Notification Feature Request

[#1]

We have a few feature requests that we would like to see for ease of supporting our clients.

The first one is the ability to have notifications to the end users. Currently the only notification is when rebooting is required after installing an application. We would like the ability to have a notification about updates that are going to be installed and also along with that give them the ability to initiate the updates. For example we are wanting to push the latest security updates that require a reboot. In stead of them wondering why their computer is starting slow and reboot it on their own because it is not starting up like it should, or trying to shut down and just force it off. We would like to send a notification that updates are going to be installed on a set date and this can be made in the policy section and the notification will give them two options. Ok or install now. This way they can install it when it is convenient to them and is not a surprise and if they click ok for it to give another notification at the time of installation.

The second feature I would like to see is the ability to have notifications along with the ability to lock the screen while a task is running. For example we are running a software install that requires all applications to be closed. We want to prevent the user from opening any applications at that time.

-- Grant Lutz

[tlarkin]

/usr/sbin/jamf displayMessage -message "Hello world!"

/usr/bin/osascript <<EndOfScript tell application "System Events" display dialog "Hello World!" end tell EndOfSCript

those are two examples, if you want user interaction you will have use xcode or say iHook APIs.

[ernstcs]

So Tom has the real basic version of it.

For notifications you have quite a few options. You can use the built-in functionality of the JSS and use displayMessage. This can be utilized in a policy purely as a notifications as well.

If you want to email a group, this is what’s in 7.3. You do a search for a group, or hopefully view membership of a Smart Group, and select the action to perform at the bottom to email users assigned to these assets if a valid email address is assigned to it. Page 236 of the 7.3x manual.

You can:

Create a policy Go to the reboot tab Set to not reboot Under reboot options check the box to ‘Display message if not rebooting’ and define your message in the text box

All this will do is simply display a message telling them updates are available for their system (or whatever you want to say), and then there are a couple of ways to have the updates applied by them:

1. If they are an admin just tell them to run Software Update from the Apple menu
2. The other options are in Self Service for admins or non-admins Create a Self Service to simply ‘Install All Software Updates’ on the Packages tab Create a Self Service that launches Software Update GUI as root by adding this Run Command to the Advanced tab

/System/Library/CoreServices/Software Update.app/Contents/MacOS/Software Update

There are also other notification options like Tom has pointed out with iHook and I think even Growl. These can do much more than the jamfDisplay message.

You can make your own lock screen using what’s already in the OS with tools that were in:

/Volumes/Macintosh HD/System/Library/CoreServices/RemoteManagement/

In Leopard there use to be a LockScreen.app you could pull out in one of the package contents there, change the graphic for and make your own custom package for. This appears to have possibly changed in Snow Leopard, but JAMF is doing it somehow with their Adobe FirstRun installer. Just haven’t dug into how lately. If I do I’ll let you know.

So I hope that helps.

Craig E

[ernstcs]

There are several ways to accomplish this with existing tools, policies, and self service.

Need my laptop to really explain it without thumb cramp.

Will post more later if someone doesn't beat me to it.

That being said, more tools in the JSS to lessen our engineering of tasks like this would be helpful.

What OS versions do you need this on?

Craig E

[ernstcs]

Also what JSS version are you on?

[#6]

We are completely on OS X 10.6.4 and JSS 7.21

-- Grant Lutz

[ernstcs]

Are you planning to upgrade to 7.3x? There are some enhancements for user email notifications from the JSS in that version.

Will still comment later on the other stuff.

[localhorst]

Hi Chris,

On 15 Sep 2010, at 10:00, Criss Myers wrote:

thank you for your posting. We just started developing something similar using Growl earlier this week. We also investigate the possibility to use sticky growl messages (messages the user has to click on) to force a reboot.

I wonder if there is enough interest in Growl support to make it a feature request. I would like to be able to configure three notification messages per policy: 1. before execution 2. after (on success) 3. on error
Ideally the JAMF binary could have Growl support build in and pick up those three messages from the policy.

Best,
Marko

--

Marko Jung
NSMS - Oxford University Computing Services
http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/nsms

[#9]

I want to take a moment out of a busy schedule to send out my sincere Thank You to all that have contributed here.
This is valuable information and the inclusion of scripts really takes it to another level.

Times like this are clear indicators that humanity has a fighting chance and good forces will always be triumphant over evil!

Nick Caro Senior Desktop Support Administrator

[Bukira]

Hi

I'll add the following, with attachments, for messages i prefer to use
Growl as it also gives Hardware notifications such as Ethernet,
wireless, bluetooth, disk drive etc and also works with other
applications such as aMSN etc,

I have also used iHooks but i like the presentation of notify, and its
a stick message, iHooks are great for login and logout but cannot be
used with Casper login/logout policies, you use either but not both, but
you can use iHook and general scripts to add graphics to a shell script.

