VISULOX Firefox integration
There are two different conceptional ways for a VISUOLX Firefox integration. With and without persistence profile. |
Non persistence and VISULOX shell
The VISULOX shell provides shell enviroments to users, if no UNIX accounts are available or UNIX accounts are not needed. This is the case, if the UNIX System is used for transit to webapplications, Windows or Citrix.
If non persistence profiles are sufficient, the VISULOX vlxshell can be used:
vlxshell -client firefox / visulox.exp / applicationserver which is member in the visulox clusterWith the parameter -P <path to directory or .tgz file> a profile template can be set, which will be copied and used in firefox.
Example for Firefox started wirh a given URL:
vlxshell -client firefox -- "https://portal.visulox.com/wiki"This command uses the platform provided Firefox. An alternate Firefox can be provided:
vlxshell -client firefox -clientcmd <pathToAlternateFirefox> / visulox.exp / applicationserver which in member if the visulox clusterUsing the vlxshell assigns a vlxtransit user (vlx000 to vlx999) to the user. The VISULOX PORTAL login script is visulox.exp.
Additional plugins (like Flash, Java or Citrix ) are loaded,
vlxshell.tcl parameters:
| Parameter | Description |
|---|---|
| -client <value> | Client type. Default: xterm |
| -clientcmd <value> | Alternate path to client |
| -title <value> | Title of the GUI |
| -lang <value> | Language |
| -id <value> | Session ID |
| -owner <value> | Owner who runs this GUI |
| -allowedSites <value> | List of allowed sites in Firefox profile |
| -usermask <value> | Mask to add a prefix and/or suffix to sso_user (prefix%USER%suffix) |
| -E <value> | Extension list for Firefox |
| -P <value> | Firefox profile archive or directory |
| -profile <value> | Name of Citrix profile in database |
| -resource <value> | Name of passcache resource |
| -sync | Activate vlxtransit and vlxupload for the application |
Persistent and Firefox Wrapper
A persistent integration needs the possibility to store the user profile. Therefore the user needs a UNIX user account and a home directory. If more than one application server is implemented, the home directory must be spanned over all servers.
The classical integration would be:
firefox / unix.exp or vlxUnix.exp / applicationserverThe disadvantage of this integration is, that the user can use only one of the applications with Firefox. Simultaneous multiple Firefoxes are not possible.
To provide this, the VISULOX Firefox Wrapper can be used:
VLXDIR/tools/ffw/ffwrapper.tcl / vlxUnix.exp / applicationserver which is member in the visulox clustervlxshell/visulox.exp -client ffwrapper – <ffwrapper args>The VISULOX Firefox Wrapper can be used only with a UNIX user account.
The VISULOX Firefox Wrapper generates the user's Firefox profile based on user name / application name and the Firefox version. The profile is stored within the user's home directory.
This integration allows different versions of Firefox and also the possibility to run multiple Firefoxes.
Comparison
| vlxshell with Firefox | Firefox wrapper | Standard Firefox integration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| VISULOX PORTAL login script | visulox.exp | vlxUnix.exp | vlxUnix.exp/unix.exp |
| Unix user | temporary vlxtransit user | standard Unix user | standard Unix user |
| Profile | non persistence | persistence | persistence |
| Multiple instances | yes | yes | no |
| VISULOX File Transfer integration | yes | yes | yes |
| Firefox Citrix plugin | yes | yes | yes |
| Firefox Citrix plugin and File Transfer integration | yes | yes | no |
| Different Firefox versions | yes | yes | yes |
| Java integration | non* / platform assigned | application definition assigned different versions | non*/ platform assigned |
| Flash | platform assigned | part of the integration | platform assigned |
| Handles extensions (as long as it fits to the FX version) | yes | yes | user can install |
* if the Firefox Wrapper is used, the platform installed JAVA is removed and cannot be used anymore.
Related articles
VISULOX Firefox and Firefox extensions
VISULOX Firefox CITRIX / ICA integration