

The component files are installed in /usr/lib/vmware/view/usb/. If you allow the installer to register and start installed services after the installation completes, the USB arbitrator daemon, vmware-USBArbitrator, runs automatically. Otherwise, you can start the daemon manually by running the following command:
# sudo /etc/init.d/vmware-USBArbitrator start
Note: You can use group policy settings to disable USB redirection for specific users. For more information, see the Configuring Remote Desktop Features in Horizon 7 document.
Virtual Printing Lets users print to any printer available on their client computers. Users do not have to install additional drivers on their remote desktops.

The component files are installed in /usr/lib/vmware/view/virtualPrinting/. After you install the client, if you allow the installer to register and start installed services after the installation, you do not need to configure this feature manually. Otherwise, you can configure and enable this feature by following the instructions in Enable the Virtual Printing Feature on a Linux Client.

Virtual Printing is supported on the following remote desktops and published applications:

  • Desktops that are deployed on single-user machines.
  • Desktops that are deployed on RDS hosts, where the RDS hosts are virtual machines.
  • Remote applications, which are provided by RDS hosts.
  • Remote applications that are launched from Horizon Client inside remote desktops (nested sessions).
VMware Horizon(R) Virtualization Pack for Skype for Business Lets users run Skype for Business inside a virtual desktop without negatively affecting the virtual infrastructure and overloading the network. All media processing takes place on the Linux client system, instead of in the virtual desktop, during Skype audio and video calls.

The component file is installed in /usr/lib/vmware/mediaprovider.

VMware Integrated Printing Lets users print to local or network printers from a Windows remote desktop without having to install additional printer drivers in the remote desktop. In addition to installing this option on the client system, you must enable the VMware Integrated Printing option in the Horizon Agent installer and set policies that control Virtual Printing behavior.

For information about installing Horizon Agent, see the Setting Up Virtual Desktops in Horizon 7 or Setting Up Published Desktops and Applications in Horizon 7 document. For information about configuring policies, see the Configuring Remote Desktop Features in Horizon 7 document.