[wpkg-users] [Bug 171] User notification does not work on Vista

[Robin Roevens]

Hi

I don't really see the big difference between calling an external tool 
like psshutdown instead of the default windows shutdown command as wpkg.js 
can do now, and an external tool for user notification instead of the 
default windows NET or MSG command. But indeed due to the nature of such a 
notification binary (displaying user notification) user credentials could 
become a problem..
And WPKG client indeed already provides the user-notification 
functionality... So maybe it is a posibility to turn my idea the other way 
around by extending WPKG client so that it can be 'activated' by a script 
instead of only at preconfigured pre-logon or post-logoff times..

The way I see this is then:
- WPKG client is installed as a service (like it is now), configured to 
only wake up on manual activation
- A user is logged on, and for example, the GPO logon script  (or a 
scheduled task, or.... ) calls "WPKGclient.exe /activate"
- WPKGclient.exe then sends a signal to the resident WPKGclient service 
which then starts its job by displaying user notification and executing 
wpkg.js
For this purpose of course the WPKGclient notification functionality 
should be a bit extended too in a way similar as I described earlier so 
users can work while WPKG is doing it's job..

This way you don't have to touch the .js code + people wanting extensive 
user notification can have it by using WPKG client without being bound to 
pre-log-on or post-log-off operations (which also still should be a 
possibility of WPKGclient). And people who don't want it, can still keep 
using wpkg.js without WPKG client as they do now..Everybody happy ;-)

Anyway still a suggestion tough...:-)

Best Regards

Robin

Rainer Meier <r.meier at wpkg.org> wrote on 04.09.2009 17:31:50:

> From:
> 
> Rainer Meier <r.meier at wpkg.org>
> 
> To:
> 
> Robin Roevens <robin.roevens at cocks.be>
> 
> Cc:
> 
> wpkg-users at lists.wpkg.org
> 
> Date:
> 
> 04.09.2009 17:32
> 
> Subject:
> 
> Re: [wpkg-users] [Bug 171] User notification does not work on Vista
> 
> Hi Robin,
> 
> Robin Roevens wrote:
> > Maybe it is a good idea to supply a small executable in the tools
> > directory that will be used for notifying the user?
> > That way you are not dependent on a Microsoft ways of notifying users,
> > thus not windows-version dependent. (except for binary incompatible
> > windows versions :-))
> > Something in style of the current WPKGclient notification, or like
> > WPKGmessage
> > (http://www.gig-mbh.de/edv/software/wpkgtools/wpkg-message-english.htm
)
> > 
> > This tool can then give current state information about the wpkg
> > process, and disappear when the process is done..
> > And you can then also put an option in that tool so that the user can
> > press a button to let it dissapear into the systray or so, so it is 
not
> > in the way of the working user, but the user is still aware that the
> > process is still running..until that tray icon disappears. (maybe it 
is
> > best to have an animated tray icon then). And the user can check on 
the
> > current state by clicking on that tray icon which then displays the 
tool
> > again..
> 
> Currently WPKG client is using this approach. In general I don't think 
that it
> would be a good idea having wpkg.js (which is invoked by different user
> credentials in different environments) invoking such a binary. WPKG 
> is designed
> to run using only built-in Windows facilities. No additional binaries or
> libraries needed. The notification using "net send" was introduced 
> years ago in
> WPKG 0.x and was just kept there. It has many limitations but provides 
basic
> notification which can be useful in some situations. It at no means 
useful to
> block the user to do actions or to log in while WPKG is running.
> 
> I think it's the right way that WPKG client as a service tries to 
> reach these goals:
> - Implement logon delay
> - Notify user while preventing user actions
> 
> We already know that especially on Windows Vista and newer we have 
> troubles with
> the logon delay feature. Including such actions into wpkg.js seems not 
to be a
> good idea; I prefer wpkg.js to be as stable and reliable as possible
> and leaving
> such "fancy" stuff up to tools invoking wpkg.js. In case of failure or 
changes
> on OS/System level there is much less impact and lots of possibilities 
for
> work-around to get the core working.
> 
> br,
> Rainer

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