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- Check for Updates
- Cmd
- Delete Scheduled Task
- Edit Windows Service
- End Process
- Get Current User Info
- Get MAC Address
- Install Missing Updates
- List Windows Services
- Run C# expression
- Run Program
- Schedule Daily Task
- Schedule Hourly Task
- Schedule Monthly Task
- Schedule Weekly Task
- Server Boot Operations
- Windows Service Tasks
- WMI Query
Check for Updates
This activity checks for OS Updates on a specified Windows workstation.
Prerequisites (for the remote machine)
1. Windows Firewall
2. Windows Group Policy Object Editor
- Open Group Policy Object Editor (gpedit.msc)
- Open Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Network -> Network Connections -> Windows Firewall -> Domain Profile & Standard Profile.
- Here enable the following exceptions: "Allow inbound remote administration exception"
3. Windows Updates
Windows Updates must be available for checking and installation on the affected virtual machines.
4. Enable PowerShell Remoting
On the virtual machine you want to access remotely, open a PowerShell window as Administrator – right click the PowerShell shortcut and select Run as Administrator.To enable PowerShell Remoting, run the following command (known as a cmdlet in PowerShell):
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On both computers, restart the WinRM service so your new settings will take effect:
Restart-Service WinRM
5. User Rights
The user that will be entered as input for Check For Updates and Install Missing Updates activities must have rights to read/write files and scheduled tasks on the affected virtual machine.
Activity Parameters
The Check for Updates activity parameters can be provided by manual inserted values or via IN arguments or variables:
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The Cmd activity parameters can be provided by manual inserted values or via IN arguments or variables:
Parameters:
- Command (text box editor type) (type: string): the command that you want to be executed. For example: mkdir "C:\\FlowsterSolutions" (this command creates a folder with the specified path).
For easier editing, the user can use the internal editor via the ellipsis button situated on the right hand side of the edit field, or an external editor of his/her choice (customizable in the Designer Settings) via the button to the left of the edit field ().
- Command Block (text box editor type) (type: string): the command that needs to be executed. The main difference between the Command field and Command Block is the possibility to use variables:
- Timeout (text box editor type) (type: int32): the number of seconds to wait for the Command to execute.
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- Output (type: string): outputs the Command ExitCode as a String.
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- Output Error (type: string): outputs the Command Output Error as a String.
- Output (type: string): outputs the Command Output Result as a String.
Delete Scheduled Task
This activity deletes a scheduled task on Windows Task Scheduler.
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- Output Exists (type: boolean): outputs if the task exists or not.
- Output Status(type: boolean): outputs the status of the operation.
As mentioned above, the values for all the required parameters can be provided by IN arguments or variables. Below is an example of predefined arguments, ready to be used by the Delete Scheduled Task activity:
Edit Windows Service
This activity updates the logon credentials and the startup type of a Windows service on a specified machine.
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The Edit Windows Service activity parameters can be provided by manual inserted values or via IN arguments or variables:
Parameters:
- Computer name (text box editor type) (type: string): the IP or hostname of the machine you want to run the check against. If none is provided, localhost will be used.
- Service name (text box editor type) (type: string): the name of the service to be updated.
- Startup Type (text box editor type with combobox filter) (type: string): Enter or select the type of startup (Automatic, Manual, Disabled) the service should have after the activity runs.
- Username (text box editor type) (type: string): the username that will be used to connect to the target machine and that will be set as logon user for the service.
The Read Only Output variable are the possible output values that the activity will provide:
- Output statusRemote Full Username (text box editor type) (type: boolean): string): the domain and username that has rights on the remote machine. Not required on local machine. E.g. "mydomain\demo_user"
- Remote Password (password box editor type) (type: string): the username password on the remote machine. Not required on local machine.
- Remote Password Binding (text box editor type) (type: string): bind to a variable containing the encrypted password for connection. (This parameter is used only when the user wants to send an encripted password from outside the task, for example Flowster Studio Portal).
The Read Only Output variable are the possible output values that the activity will provide:
- Output status (type: boolean): outputs True if the operation succeeded, and False otherwise.
End Process
This activity terminates a process locally or remote.
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As mentioned above, the values for all the required parameters can be provided by IN arguments or variables. Below is an example of predefined arguments, ready to be used by the End Process activity:
Get Current User Info
This actvity returns the Username (sAMAccountname) and Domain of the currently logged in user.
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- Output Domain (type: string): outputs the current user domain.
- Output Username (type: string): outputs the current Username.
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Get MAC Address
This activity checks for OS Updates on a specified Windows workstation.
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- Output (type: List<Tuple<string,string>>): outputs a list of [adapter name, MAC address] pairs.
Install Missing Updates
This activity installs required OS Updates on a specified Windows workstation.
Prerequisites (for the remote machine)
1. Windows Firewall
2. Windows Group Policy Object Editor
- Open Group Policy Object Editor (gpedit.msc)
- Open Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Network -> Network Connections -> Windows Firewall -> Domain Profile & Standard Profile.
