Manual

• Getting started
  • Configuring connections - iPhone/iPod touch
  • Configuring connections - iPad
  • Once you are connected
• Interaction
  • Scope Mode
  • Mouse Modes
  • Keyboard
• Connections
  • Connection Center
  • Bookmarks
    • Basic Settings
    • Advanced Connection settings
    • Advanced UI Settings
    • Performance Settings
    • 3G Mode
    • Sound
    • Automatic Reconnect
• Gestures
  • Common Gestures
  • Scope Mode and Pointer Mode
  • Scope Mode
  • Draw Mode
• Appendix
  • URL Scheme

Getting started

Scope Mode

Buttons and other controls in Windows programs are designed for use with a mouse, and not with a touch based interface. While typical point-and-click semantics work very well, the size of the controls often prevents effective use. iTap RDP supports zoom to alleviate the problem, but given the already small screen, this prevents efficient work. To resolve this situation, version 1.0.1 includes scope mode. When holding down a single finger for a short duration without moving, a small scope window pops up, showing the screen at a twofold magnification, and also showing the mouse cursor exactly where it is on the desktop.

While using scope mode, the gestures work differently than in normal mode. First, the mouse cursor (and the scope) will always follow the first finger. This means, that in scope mode you can hover the mouse over a windows control. If you move the finger to the border of the screen, the screen will start to scroll in that direction. Second, touching the screen with additional fingers simulates mouse buttons. Touch it with one finger to use the left button, touch it with two fingers at the same time to use the right button. The buttons are pressed immediately and as long as you hold down the additional finger(s). This makes drag and drop a very simple operation.

TIP: The location of the extra fingers is not important. You can the thumb of your left hand to touch a corner of the screen, while using the index finger of your right hand to move the scope.

Bluetooth keyboard

The presence of a bluetooth keyboard should be automatically detected, so typing on the keyboard should work as expected. If it does not, please use the three finger swipe once to bring up the keyboard.

Due to limitations in iPhone OS special keys (Ctrl, Option, Fn, ...) will not work as expected. There is nothing we can do about this at the current time, but Apple has acknowledged the problem and might provide a better solution in a future iPhone OS. If they do, we will support it.

The following keys do currently work:

• Alphanumeric keys: These keys work normally
• Cursor keys: Cursor Keys, and Shift+Cursor Keys work
• Tab: Tab works, but Shift+Tab does not
• Home/Pos1: Alt+Left performs Home
• End: Alt+Right performs End
• Page Up: Alt+Up performs Page Up
• Page Down: Alt+Down performs Page Down
• Select All: Command+A performas Ctrl+A (Select All in most programs)
• Cut: Command+X performas Ctrl+X (Cut in most programs)
• Copy: Command+C performas Ctrl+C (Copy in most programs)
• Paste: Command+V performas Ctrl+V (Paste in most programs)
• Symbols: Alt+Alphanumeric keys will produce different symbols, depending on your Language.

Mouse Modes

You can now use one of three different mouse modes. You can select your preferred mode in the bookmark configuration, and also switch during a session by using the utility bar (double tap with three fingers to show and hide it).

• Scope Mode: This is the traditional mode, as it was so far. Tap to click, hold finger to show scope for fine control.
• Pointer Mode: In this mode the mouse cursor is always visible. You can drag it around the screen with a singe finger (you do not have to hit the pointer for that). Tap anywhere on the screen to click where the pointer is. Tap with two fingers to perform a right click. The scope is not available.
• Draw Mode: In this mode you can only use the left mouse button. Touch the screen to perform an immediate click or drag. Move/Zoom the screen by dragging/pinching two fingers.

Connections

Connection Center

The connection center is where you manage your known computers and add new ones. From here you can connect to other computers and quickly switch between sessions.

The searchbar is the quickest way to add new connections. You can enter one of the following to create a new connection:

• A windows computer name.
  The name of one of your computers in your local network. For example "home".
• An internet domain name.
  The internet domain name of your home or office computer. For example "rdp.office.com".
• An internet address.
  The IP address of a computer. For example "10.100.23.45".

After you enter the name or address, iTap RDP will look up the computer. The result will appear in the search results and will be made permanent if you connect to it or if you edit it.

A bookmark gives you detailed information about the connection:

The icons on the left side will show the status of your bookmark. shows that everything is ok, while will appear if there is a problem. If you open the bookmark details (see below), an error description and link to a help wizard will appear. will appear if network testing is disabled for this host.

If the connection test succeeds then a small icon below it will show the security level of the connection. The number of dots indicates the security strength. One dot indicates basic security (up to 140 bit FIPS compliant but with no host verification), while 2 dots indicates TLS (strong security with host verification via certificates), and 3 dots indicates NLA (Network Level Authentication) which is the highest supported security method of RDP.

The black text shows the label of the bookmark which defaults to the computer name, but can be changed to any text. Directly below it, the bookmark will show the credentials which will be used for automatic re-connect. If no credentials are shown a logon screen will appear when trying to connect.

Using the icon to the right you can change the settings of your bookmark.

Editing or connecting to a search result will automatically move that result to your bookmark list.

Bookmarks

Basic settings

Your bookmark settings are split into three sections.

Host settings specify the computer you want to connect to:

• Label: The name of the bookmark in the connection center. This can by any string. If this is empty, it will be set to the hostname.
• Host: The name of the computer you want to connect to. This can be a windows computer name, an internet domain name or an IP address.
• Port: The port to connect to. The default port for RDP is 3389. You should not change this unless you know what you are doing.

Below these settings you see the connection status again. indicates that the connection works, while indicates a problem. In the latter case a short help text will appear and you can click to go to a wizard which will help you setup your connection.

Below this the credential section determines the username and password used to connect.

• Credentials: This shows the currently active credentials. When clicked you can edit or clear them.
• Store Credentials: If this is on (default) the logon screen will store usernames and passwords when connecting for later reuse. If this is off the username and password is not stored on the device. Please note that NLA requires you to store credentials for automatic reconnect.

The settings control the appearance of your desktop and various performance parameters.

• Screen: Allows you to change the screen resolution and color depth of your RDP session. You can choose one of a list of predefined resolutions, or enter a custom resolution of up to 4096x2048 pixels.
  Bigger screens need more memory, so it is recommended that you use smaller resolutions. Especially on iPhone and iPhone 3G devices, the amount of memory available is usually very low.
  For a good compromise between available screenspace and usability, it is recommended that you use either the "Landscape" or "Portrait" resolutions, depending on how you want to hold your iPhone.
  You have three options for color depth. It is recommended to use "Thousands" of colors, as a compromise between bandwidth and quality. You can use 256 colors when you are using the connection via 3G networks to reduce the bandwidth required (also see 3G Mode).
• Advanced: Configure advanced options for your connection (see below).

Credential screen

On this screen you can create a new set of credentials (top) or select a previously stored set. To clear the currently active credentials, click the "Connect without credentials" button.

To add a new set, enter the data in the fields and choose "Save" in the top right.

Advanced Connection settings

You can change the following advanced connection settings:

• Console: Connect to the console session (for Windows Server 2003 and later).
• Sound: Choose how to play sound. You can play it on your device (the default, on the server, or not at all.
• Performance: Change various performance and quality options (see below).
• Keyboard: Choose the mode for the keyboard. It is strongly recommened to keep this on "Automatic", but you may try the other settings if you have problems with keys not working, or keys inserting the wrong characters.
• Security Level: Limit the maximum security level. You should always set this to the maximum available (NLA), unless you know what you are doing.
• Enable 3G Mode: Enable or disable 3G Mode
• 3G Screen: The screen reso- lution to use when 3G Mode is on and the connection is made while using a 3G network. Per default this is the same as the normal screen resolution, but with 256 colors.
  Since these settings are only used while using 3G networks it is recommended to keep them low (also see 3G Mode).
• 3G Performance: The same as "Performance", but for use when 3G Mode is enabled and the connection is made while using a 3G network. Per default all options are disabled to save bandwidth.
• Automatic Reconnect: Change the timeout for automatic reconnect tokens. Reduce this if you have security concerns about automatic reconnect.
• Remote Program: Set a program to execute when you log on to a remote computer. You must specify the full path. When you specify a remote program you will not see a normal desktop, instead the remote program will be launched fullscreen.