I have attached a pre made package for Growl 1.2 as well growlnotify
which is the command line tool for custom message, ive also included a
script for Casper Admin so you can make custom message in the JSS. Ive
also included a LockScreen package which installs to lockscreens, one
for Adobe message (same as JAMF use) and a general installing updates
lockscreen, you can also edit or replace the images yourself, also
attached is the script and command to activate and deactivate the
lockscreens

1. For notifications i use Growl, i have attached a script i use, simply drop it in Casper Admin, set Parameter 4 = Application, Parameter 5 = Title, Parameter 6 = Message

Then you can add a custom message to any install or policy that runs in
self service or login or custom trigger etc, it is a sticky message so
it remains until the user closes it so there is no way they can not see
it

I add these a an AFTER script to all my Self Service Application
installs to notify the user that the application has been installed, add
the script to the policy and then edit the parameters, the APPLICATION
is the icon you want display with the message, i use Self Service so the
user knows it relates to self service app, if its a file policy i use
Finder, but you could use the icon of the App your installing such as
Photoshop etc. For TITLE i put "Installation Report" and for MESSAGE i put "The
application ...... has been successfully installed and you will find it
in Applications/..... "

1. For lockscreen i use a modified version of the Casper one, and it works fine in 10.6.4

Install the package attached and place the 2 scripts in Casper Admin,
for Adobe installs i add the LockScreenAdobe.sh as a BEFORE script in
the Self Service policy and for general installs i run them as a Logout
policy, (thus not afecting the user, together with a reboot option) and
add the LockScreen.sh script as a BEFORE script.

To unlcok the screen add the following line to the command section of
the policy

killall LockScreen

Let me know if you need any other help with these

Regards

Criss

Criss Myers
Senior Customer Support Analyst (Mac Services)
iPhone / iPad Developer
Apple Certified Technical Coordinator v10.5
LIS Development Team
Adelphi Building AB28
University of Central Lancashire
Preston PR1 2HE
Ex 5054
01772 895054

[Bukira]

Hi

The List wont let me send the attachments so

www.bukira.com/casper

youll find them there

I'll add the following, with attachments, for messages i prefer to use
Growl as it also gives Hardware notifications such as Ethernet,
wireless, bluetooth, disk drive etc and also works with other
applications such as aMSN etc,

I have also used iHooks but i like the presentation of notify, and its
a stick message, iHooks are great for login and logout but cannot be
used with Casper login/logout policies, you use either but not both, but
you can use iHook and general scripts to add graphics to a shell script.

I have attached a pre made package for Growl 1.2 as well growlnotify
which is the command line tool for custom message, ive also included a
script for Casper Admin so you can make custom message in the JSS. Ive
also included a LockScreen package which installs to lockscreens, one
for Adobe message (same as JAMF use) and a general installing updates
lockscreen, you can also edit or replace the images yourself, also
attached is the script and command to activate and deactivate the
lockscreens

1. For notifications i use Growl, i have attached a script i use, simply drop it in Casper Admin, set Parameter 4 = Application, Parameter 5 = Title, Parameter 6 = Message

Then you can add a custom message to any install or policy that runs in
self service or login or custom trigger etc, it is a sticky message so
it remains until the user closes it so there is no way they can not see
it

I add these a an AFTER script to all my Self Service Application
installs to notify the user that the application has been installed, add
the script to the policy and then edit the parameters, the APPLICATION
is the icon you want display with the message, i use Self Service so the
user knows it relates to self service app, if its a file policy i use
Finder, but you could use the icon of the App your installing such as
Photoshop etc. For TITLE i put "Installation Report" and for MESSAGE i put "The
application ...... has been successfully installed and you will find it
in Applications/..... "

1. For lockscreen i use a modified version of the Casper one, and it works fine in 10.6.4

Install the package attached and place the 2 scripts in Casper Admin,
for Adobe installs i add the LockScreenAdobe.sh as a BEFORE script in
the Self Service policy and for general installs i run them as a Logout
policy, (thus not afecting the user, together with a reboot option) and
add the LockScreen.sh script as a BEFORE script.

To unlcok the screen add the following line to the command section of
the policy

killall LockScreen

Let me know if you need any other help with these

Regards

Criss

Criss Myers
Senior Customer Support Analyst (Mac Services)
iPhone / iPad Developer
Apple Certified Technical Coordinator v10.5
LIS Development Team
Adelphi Building AB28
University of Central Lancashire
Preston PR1 2HE
Ex 5054
01772 895054

[Bukira]

Well Growl SDK is now available for version 1.2.1 so maybe JAMF can use that

Criss Myers
Senior Customer Support Analyst (Mac Services)
iPhone / iPad Developer
Apple Certified Technical Coordinator v10.5
LIS Development Team
Adelphi Building AB28
University of Central Lancashire
Preston PR1 2HE
Ex 5054
01772 895054

[bentoms]

I was looking at utilizing ihook at logout to advise users that updates were being installed...
(Casper policy at logout would install all required software updates & install all cached packages.. invoking an ihook window to notify end-users)..

Will this not work?

Ben Toms
IT Support Analyst GREY Group
The Johnson Building, 77 Hatton Garden, London, EC1N 8JS
T: +44 (0) 20-3037-3819 |
Main: +44 (0) 20 3037 3000 | IT Helpdesk: +44 (0) 20 3037 3883

[Bukira]

certainly, install iHook

create a script with an image or echo command for feedback, stick the
scrit.hook on the casper share and then

run the command in the policy "run command" section

/pathtoihookapp/iHook.app/Contents/MacOS/iHook --no-titlebar
--script=/pathtoscript/script.hook

and it will run that hook after the rest of the policy

Criss Myers
Senior Customer Support Analyst (Mac Services)
iPhone / iPad Developer
Apple Certified Technical Coordinator v10.5
LIS Development Team
Adelphi Building AB28
University of Central Lancashire
Preston PR1 2HE
Ex 5054
01772 895054

[bentoms]

Thankyou!
For now I think that will sort our notification needs

Ben Toms
IT Support Analyst GREY Group
The Johnson Building, 77 Hatton Garden, London, EC1N 8JS
T: +44 (0) 20-3037-3819 |
Main: +44 (0) 20 3037 3000 | IT Helpdesk: +44 (0) 20 3037 3883