custom event 'once per computer' changes by JAMF

[tcandela]

I have a custom event that installs a printer driver, and it works great. Previously i set the 'executable frequency' to 'once per computer'. So any additional printers would not need to re-install the same driver over and over.

Now, after JAMF version upgrades i have to set the 'executable frequency' to 'ongoing' because if i keep it at 'once per computer' users get a popup saying 'not available' when the custom event to install the driver gets called a second/third etc.. time.

I don't want to confuse the user when they see the 'not available' popup when the policy runs the driver policy, so i have to set it to 'ongoing'

Does anyone else get this same thing?

why did JAMF change this behavior? before it would just smoothly go past the already installed driver policy WITHOUT popping up this 'not available' pop-up box. So now i have to keep the policy at 'ongoing'

[mm2270]

I'm not understanding the issue here. Once per computer means once per computer. Once it finishes a run, successful or not, on any computer, that same policy will not execute again on that Mac, unless the policy log gets flushed or all policies for that one Mac are flushed, like in the case of a resetting up a Mac. That has always been how it worked. If you were seeing something different before, then it wasn't actually working as expected, and the behavior now is correct.
The only way to have any policy keep running each time it gets called is to have the frequency set to Ongoing, as far as I'm aware at least.

Maybe you can clarify what you were seeing or trying to achieve that you aren't able to now?

[tcandela]

Now when its set at 'once per computer ' a pop up appears saying 'not available' so the user sees this clicks ok then the policy continues.

Before it never had this popup

[mm2270]

Ok, I see what you're saying now. But just for clarification, is this when the policy is being run from Self Service, and if so, why would it even be showing up there in the first place? If this is when it's called from a Terminal window, then that's something new. I'm assuming it's the former - from Self Service, but maybe you can clarify for sure. I have not seen a policy show up in SS that shouldn't really be there, unless its a case where the policy was just run, and it still shows up there for a minute or so before finally disappearing. Is that what you're seeing? Just trying to understand the problem, since I don't know that I've ever had this issue myself.

[tcandela]

Its a self service printer install policy that installs a printer which calls a custom event to install the driver once, but since i get this popup now i have to set driver policy to ongoing.

previously when a printer got installed a frist time it would install the printer, calling the customevent print driver install policy, then finish installing the printer. If they installed a second printer it would see the driver was already installed 'once per computer' (no popup saying 'not available' and finish installing the printer.

now if they install more than one printer, i have to set the printer driver custom event policy to 'ongoing' so the user does not get the 'not available' popup, they have to click 'ok' to proceed..

this popup never happened before.

[spalmer]

Setting the custom trigger policy to ongoing is probably better so that if something fails you don’t have to remember to flush the logs in both policies.

However, when you set any policy to Ongoing you should always properly scope so that your Macs fall out of scope when the software in question is installed.

In this specific case I would think you could scope the secondary driver policy only to Macs that don’t have the drivers installed. This could be done by creating a Smart Group for Macs that don’t have the package receipt for the printer drivers that you installed and scoping the policy to that.

You may also want to set the secondary driver policy to run inventory so the Mac you are installing this on falls out of scope right away, especially if you install multiple printers from Self Service in a row on that same Mac.

[talkingmoose]

This is a couple of years old, but the technique still applies. I believe something like this is what @spalmer may have in mind.

https://www.jamf.com/blog/how-to-build-dual-self-service-policies-and-improve-the-user-experience/

My philosophy around running policies is to endeavor to always make Ongoing policies and make Smart Groups that identify the "state" of your Mac and scope those to your policies as needed. If you're installing a printer, then Jamf should know whether the drivers are already installed. If they're installed, show a policy that only installs the printer. If they're not installed, show a policy that installs the printer and the software.

[tcandela]

@talkingmoose I have smart groups and ongoing policies. Since i'm now having this issue with the driver policy , i might have to change it to something similar to that link you added