Use JAMFHelper to create a message with a hyperlink?

[GabeShack]

Hey all,
Trying to find a way to have jamf helper post a message that has clickable links. Perhaps one of the buttons could be set to go to that link. If not I could always push a link to their desktop and just have them double click it, but I'd rather it be inline.
Gabe Shackney
Princeton Public Schools

#!/bin/bash
# Determine OS version
osvers=$(sw_vers -productVersion | awk -F. '{print $2}')

dialog="Thank you for being a part of the Mobile Access Program!

Please click on this link http://mylink.com to compete a brief technology usage survey.

Signed,
Gabe Shackney
Technology Office
Princeton Public Schools"
description=`echo "$dialog"`
button1="OK"
jamfHelper="/Library/Application Support/JAMF/bin/jamfHelper.app/Contents/MacOS/jamfHelper"
icon="/System/Library/CoreServices/CoreTypes.bundle/Contents/Resources/AlertNoteIcon.icns"

if [[ ${osvers} -lt 7 ]]; then

  "$jamfHelper" -windowType utility -description "$description" -button1 "$button1" -icon "$icon"

fi

if [[ ${osvers} -ge 7 ]]; then

  jamf displayMessage -message "$dialog"

fi

exit 0

[mm2270 · Accepted solution]

@gshackney I don't know why that would be exactly. What I posted above wasn't a complete script of course, but I assume you added the extra bits to make it into one.

I just tested the below script, both by running it locally and also calling it as root and it seemed to work for me. When I click the Open Link button it causes Safari to come to the front and opens a new tab to google.com. As you can see, I just added a few items, like a real URL to open for example and a short description text so something would be in the dialog. No issues for me. I'm on JSS 9.82 in case it matters any.

#!/bin/bash

jamfHelper="/Library/Application Support/JAMF/bin/jamfHelper.app/Contents/MacOS/jamfHelper"

description="This is the description"
button1="OK"
button2="Open Link"

if [[ ${osvers} -lt 7 ]]; then
    userChoice=$("$jamfHelper" -windowType utility -description "$description" -button1 "$button1" -button2 "$button2" -icon "$icon")
    if [ "$userChoice" == "2" ]; then
        open https://google.com
    else
        exit 0
    fi
fi

Edit: I just realized I didn't put in anything related to the OS version, so the comparison for $osvers is passing since there is no value for that variable in my script (null < 7). I didn't look at it clearly, but why are you checking for the OS version in your script exactly?

[mm2270]

Yeah, you need to make one of the buttons go to a link when clicked. There's no way to add an actual hyperlink into the text in a jamfHelper message, or a jamf displayMessage, or an Applescript dialog, or a cocoaDialog window, etc. Meaning, there are no good tools I'm aware of for messaging that can add links into them.
Apple can do it, since I've seen a number of Apple software generated dialogs have links in them, but it seems they control that and don't allow anyone to tap into that framework, probably for security reasons.

[GabeShack]

Great...so just need to figure out how to make the button take me there...

Gabe Shackney
Princeton Public Schools

[joshuasee]

Here was my attempt:

#!/bin/bash
#
# More flexible Casper notifications for customer by Joshua See 

note_txt="$4"; # Labeled "Notice Text" in script options
info_url="$5"; # Labeled "More Info URL" in script options
icon_url="$6"; # Labeled "Icon URL (optional)" in script options
titl_txt="$7"; # Labeled "Title (optional)" in script options

if [[ -z ${titl_txt} ]]; then 
    titl_txt="Management Notification";
    else 
    titl_txt="${titl_txt}";
fi

if [[ -n ${icon_url} ]]; then
    iconpath="/tmp/`uuidgen`";
    /usr/bin/curl -sk ${icon_url} -o ${iconpath};
    iconpath="-icon "${iconpath}"";
fi

/Library/Application Support/JAMF/bin/jamfHelper.app/Contents/MacOS/jamfHelper -windowType hud -windowPosition ur -alignDescription left -button2 "More Info…" -button1 OK -lockHUD -timeout 30 -defaultButton 1 ${iconpath} -title "${titl_txt}" -description "${note_txt}";

if [[ "$?" -ne 0 ]]; then
    # The launchctl call may not be required. Replace with the commented version to do without it.
    # /usr/bin/open "${info_url}";
    launchctl bsexec $(who -u | sed -n s/'.*.console.*[ 	]'//p) /usr/bin/open "${info_url}";
fi

exit 0;

[mm2270]

Generally the way to do that is to make the command that throw up the message into a variable that gets captured, since it should exit with a number indicating which button was clicked.

For example, using what you posted above (not a complete script)-

button1="OK"
button2="Open Link"

if [[ ${osvers} -lt 7 ]]; then
    userChoice=$("$jamfHelper" -windowType utility -description "$description" -button1 "$button1" -button2 "$button2" -icon "$icon")
    if [ "$userChoice" == "2" ]; then
        open http://mylink.com
    else
        exit 0
    fi
fi

Essentially, the -button2 exits with an exit code of "2" Take a look at the jamfHelper help documentation. It describes the possible button output. -button1 exits with code 0. So in the above, I'm capturing the result of the jamfHelper command in a variable called $userChoice and then checking that output. If its 2, then button 2 or "Open Link" was clicked. If its anything else, just exit.