- Here enable the following exceptions: "Allow inbound remote administration exception"
3. Windows Updates
Windows Updates must be available for checking and installation on the affected virtual machines.
4. Enable PowerShell Remoting
On the virtual machine you want to access remotely, open a PowerShell window as Administrator – right click the PowerShell shortcut and select Run as Administrator.To enable PowerShell Remoting, run the following command (known as a cmdlet in PowerShell):
...
On both computers, restart the WinRM service so your new settings will take effect:
Restart-Service WinRM
5. User Rights
The user that will be entered as input for Check For Updates and Install Missing Updates activities must have rights to read/write files and scheduled tasks on the affected virtual machine.
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- Output status (type: boolean): outputs True if any updates are found, and False if none.
- Output restart needed (type: boolean): outputs True if a restart is required after the update(s) install, and False otherwise.
List Windows Services
This activity returns a list of the windows services and their properties. Optionally, it can output the properties of a specific service.
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- Output (type: Collection<Dictionary<String,String>>): outputs a collection of Dictionaries containing the workstation's Windows services. Output service properties: Name, StartupType and State.
Run C# expression
This activity runs a C# code and returns the compiled value.
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As mentioned above, the values for all the required parameters can be provided by IN arguments or variables. Below is an example of predefined arguments, ready to be used by the Run C# Expression activity:
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Run Program
This activity runs a program locally or remotely.
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- Output (type: collection<string>): outputs a collection with WMI return value and PID. The return value is the Exit Code, displayed as an Integer (e.g. 0 or 1), as it can be seen below:
Schedule Daily Task
This activity creates a new daily scheduled task on Windows Task Scheduler. For example if all parameters are filled this will create a Daily trigger to run every X minutes for a duration of Y hours.
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- Output Error Message (type: string): outputs the error message if any.
- Output Status(type: boolean): outputs the status of the operation.
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As mentioned above, the values for all the required parameters can be provided by IN arguments or variables. Below is an example of predefined arguments, ready to be used by the Schedule Daily Task activity:
Schedule Hourly Task
This activity creates a new hourly scheduled task on Windows Task Scheduler. For example if all parameters are filled this will create a Hourly trigger to run.
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- Output Error Message (type: string): outputs the error message if any.
- Output Status(type: boolean): outputs the status of the operation.
As mentioned above, the values for all the required parameters can be provided by IN arguments or variables. Below is an example of predefined arguments, ready to be used by the Schedule HourlyTask activity:
Schedule Weekly Task
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- Output Error Message (type: string): outputs the error message if any.
- Output Status(type: boolean): outputs the status of the operation.
As mentioned above, the values for all the required parameters can be provided by IN arguments or variables. Below is an example of predefined arguments, ready to be used by the Schedule Weekly Task activity:
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Schedule Monthly Task
This activity creates a new monthly scheduled task on Windows Task Scheduler. For example, if all parameters are filled this will create a Monthly trigger to run on X day of month for every Y minutes.
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- Output Error Message (type: string): outputs the error message if any.
- Output Status(type: boolean): outputs the status of the operation.
As mentioned above, the values for all the required parameters can be provided by IN arguments or variables. Below is an example of predefined arguments, ready to be used by the Schedule MonthlyTask activity:
Server Boot Operations
This activity Server Boot Operations locally or remote.
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- Entries Collection (type: string): outputs the Windows code for the operation result.
Windows Service Tasks
This activity starts stops or restarts a windows service locally or remote.
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The Windows Service Tasks activity parameters can be provided by manual inserted values or via IN arguments or variables:
Parameters:
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Parameters:
- Computer Name (text box editor type) (type: string): the computer name or IP. For example '10.10.10.10'.
- Operation (combo box control) (type: string): the operation you want to be executed on the windows service.
- Service Name (text box editor type) (type: string): the computer service name or IP. For example '10.10.10.10'.Operation (combo box control: 'Flowster Studio Email trigger'.
- Remote Full Username (text box editor type) (type: string): the domain and username that has rights on the remote machine. Not required on local machine. E.g. "mydomain\demo_user"
- Remote Password (password box editor type) (type: string): the operation you want to be executed on the windows service.Service Name the username password on the remote machine. Not required on local machine.
- Remote Password Binding (text box editor type) (type: string): the service name. For example : 'Flowster Studio Email trigger' bind to a variable containing the encrypted password for connection. (This parameter is used only when the user wants to send an encripted password from outside the task, for example Flowster Studio Portal).
The Read Only Output variable are the possible output values that the activity will provide:
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As mentioned above, the values for all the required parameters can be provided by IN arguments or variables. Below is an example of predefined arguments, ready to be used by the Windows Service Tasks activity:
WMI Query
This activity executes a WMI query locally or remote.
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- Output (type: collection<dictionary<string>>): outputs a collection with WMI return object properties converted to string.