Advanced UI settings

You can change the following advanced UI settings:

• Border: Add a border around the desktop. Use this if you have problems clicking on things at the very edge of the desktop.
• Status Bar: If this is on, the status bar will not be hidden during a session, allowing you to check your network connectivity.
• Utility Bar: Set the initial status of the utility bar. If you cannot use three finger gestures, set this to "Initially On".
• Mouse Mode: Set the mouse mode to use for this bookmark.
• Swap Mouse Buttons: Whenever a mouse gesture would send a command with the left mouse button, it send the same command with the right mouse button instead. This is needed for some left handed mice in Windows.
• Connection Tests: Turn off connection testing for this bookmark. The connection will still work as normal, but the status icon will always be a gray question mark.

Performance settings

You can change the following performance settings:

• Wallpaper: If enabled, a wall- paper is allowed on the remote computer, if off then a wallpaper is never shown. A wallpaper can help prevent getting lost on a big desktop, but uses more bandwidth than a single color background.
• Window Drag: If enabled, the window contents are drawn while moving or resizing a window, if off then only a frame is shown. On a small screen, the contents of the moving window can obscure where it is moving to, so this is off by default.
• Menu Animations: If enabled, menus fade in or expand when activated, when disabled they (dis)appear without animation.
• Cursor Effects: If enabled the caret (the vertical bar in text boxes) blinks, if disabled it does not blink. A blinking caret helps very much in identifying the textbox with the focus, so this is enabled by default.
• Themes: If enabled the windows frames and controls may be drawn in a nicer way, if disabled the window frames and controls look like Windows 2000.
• Font Smoothing: If enabled, allows windows to automatically antialias (smooth) texts to im- prove readability. This greatly increases the bandwidth for applications with lots of text.
• Desktop Effects: If enabled, Windows may use advanced desktop effects like crossfades or transparent windows. This greatly increases the bandwidth necessary.

Please note the following limitations

• When connecting to an already running RDP session with a different color depth, you may not get the new color depth. This behavior is server depen- dent, and different versions of Windows behave differently.
• Automatic login may be disabled by the server, so even when you store your password it can happen that you still have to enter it.
• The server may refuse a specific screen resolution and give you a different resolution instead.
• The performance flags are just recommendations to the server. A server may disregard them due to server policy, missing support or other reasons.

3G Mode

Starting with version 1.0.1, iTap RDP includes 3G Mode. This can greatly reduce the bandwidth and increase speed for 3G networks. It is important to note that 3G mode only affects connections made using a 3G network, and does not affect WiFi connections in any way. When a connection is made using a 3G network, and 3G Mode is also enabled, then an alternative set of screen and performance settings is used. They can be specified in the advanced settings. If 3G mode is disabled, then a connection using a 3G network uses the same settings as a connection using a WiFi network.

If 3G Mode is enabled, it will work automatically. For example, if you connect to the server using WiFi while at home and then leave with the connection running, iTap RDP will automatically reconnect to the server using a 3G connection with the alternate settings as soon as the WiFi connectivity breaks down. If the server supports automatic reconnect, then this switch will be seamless except for a short reconnect delay.

Sound

Starting with version 1.3, iTap RDP can stream sound from the server. This feature does not need any configuration. If it is enabled (the default), the sound will automatically play on your iPhone.

The client, together with the windows server, automatically takes care of selecting apropriate compression so that the audio fits into the available bandwidth. Please note that because of the compression, the audio quality will be diminished.

Automatic Reconnect

iTap RDP can reconnect to known sessions automatically. With this feature you can return to the exact place you left, without having to enter a username or password. This works, even if you do not store a password on the client.

In the connection center, the reconnect status is indicated below the label of the bookmark.