Hope that helps.

[psd_martinb]

I used Applescript for this purpose.
JAMF scripts allow a great deal for customizing and reusing these popups too. It even is branded with our logo (.ico file)

$6 (script parameter) is a link that is opened in the default web browser.

#!/bin/bash

MESSAGE="Hello,
$4

If you have any questions please call extension 3711 or open a ticket.

- PSD Technical Services"

BUTTONTXT="Okay"

if [ -n "$7" ]; then
    BUTTONTXT="Reboot"
fi

if [ -n "$6" ]; then
    echo "Running for user $3"
    osascript -e 'tell app "System Events" to display dialog "'"$MESSAGE"'" with title "'"$5"'" buttons {"'"$BUTTONTXT"'", "More Info"} default button 1 with icon file {"Library:Geektool:psd.icns"}
        if button returned of result = "More Info" then
            do shell script "echo Opening link"
            tell application "System Events" to open location "'"$6"'"
        else if button returned of result = "Reboot" then
            do shell script "reboot"
        end if'
else
    osascript -e 'tell app "System Events" to display dialog "'"$MESSAGE"'" with title "'"$5"'" buttons {"'"$BUTTONTXT"'"} default button 1 with icon file {"Library:Geektool:psd.icns"}
        if button returned of result = "Reboot" then
            do shell script "reboot"
        end if'
fi

When OS X updates are needed, I used this popup to alert users on login and every hour or so that they need to reboot their computer. We created and published a Google Doc that was used to convey more information.

[GabeShack]

@mm2270 I tried your suggestion, but can't get the button to actually perform a command to open the url. It just closes the window.

I'll have to play with the other suggestions.

Gabe Shackney
Princeton Public Schools

[mm2270 · Accepted solution]

@gshackney I don't know why that would be exactly. What I posted above wasn't a complete script of course, but I assume you added the extra bits to make it into one.

I just tested the below script, both by running it locally and also calling it as root and it seemed to work for me. When I click the Open Link button it causes Safari to come to the front and opens a new tab to google.com. As you can see, I just added a few items, like a real URL to open for example and a short description text so something would be in the dialog. No issues for me. I'm on JSS 9.82 in case it matters any.

#!/bin/bash

jamfHelper="/Library/Application Support/JAMF/bin/jamfHelper.app/Contents/MacOS/jamfHelper"

description="This is the description"
button1="OK"
button2="Open Link"

if [[ ${osvers} -lt 7 ]]; then
    userChoice=$("$jamfHelper" -windowType utility -description "$description" -button1 "$button1" -button2 "$button2" -icon "$icon")
    if [ "$userChoice" == "2" ]; then
        open https://google.com
    else
        exit 0
    fi
fi

Edit: I just realized I didn't put in anything related to the OS version, so the comparison for $osvers is passing since there is no value for that variable in my script (null < 7). I didn't look at it clearly, but why are you checking for the OS version in your script exactly?

[B-35405]

@mm2270 thx for the code! I woke up today to a request to add a link to release notes after a software upgrade. this will work great. thx a bunch

[seanjsgallagher]

@mm2270 I was trying to do something similar, posting a message and having a button to exit, and another button to open a weblink. The Apple script version would open another instance of Safari and would only work when run locally. It would not run via policy or Jamf remote. I went back in to Jamfnation and saw this thread. I have tried the script below and it works when run locally, and open the page in safari. When I run it threw Jamf remote, or via policy, the message pops up, but if I click the button to open the link Safari starts but just bounces in the dock.

In the log file it errors out

Script exit code: 0
Script result: LSOpenURLsWithRole() failed with error -600 for the URL https://google.com.
optout

---

!/bin/sh

WELCOME=`/Library/Application Support/JAMF/bin/jamfHelper.app/Contents/MacOS/jamfHelper -windowType utility -heading "Welcome to a new day." -iconSize 256 -icon /usr/local/icons/log.eps -alignDescription natural -description "Hello

Welcome" -button1 "Go" -button2 "Exit" -cancelButton "2"`

echo "jamf helper result was $HELPER";

if [ "$WELCOME" == "0" ]; then

open https://google.com echo "optout"

exit 0 else echo "user chose No"; exit 1 fi

[mm2270 · Accepted solution]

@seanjsgallagher Hey there. If I had to take a wild guess, I would say this line

open https://google.com

will now need to be run as the logged in user. In the past, not too long ago like when I posted the script above, this wasn't usually necessary, but Apple has really been tightening the screws of security in the OS a LOT over the last few versions. Especially since 10.13.x and up. So maybe using code like this will work when run via a Jamf policy? Even this isn't a guarantee now, but give it a try.

