Detect Installed VNC Version

Detect Installed VNC Distribution

SmartCode VNC Manager v4.0 introduced the ability to detect which version of VNC software is installed on a remote computer by establishing a TCP connection to the remote computer’s VNC server. Upon connection, the VNC scanner will analyze the RFB handshake string and make an assumption about which version of VNC software is installed on the remote computer. Unfortunately, it's impossible to determine the exact version of VNC that is installed just by analyzing the RFB handshake string. Version 5.0 introduces the "Detect Installed VNC Distribution" tool that addresses this issue. The new tool allows you to scan a remote computer’s installed software database for known VNC distribution installations and present the administrator with a detailed report about the VNC installations.

Working With The "Detect Installed VNC Distribution" Tool

To open the Detect Installed VNC Distribution window, right click on the Registered Computers list and select the VNC Tasks -> Detect Installed VNC Distribution command. Alternatively, you can use Ctrl+Shift+U as a shortcut to open the window.

The numbered items apply to the numbers shown in the picture at right:

  1. Target computer's host name or IP addresses
  2. Name of the detected VNC distribution
  3. If a remote computer has more than one VNC distribution installed, the "…" will be shown next to the distribution name. Click on the button to see a list of detected VNC distributions. The selected distribution will appear in the registered computer list. NOTE: The default "VNC Distribution (Installed soft. scan)" is not shown in the Registered Computers list. You can make it visible by selecting the View -> Choose Details command
  4. Shows the Build number of detected VNC distributions
  5. Use the Add Computer, Browse and Delete buttons to add or remove computers from the "target computers list".
  6. Lists supported VNC distributions. The tool will attempt to detect check distributions when you click on the Execute button. "Native VNC distributions" are the VNC installation created by native VNC setup packages. "SmartCode VNC Distributions" are the VNC installations created by the SmartCode VNC Deployment wizard using VNC MSI packages developed by SmartCode Solutions.
  7. If the "Skip remaining check on the first found" is checked, the scanner will quit if it detects a VNC distribution installation and won't try to detect other VNC distribution installations.
  8. Number of parallel threads used by the scanner.
    NOTE: The scanner uses one thread per target computer. So this field will be enabled only if there is more than one computer added to the "Target computers list".

Detect Installed VNC Distributions Using a "Registered Computer" Properties Sheet

The Registered Computer properties sheet has been modified to support the Detect Installed VNC Distribution feature. To see the changes in action open a registered computer properties sheet and select "VNC \ General" node. The VNC Distribution group box offers three ways to enter inventory details about VNC :

  1. Offers the functionality of the "Installed VNC Distribution" window. Click on the "Search" button to start the search. Click on the "Clear" button to clear the field. If there is more than one VNC distribution installed on a remote computer, you may select the combobox to select the distribution name that will appear in the registered computers list.
    The default "VNC Distribution (Installed soft. scan)" is not shown in the Registered Computers list. You can make it visible using the View -> Choose Details command
  2. Allows you to detect the VNC distribution by establishing a test TCP connection and analyzing the RFB handshake string.
  3. Allows you to enter the VNC inventory details manually.

The information text (4) can be hidden by clicking on the Close (x) button.


APPLIES TO: SmartCode VNC Manager v5.0.4.0 or newer