VDI Access Suite – Release Notes

Version: 26.9.3204
Enhancement: A new [AfterLastSession] section in vas.ini defines what happens when the last remote session has ended. Action accepts Nothing, Logoff, Restart or Shutdown (default Nothing). Before the action is performed, a countdown is shown; Countdown sets its duration in seconds (default 10).

Enhancement: The new AllowCancel key in [AfterLastSession] determines whether the countdown can be cancelled. With Yes, a cancel button is shown and the action is not performed when it is used. With No, the action always follows once the countdown ends.

Enhancement: The new Taskbar key in the [Settings] section of vas.ini sets the taskbar of the shell to Unlocked or Locked (default Unlocked).

Enhancement: All new settings can also be managed centrally through profiles in VDI Access Suite Manager.


Version: 26.9.3205
Change: The installer no longer sets the Winlogon Shell value in HKLM. Configuring VDI Access Suite as the shell is now done with a separate script.


Version: 26.9.3206
Enhancement: Secure Web Browser can now allow web pages to open their own windows, for example the sign-in pop-up of Microsoft 365. The option is enabled per instance with the -newwindows (or -nw) argument, or for all instances with AllowNewWindows=Yes in the [Settings] section of swb.ini. Without either, links that open a new window continue to open in the same window, as before.

Enhancement: Windows opened by a page share the session and cookies of the window that opened them and have the same restrictions: no context menu, no developer tools and no saved passwords or autofill. A window closes automatically when the page closes it, as a sign-in pop-up does once the sign-in is complete.

Enhancement: The appearance of new windows follows the mode of Secure Web Browser. A pop-up that requests a specific size, such as a sign-in window, opens in that size. A regular link opens maximized when the opening window is maximized. In Kiosk mode, new windows can only be closed and not minimized, so no window can disappear from view. In Browser mode, new windows have their own taskbar button.

Change: The installer no longer registers VDI Access Suite as the Windows shell. Setting the shell is now a separate step, configured per user, so administrator accounts keep the standard Windows shell.


Version: 26.9.3207
Enhancement: The window title follows the page title, so instances can be told apart in the taskbar and in Alt+Tab.

Bugfix: Windows opened by a web page (for example Outlook, Excel or Teams from the Microsoft 365 start page) are now regular browser windows and appear in the taskbar and in Alt+Tab.


Version: 26.09.3208
Enhancement: The keyboard volume keys (Volume Up, Volume Down and Mute) now work in the shell. The volume popup appears briefly as feedback and slides away automatically.

Enhancement: Audio devices that are plugged in while the shell is running now appear in the settings panel with their correct name, without logging off and on again.

Enhancement: Win+D minimizes all applications. Pressing it again restores them.

Enhancement: The Alt+Tab switcher wraps onto additional rows when many applications are open, instead of growing wider than the screen.

Change: Alt+Tab always brings the selected application to the front, also when it is already active. Clicking the taskbar icon of the active application still minimizes it.

Bugfix: A stuck Windows key after opening the start menu, which turned every following key press into a Windows shortcut such as Win+P, is fixed.


Version: 26.09.3209
Enhancement: A new Dark Mode button in the sidebar switches Windows between light and dark app themes for the current user. The icon shows the active mode, and running applications that support theme changes (such as Chrome, Edge, Secure Web Browser and most modern Windows applications) update immediately. The choice is kept for the next logon.


Version: 26.09.3210
Enhancement: New -keep option for Secure Web Browser, used together with -f (fresh start). It lists the sites whose cookies are kept, for example -f -keep=office.com,microsoftonline.com. All other cookies, cache, saved logins and autofill data are still cleared before the first page loads. A listed domain also covers its subdomains.


Version: 26.09.3211
Several instances can run side by side. Settings are kept in swb.ini under %AppData%\PNQ Software\VDI Access Suite\Secure Web Browser. The window state (-m, -n) and the fresh start options apply to that instance only and are not stored.

A fresh start also clears cookies of sites that are not listed. Cookies without an expiry date and data in local storage are not preserved, so a site that keeps its session there can still ask for a new sign-in.

Windows opened by a web page (for example Outlook or Teams from the Microsoft 365 start page) open as regular browser windows. They appear in the taskbar and in Alt+Tab, and the window title follows the page title.


Version: 26.09.3212
Enhancement
Zoom keyboard shortcuts added: Ctrl++ and Ctrl+- zoom in and out (main keys and numeric keypad), and Ctrl+0 resets the zoom to 100%. The zoom steps match those of Edge and Chrome.