#!/bin/sh

JHELPER="/Library/Application Support/JAMF/bin/jamfHelper.app/Contents/MacOS/jamfHelper"

LOGGED_IN_USER=$(stat -f%Su /dev/console)
LOGGED_IN_UID=$(id -u "$LOGGED_IN_USER")

WELCOME=$("$JHELPER" -windowType utility -heading "Welcome to a new day." -iconSize 256 -icon /usr/local/icons/log.eps -alignDescription natural -description "Hello

Welcome" -button1 "Go" -button2 "Exit" -cancelButton "2")

if [ "$WELCOME" == "0" ]; then
      /bin/launchctl asuser "$LOGGED_IN_UID" sudo -iu "$LOGGED_IN_USER" open https://google.com
      echo "optout"
      exit 0
else
      echo "user chose No"
      exit 1
fi

If you need the URL to open in a specific browser remember you can throw in a -a Safari or -a Firefox into the open command.

[seanjsgallagher]

@mm2270 Thank you for the help this resolved the issue for me. I keep forgetting about all the security changes Apple has been making.

[cbd4s]

The only small issue is still that open link button will close the jamfhelper dialog. So when I add that button as "More Info" for user to click and find out some more details about this notification and what's going to happen, the dialog obviously disappears. As a result the user won't be clicking the actual button to "Start".

I guess one option is to use loop when "More Info" button is selected to display another jamfHelper dialog.

#!/bin/sh
echo ""

USER_ID=`id -u`

if [ "$USER_ID" -ne 0 ]; then
    echo "You must be root to run the script. Use sudo $0"
    exit
fi

## Wait for a user to log in
CONSOLE_USER=`stat -f "%Su" /dev/console`

echo "($(basename "$0")) - Checking user login session every 5 minutes..."
while [ "$CONSOLE_USER" = "root" ] || [ "$CONSOLE_USER" = "" ]
do
    sleep 300
    CONSOLE_USER=`stat -f "%Su" /dev/console`
done
CONSOLE_USERFULL=$(id -F "$CONSOLE_USER")
CONSOLE_HOME=`eval echo ~${CONSOLE_USER}`
console_user_id=`id -u ${CONSOLE_USER}`

echo "($(basename "$0")) - Current logged in user is $CONSOLE_USERFULL($CONSOLE_USER, $console_user_id)"

## Check the LOCKED_SCREEN_STATE every minute until it is empty which means the screensaver is not on and the screen is not locked
LOCKED_SCREEN_STATE=$(/bin/launchctl asuser "$console_user_id" sudo -u "$CONSOLE_USER" /usr/bin/python -c 'import sys,Quartz; d=Quartz.CGSessionCopyCurrentDictionary(); print d' | grep "CGSSessionScreenIsLocked")
echo "($(basename "$0")) - Checking Locked Screen State every 1 minute..."

while [ -n "$LOCKED_SCREEN_STATE" ]
do
    sleep 60
    LOCKED_SCREEN_STATE=$(/bin/launchctl asuser "$console_user_id" sudo -u "$CONSOLE_USER" /usr/bin/python -c 'import sys,Quartz; d=Quartz.CGSessionCopyCurrentDictionary(); print d' | grep "CGSSessionScreenIsLocked")
done

echo "($(basename "$0")) - $CONSOLE_USER logged in and the screen is not locked. Continuing..."

## Display jamfHelper message until Install button is clicked
jamfHelper="/Library/Application Support/JAMF/bin/jamfHelper.app/Contents/MacOS/jamfHelper"

windowType="utility"
windowPosition="ur"
title="Message Title"
heading="Hi, $CONSOLE_USERFULL"
description="Message"
icon="/Applications/Self Service.app/Contents/Resources/AppIcon.icns"
button1="Install"
button2="More Info"
DelayOptions="0, 900, 1800, 3600"

selection=$("$jamfHelper" -windowType "$windowType" -windowPosition "$windowPosition" -title "$title" -heading "$heading" -description "$description" -icon "$icon" -button1 "$button1" -button2 "$button2" -defaultButton 1 -showDelayOptions "$DelayOptions")

while [ "$selection" == "2" ]
do
    /bin/launchctl asuser "$console_user_id" sudo -u "$CONSOLE_USER" open "https://google.com"
        selection=$("$jamfHelper" -windowType "$windowType" -windowPosition "$windowPosition" -title "$title" -heading "$heading" -description "$description" -icon "$icon" -button1 "$button1" -button2 "$button2" -defaultButton 1 -showDelayOptions "$DelayOptions")
done

timeChosen="${selection%?}"
if [ -z "$timeChosen" ]; then 
    timeChosen=0
    echo "($(basename "$0")) - Start Now was selected"
    echo "($(basename "$0")) - Installation is starting now..."
else
    timeMinutes=$((timeChosen/60))
    echo "($(basename "$0")) - $timeMinutes minutes was selected"
    echo "($(basename "$0")) - Installation is starting in $timeMinutes minutes..."
    sleep $timeChosen
fi

exit 0      ## Success
exit 1      ## Failure

[mhasman]

I use similar solution for MS Office updates pop-up notification. "Update Now" button lunches update installation policy, "Later" opens Self Service :)