Custom Search Path - search in Users directory

[#1]

Hello...
We are restricting software on campus and need to track down users with
prohibited software. I would like to add a custom path to the
software/application search under the inventory tab to be able to see
applications students have downloaded to their Desktops (/Users/Desktop).
What path would I use all user folders to be included in the search? I was
thinking it would be something like: /Users/$3/Desktop/
It doesn't seem to be checking anywhere else but in the Applications folder.
Thank you,
Deb
-----------------------------------------------------------
Educational Resource Designs, Inc (ERD)

Kamehameha Schools ITD - Teacher Resource Center

[tlarkin]

You could script out something with the find command to -print out a
list of applications that a user may be running. Something like this

/usr/bin/find -x -E /Users/* -iregex '.*.app -print

Then you could say even write a script to kill or delete those files, by
just adding the -delete after the -print option.. I recommend you use
MCX though and restrict file path of which apps can execute

[#3]

Thank you, Dusty and Thomas for valuable suggestions.
I will try both suggestions. I do have some applications listed in the
'Restricted software' option in JSS and sometimes they want to see what apps
the students have.

Thanks much again.

deb

On 1/8/10 10:11 AM, "Thomas Larkin" <tlarki at kckps.org> wrote:

You could script out something with the find command to -print out a list of applications that a user may be running. Something like this /usr/bin/find -x -E /Users/* -iregex '.*.app -print Then you could say even write a script to kill or delete those files, by just adding the -delete after the -print option.. I recommend you use MCX though and restrict file path of which apps can execute.

If you are looking to just restrict it and not allow it's use why not just
add it to your restricted software and tell the JSS to kill the process and
delete it. That way when they go to run it, poof, gone. Regardless of
where they have it saved. You can then have it trigger a message to the
user and send an e-mail to you.

We restrict a bunch of P2P and Torrent applications and have them delete if
launched.

Just a thought. But you may not be looking to go that far yet, in which
case for data collection I think your syntax is correct. I know for current
user and scripting you can just use: ~/Desktop/

Someone on here has probably done something similar and will have more
input.

Someone have a way of doing this with a dummy receipt? Anyone? I'm looking
at you T.L. J

-Dusty-

Dustin Dorey
Technology Support Cluster Specialist
Independent School District 196
Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan Public Schools
dustin.dorey at district196.org

[tlarkin]

Well that find command will print out a list of apps they have. It does
it to the log though, so you may want to echo it out to a file or pipe
it out with a mail command and email the results, though that could end
up spamming your inbox.

[dustydorey]

If you are looking to just restrict it and not allow it's use why not
just add it to your restricted software and tell the JSS to kill the
process and delete it. That way when they go to run it, poof, gone.
Regardless of where they have it saved. You can then have it trigger a
message to the user and send an e-mail to you.

We restrict a bunch of P2P and Torrent applications and have them delete
if launched.

Just a thought. But you may not be looking to go that far yet, in which
case for data collection I think your syntax is correct. I know for
current user and scripting you can just use: ~/Desktop/

Someone on here has probably done something similar and will have more
input.

Someone have a way of doing this with a dummy receipt? Anyone? I'm
looking at you T.L. J

-Dusty-

Dustin Dorey

Technology Support Cluster Specialist

Independent School District 196

Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan Public Schools

dustin.dorey at district196.org

651|423|7971