Enhancement
A zoom indicator now shows the current zoom percentage in the top-right corner for a short moment after every zoom change, both from the keyboard and from Ctrl+scroll.

Enhancement
A mini navigation bar with Back, Home and Forward buttons is now available at the top center of the window, in both Kiosk and Browser mode. The bar is visible by default and can be shown or hidden with Ctrl+N. The Back and Forward buttons are disabled when there is no history in that direction.

Change
The navigation bar and zoom indicator follow the window when it is moved or resized. They are hidden while the window is minimized or another application is in the foreground.

Change
AltGr key combinations no longer trigger Ctrl shortcuts, so characters such as € can be typed normally.

Bugfix
The Back, Home and Forward icons were not displayed because of incorrect image references and missing resource entries.

Bugfix
The Home button in windows opened by a web page now returns to the configured start URL.


Version 26.9.3213 was skipped for superstitious reasons.


Version: 26.9.3214
VDI Access Suite
Enhancement: A Secure Web Browser kiosk (swb.exe -k) is no longer listed in the start menu. It remains available on the taskbar and in Alt+Tab. This prevents a second kiosk from being started, which, when started with the fresh start option (-f), would clear the browsing data of all running sessions.

Enhancement: The new Hidden key in an [AppN] section hides an application from the start menu. The application can still be started automatically with Autolaunch.

Enhancement: A Secure Web Browser kiosk that is closed is started again automatically. If the kiosk closes more than three times within one minute, it is not started again, which prevents a restart loop.

Change: AfterLastSession no longer logs off, restarts or shuts down the system while an application is being started or restarted.

Change: No automatic restart takes place while the system is logging off or shutting down.

Bugfix: When several applications with the same executable were started at the same time, a taskbar entry could receive the icon and configuration of another application.

Change: All log messages are now in English.

Secure Web Browser
Enhancement: Kiosk mode can run only once per logon session. Any further kiosk instance closes immediately without changing swb.ini.

Change: A fresh start (-f) no longer clears the browsing data while another Secure Web Browser instance is already running in the same session. Instances started together at logon still perform the fresh start. The skipped fresh start is recorded in Logs\swb.log.


Version:26.9.3215
Enhancement
Window snapping is now available with Win+Left and Win+Right, which place the active window on the left or right half of the monitor. Win+Up maximizes the active window. This works for all resizable applications, including Edge, Chrome and Secure Web Browser. Windows without a resizable border, such as Secure Web Browser in Kiosk mode, are not snapped.

Change
Alt+Tab now follows the most recently used order, as in Windows. The first press switches to the previously active application, and holding Alt while pressing Tab again moves further back. Alt+Shift+Tab moves in the opposite direction. Minimized applications are placed at the end of the list.

Change
The start menu now closes when another application window is clicked. When the start menu is closed with the Windows key or the start button, the previously active application regains focus.

Bugfix
Clicking an application in the start menu started the autolaunch applications instead of the selected application.

Bugfix
Autolaunch applications were started multiple times when more than one application was configured for autolaunch.

Bugfix
Releasing the Windows key after a Windows key combination opened the start menu.


Version:26.9.3216
Enhancement: Monitor input switching is built into the shell. A new monitor button in the sidebar opens a popup to switch the selected monitor between USB-C, DisplayPort and HDMI. The popup offers only the inputs that the selected monitor supports, and a monitor can be chosen when two or more are connected.

Enhancement: The hotkeys Ctrl+Alt+U (USB-C), Ctrl+Alt+D (DisplayPort) and Ctrl+Alt+H (HDMI) switch the selected monitor without opening the sidebar. A short message in the popup confirms the result.

Enhancement: Monitors and their supported inputs are read right after the shell starts, and again after a monitor is connected or disconnected, so the first switch is immediate.

Enhancement: New DisplaySwitch key in the [Hide] section of vas.ini. With Yes, the monitor button is hidden and the hotkeys are disabled.

Change: Monitor communication (DDC/CI) now uses the same component as the Display Switcher, so both behave the same way.


Version:26.9.3217
Enhancement: New Language key under [Settings] in vas.ini sets the language of the shell. Supported values are EN, DE, FR, ES, IT, NL, NO, SE and DK. The Shutdown, Restart and Log off buttons, the Applications heading and all sidebar tooltips are shown in the chosen language. English is used when the key is missing or the value is not recognized.

Bugfix: Win+Shift+Left and Win+Shift+Right now move the active window to the previous or next screen, instead of snapping it like Win+Left and Win+Right. Maximized windows stay maximized on the new screen.


Version 26.9.3218
Change: Minor aesthetic improvements throughout the application. Updated program icons for a refreshed and more modern appearance.