Automation on importing .inv files from off site computers

[janet]

Hi All,

I need to deploy scanning agent on computers from different countries. So this is how I think it would work. I will mail the .exe file to them, they will run it and when the .inv file was generated. They will mail it back to me.

But this is too much work, especially if we want to monitor the report every week and these people are busy, I cannot really rely on them doing this.

So is there a way that we can automate this process? So that when I gave them the .exe file, the .inv file will automatically be mailed to me on a schedule.

All I want is to have an inventory of all our assets. If you know any way or alternatives it would be very much appreciated. Thanks.

Regards,

Janet

[Alex]

Hi Janet,

Thanks for your message.

Unfortunately, there is no preinstallable agent that would automatically report to the central server. However, you can set the standalone agent to scan a computer weekly using Windows Tasks, and to save the scan results to a Dropbox folder (or any other folder that allows the files saved in it to be available to you). More information on the scan agent here:
https://docs.softinventive.com/tni/user-manual/scanning-using-agents/manual-scan/

We are planning to add a preintallable agent with such possibilities in the future versions.
 
If these computers log on to a domain, you can scan them using the domain logon script scan:
https://docs.softinventive.com/tni/user-manual/scanning-using-agents/logon-script-scan/
 
In addition, you can use the automatic import feature to let TNI automatically pull asset files from a certain folder on program startup or on timer:
https://docs.softinventive.com/tni/user-manual/storage/data-import/#Automatic-import

Please let us know if you have any questions.

[janet]

Thanks Alex.

Can you provide a link that can guide me to do this?

* standalone agent to scan a computer weekly using Windows Tasks, and to save the scan results to a Dropbox folder

[Alex]

You can find some useful information on how to schedule a task with Windows Task Scheduler here:
https://www.7tutorials.com/how-create-task-basic-task-wizard

And here you can find information on what commandline parameters you can use for tniwinagent.exe:
https://docs.softinventive.com/tni/user-manual/scanning-using-agents/manual-scan/

[janet]

Hi,

Thanks for the previous help. I was able to setup the tniwinagent using Windows Task Scheduler.

Now, I'm trying to do the same with tnimacagent. I'm hoping this is easier with the use of Automator. But I had difficulties because when I click on the agent it would open using Terminal and it would ask a y/n question. Automator would stop running at that.

Is there a possibility to remove that? I want to run it then it would not ask for anything just generate the .inv file. 

Thanks in advance.

[Alex]

Hi,

You can use the “-silent” command-line switch to avoid the scan confirmation question.

[janet]

Hi Alex,

I'm not familiar with that, can you cite an example how? 

And this is for mac right?

Thanks,

Janet

[Support]

Hello,

Yes, you asked about Mac agent and we replied about it.

If you run it from the console, generally you would need to type:

chmod 755 tnimacagent
./tnimacagent -silent

First command assigns an executable mask to the file. Second command runs the scan itself omitting the confirmation.

[janet]

Hi,

Can you help out.

Basically what I want is to run the agent (double click it) then the .inv file will be generated. No need to type in anything on the console.

This is how my agent on windows works. I want it to be the same with mac. 

Is that possible?

[Alex]

It is only possible to avoid the scan confirmation question by running the agent in a way that sends the "-silent" command-line switch to the agent.

You can find information on how to run a console command in Automator here:
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/1220818

You will need to specify a path to the agent file. Therefore the command should look like:

/your/path/tnimacagent -silent

In any way, you need to run the command "chmod 755 tnimacagent" once on the file that you've copied from a Windows PC to set the executable access permissions for the agent.

Hope this helps.

[janet]

Still no luck, the -silent command has to be done everytime the agent scans. I want to automate the whole process using Automator or Applescript.

From running the agent, answering confirmation question, attaching the .inv file then mail it.

I've done 'watch me do' but when it's time to run the workflow it would stop at keyboard inputs then error can't execute.

If you know how to do this, it would really help a lot. Thanks.

[Alex]

Please try scheduling the command in Automator as displayed on the following screenshot: