Way to warn Casper techies that "Your Casper app XXX is not the right version"?

[donmontalvo]

Before I submit a feature request, is there a way to ensure that if a tech launches a Casper tool, they would be prompted if the version does not match JSS?

In other words, JDoe opens Casper Admin 8.62, but we upgraded JSS to 8.63, so they would/should get a dialog along the lines of:

Hi JDoe, I hope you're having a fantastic day. Oh, by the way, did you know your Casper Admin application is not at the latest version? Plese follow this link to be presented with a Self Service install of the latest version. :-)

[Joel_Peasley · Accepted solution]

One method to accomplish this goal is to package up the Casper Suite Applications with Composer as each version is released. After adding the package into Casper Admin you will want to Index so that the package can be uninstalled by checking the box under options tab of that package. You can then create a policy that will first uninstall the old version and then install the new version.

[MarkMelaccio · Accepted solution]

While it doesn't get you a mismatch message, i get around version mismatches in my environment by having a Composer packaged set of the most current Casper Apps auto install to the place where i have instructed the techs to put it as soon as i upgrade the JSS.

I also have the Apps reside in the Admin account on every mac we have, so no one really has to install it ever, and any Mac can be used as a tech mac if need be,

[mm2270 · Accepted solution]

Creating a pkg install of the apps and pushing them sounds like the best overall method to me.

But if you wanted to go more the messaging route, just create a Smart Group to detect any Macs with an older version of say, Casper Admin.app or Casper Imaging, or whatever makes the most sense. That group could then be used with a simple message style policy to alert them that the installed apps they have are out of date.

I know that isn't the same as, "launch the outdated app, get prompted to upgrade", but if you made the message use an every 15 trigger and prompt once a day, there should only be a small window where they would be using the older apps .

Actually, one other thing you could do is use Restricted Software, but have it only pop up a message instead of doing something more dramatic like killing the app (though, I suppose that might be effective also). You would need to have an exclusion to that by adding a Smart Group for anyone already using the correct versions of the apps, kind of the reverse of the above. That would then send up the prompt shortly after they launch it. But for you or anyone else with the correct versions, you would not get the message.

[gregp]

Also would be nice to optionally have it enforced, so if they're not running the current version, it will put up the message and then quit. That would be a up to the JSS administrator if they'll allow older versions to run or not.

[mking529]

Casper Admin used to display a version mismatch error and quit itself a version or two ago. Thankfully in my case I'm usually the only one messing around in Casper Admin and I'm pretty good about staying up to date since I also install the JSS update on the server.

[Joel_Peasley · Accepted solution]

One method to accomplish this goal is to package up the Casper Suite Applications with Composer as each version is released. After adding the package into Casper Admin you will want to Index so that the package can be uninstalled by checking the box under options tab of that package. You can then create a policy that will first uninstall the old version and then install the new version.

[MarkMelaccio · Accepted solution]

While it doesn't get you a mismatch message, i get around version mismatches in my environment by having a Composer packaged set of the most current Casper Apps auto install to the place where i have instructed the techs to put it as soon as i upgrade the JSS.

I also have the Apps reside in the Admin account on every mac we have, so no one really has to install it ever, and any Mac can be used as a tech mac if need be,

[mm2270 · Accepted solution]

Creating a pkg install of the apps and pushing them sounds like the best overall method to me.

But if you wanted to go more the messaging route, just create a Smart Group to detect any Macs with an older version of say, Casper Admin.app or Casper Imaging, or whatever makes the most sense. That group could then be used with a simple message style policy to alert them that the installed apps they have are out of date.

I know that isn't the same as, "launch the outdated app, get prompted to upgrade", but if you made the message use an every 15 trigger and prompt once a day, there should only be a small window where they would be using the older apps .

Actually, one other thing you could do is use Restricted Software, but have it only pop up a message instead of doing something more dramatic like killing the app (though, I suppose that might be effective also). You would need to have an exclusion to that by adding a Smart Group for anyone already using the correct versions of the apps, kind of the reverse of the above. That would then send up the prompt shortly after they launch it. But for you or anyone else with the correct versions, you would not get the message.

[donmontalvo]

@Joel.Peasley, @mmdowjones and @mm2279 Thanks for the ideas. We've got the Casper Suite 8.64 folder pacakged up, so we'll look at Smart Computer Group to check for version mismatch, display a dialog, and will have it scoped appropriately in Self Service.

Also, will look at having a second policy that will go ahead with the install if the computer is logged off, after hours to be safe. Unless we can cram both into one policy. :-B

It would be nice for JSS to do this out-of-the-box, but ya can't have everything. :D

Don

[taugust04 · Accepted solution]

Actually I remember in the past there used to be an error message given, but I believe it's only displayed for major and minor updates (version 7 to 8, or version 8.5 to 8.6, etc, but not a defect-fix release, i.e., 8.63 to 8.64). I wouldn't mind this feature for the defect-fix releases as long as the option was able to be disabled in the preferences, especially if it involves the Casper Imaging app, as I don't want a mismatch error message preventing automated imaging workflows from running.

~Ted

[cvgs]

Just wanted to share my luggage recipe for quickly packaging the latest Casper Tools for Mac. Just mount the CasperSuite.dmg, cd into the directory containing the makefile and do a "sudo make pkg DMG_VERSION=8.64". Instant Caspertools PKG suitable for distribution:

#!/usr/bin/make

USE_PKGBUILD=1
include /usr/local/share/luggage/luggage.make

DMG_VERSION="8.64"

TITLE=caspertools
REVERSE_DOMAIN=local.jamfsoftware
PACKAGE_VERSION="${DMG_VERSION}"

PAYLOAD=all

all:
    pack-caspertools

pack-caspertools: l_Applications
    @sudo ${DITTO} --noqtn "/Volumes/Casper Suite ${DMG_VERSION}/Casper Suite" "${WORK_D}/Applications/Casper Suite"
    @sudo rm -r "${WORK_D}/Applications/Casper Suite/Recon.exe"
    @sudo rm -r "${WORK_D}/Applications/Casper Suite/CasperSuiteAppsFolder.png"
    @sudo chown -R root:admin "${WORK_D}/Applications/Casper Suite"
    @sudo chmod -R go=u-w "${WORK_D}/Applications/Casper Suite"

[donmontalvo]

@cvgs Awesome script, thanks for sharing!

[PeterClarke]

Hi, Just to let you guys know,

I have done this myself - by accident / false assumption about the version of tool installed on a client.

Casper DOES already warn you the the version of tool you are trying is use is not comparable
-- The error message that comes up is quite clear that the version you are trying to use is out of date.
-- and that you should upgrade to the version used on your server.

So as far as I am concerned - it does this already...
Of course it's then up to you to install the correct version of the tool, then try again..

Casper will NOT let you use an out of date tool version.

An improvement, on this, would be to have a Policy to detect that a clinet has an out of date tool installed, and to automatically update it with the new version. - Which is down to the JSS admin to arrange.
I have not yet done that, but it's quite do-able.

taugust04 - Says this is only done for Major version changes, not minor ones (such as 8.62 -> 8.63)
- I have to admit each time I have seen it, there has been a significant version difference.
eg ( Vn 8.52 verses Vn 8.62 ).
So he may well be right about that - I have not yet verified that type of combo myself.