Please note, that the automatic reconnect feature is controlled by the server. Therefore it is not possible to guarantee that it works 100% of the time.

When you end iTap RDP while you are connected to a session (for example by pressing the home button), then your current connection is saved in an automatic bookmark, and the next time you restart iTap RDP you will be automatically returned to the place where you left.

Your current location on the desktop is also saved when you return to the main menu. So you can quickly switch between multiple sessions and you will always end up exactly where you left.

Gestures

iTap RDP uses gestures to control all input actions except keyboard input. This frees up your screen, because it doesn't need to display any buttons.

Beware: 3 finger gestures will not work if you have Apple’s “Zoom” accessibility feature enabled! In that case you might use the corresponding buttons within the iTap Utility Bar instead. Make sure that the “Utility Bar” is set to “Initally On” in your bookmark’s advanced settings.

You can use the following gestures:

Most important

	Tap three fingers to show or hide the utility bar.
	Swipe three fingers from left to right to disconnect and return to the main menu.
	Swipe three fingers from top to bottom to show/hide the keyboard.

Scope Mode and Pointer Mode

	A single tap will produce a mouse click on the location where you tapped. Zoom in if you need very precise control over the click location.
	A simple drag will pan the display. This is a clientside operation, no mouse movement is generated on the server.
	Perform a pinch gesture with two fingers to zoom in or out. Like panning this does not produce any mouse input on the server.
	Drag two fingers up or down the display to emulate a mousewheel.
	Tap with two fingers to produce a right click.
	Tapping with one finger two times in quick succession will produce a doubleclick. Tap three times for a tripple click, and so on.
	The same can be done with two fingers to do a right mouse button doubleclick.

Tap with a single finger and then quickly touch the screen again but do not release the finger to initiate a mouse drag. the mouse will be released once you remove the finger from the display.

The same can be done with two fingers for a right mouse button drag.

Scope Mode

	Touch the screen and hold the finger for a short while to begin scope mode. Scope mode is in effect as long as the scope is visible.
	Move the finger to move the scope. As you approach the screen borders the screen will scroll in that direction. The closer you are to the border, the faster is scrolls.
	Touch the screen with a single additional finger to press the left mouse button, release the additional finger to release the left mouse button. Repeat for double- or multi-clicks.
	Touch the screen with two additional finger simultaneously to press the right mouse button, release the additional fingers to release the left mouse button. Repeat for double- or multi-clicks.
	You can move the original finger to perform mouse drags while holding down an additional finger to drag the left mouse button. The additional finger does not have to move.
	You can move the original finger to perform mouse drags while holding down two additioal fingers to drag the right mouse button. The additional fingers do not have to move.

Draw Mode

	A single tap will produce a mouse click on the location where you tapped. Zoom in if you need very precise control over the click location.
	Drag a singe finger to drag the left mouse button (paint).
	A drag with two fingers will pan the display. This is a clientside operation, no mouse movement is generated on the server.
	Perform a pinch gesture with two fingers to zoom in or out. Like panning this does not produce any mouse input on the server.

Appendix

URL Scheme

iTap RDP now supports opening special links in the Safari browser. As a normal user, you do not need to concern yourself with this feature, since it will work completely automatic. Just click an RDP link in Safari, and iTap RDP will automatically open and connect to the given server.

If you are a systems integrator, or otherwise want to provide RDP links in your webpages, please see the URL scheme documentation on how to provide RDP links.

First Steps

How to prepare your computer for iTap RDP usage? Check out the setup guide.

Manual

You can browse the iTap RDP manual on this website or directly from your device.

Gestures

Gestures are the core feature of iTap RDP. Please see this gesture quick reference for details: Gesture Quick Reference Download (iTap_gesture_qref-1_6.pdf)

Support contact

For questions, suggestions and technical support please do not hesitate to contact us:

support@itap.mobi

Note: Please tell us your operating system (and version) and your iPhone/iPod touch/iPad device type (and firmware version) for all technical support requests. Thank you!

Maybe our FAQ section might help.