Custom Controls

The Custom Controls feature allows you to extend Goverlan’s functionality by adding links to external programs within Goverlan’s interface. A Custom Control is a link to any program or script which accepts a command line argument string containing a machine name, a user name, or both. Custom Controls can be configured for users or for computers. Once created, the custom control is accessible for every object within Goverlan by simply expanding the Custom Controls node.

Machine View

User View

Adding a Custom Control

Goverlan comes with a set of default Custom Controls such as the Event Viewer and the Microsoft System Information. However, you can add as many controls as you want.

  1. Open the User object view to add a User-bound Custom Control or the Computer object view to add a Computer-bound Custom Control.

  2. Expand any object by double-clicking on it.

  3. Right-click on the Custom Controls node and select Add a Custom Control.

  4. Configure the custom control properties.  

    Let's assume that you have a PERL script named: CreateComplianceReport.pl which reports on some compliance information for a machine.
    This script accepts a machine account UNC name as input using the argument string:  -D:domainName -M:machineName.

    • Enter the display name for this control.
       

    • Specify the full path of the external program or script without the argument string.
       

    • If the external program outputs information at the console, check the This is a Console program option. If the external program displays a user interface or has no output, remove this check.
       

    • Enter the argument string for this control as you would when executing the application on a command line prompt. However, substitute any domain name, user name, and machine name with %D, %U and %M, respectively.

      In this example, we enter -D:%D-M:%M

      Review the Argument String Preview window to confirm that the resulting command line is as desired.
       

    • Click on OK.

     

Modifying a Custom Control

To modify the properties of a Custom Control, select it, right click on the mouse and select Properties from the popup menu. The Control Property windows for this control will be displayed. Make the appropriate modifications and click OK.

Deleting a Custom Control

To remove a Custom Control, select it, right click on the mouse and select Delete Control from the popup menu.

Executing a Custom Control

  1. Double click on the User or Computer object for which to execute a custom control.

  2. Double click on the Custom Controls node.

  3. Double click on the custom control to execute.

Custom Controls are also accessible using the context sensitive menu of a user or computer object in the main views as well as in the Search Panel's result window.

Sharing Custom Controls

Once Sharing has been configured, you can share your custom controls to make them available to everyone belonging to your Goverlan Workgroup.

Simply right-click on any custom control and select Share or Unshare as appropriate. Once shared, every one belonging to the Goverlan workgroup will be able to execute and modify the custom control.