Agent Template Properties

1. Overview
2. Adding Properties to the Master Template Properties List
3. Assigning Properties to a Template
4. Changing Values for Existing Properties
5. Deleting Properties Assigned to a Template
6. Deleting Existing Properties from an Agent
7. Template Properties Variable Replacements
8. Sample Usage
9. Document Revision History

Overview

The Properties tab of the agent templates allow you to set template based properties that can be assigned to the template and will override other properties based on the rules that govern template order. Property management and property assignment to templates is accomplished on this screen. Please note this is for Windows computers only.

These properties are delivered to the remote agent in a TemplateProperties.ini file (value is encrypted) when the Update Config command is received. The configuration is updated automatically once a day based on the schedule set in the template. However, this can be done manually by right-clicking on the client, location, computer or group and selecting Commands > Inventory > Update Config for an immediate change.

NOTE: For more information on agent templates, please refer to the Agent Templates documentation.

To access the Properties:

1. From the Control Center, expand Admin.
2. Right-click on Templates and select Add New Template or right-click on a specific template and select Modify Template.
3. Click on the Properties tab.
   Figure 1: Template Properties
   

Any existing properties that have been assigned to this template will display in the lower portion of the screen. The following sections will explain how to add properties to the master template properties list and assign created properties to a template.

Adding Properties to the Master Template Properties List

The following steps will show you how to add properties and a corresponding description that can be used for any template. To add a property to the master template property list:

1. From the Properties tab, click on the Manage button to create a new property.
   Figure 2: Template Property Manager—Add New Property
   
2. Enter the property name in the Name field. Spaces in property names are not accepted.
3. Enter a Description for the property.
4. Click the Add button. This will add it to the list of properties and will appear in the bottom of the window. Please note that this does not assign the property to the template, but only to the master list of properties.
5. Close this window. This will return you to the Properties tab of the Template Editor.

Assigning Properties to a Template

The following steps will show you how to assign properties to a template. To add assign a previously created property to a template:

1. Open an existing template, if not already open and click on the Properties tab.
2. From the Name drop-down, select the property you want to assign to this template. If you just created a new template, you must save the template first before any properties will display in the drop-down.
3. Enter the Value for the property and click Add.
   Figure 3: Property Assigned to Template
   
4. Click Save to save your changes. The property will be immediately saved to the template; however, will not be applied to a computer or group of computers until the Update Config command is received.

Changing Values for Existing Properties

The following steps will show you how to change existing properties that have been assigned to a template. To change the value of a previously created property from a template:

1. Open an existing template, if not already open and click on the Properties tab.
2. Click on the property from the property list and enter the new value in the Value field.
3. Click Save. The new value will be reflected for the property associated with this template; however, will not be applied to the computer or group of computers until the Update Config command is received.
4. Close window when finished.

Deleting Properties Assigned to a Template

The following steps will show you how to delete properties that have been assigned to a template. To add delete a previously created property from a template:

1. Open an existing template, if not already open and click on the Properties tab.
2. Right-click on the property from the property list and select Delete Property. The property will be immediately removed from the list; however, will not be applied to the computer or group of computers until the Update Config command is received.
3. Close window when finished.

Deleting Existing Properties from an Agent

Create an override property named 'TransmitExtraDataAndProperties' to delete all existing properties/extra data fields from an agent. This will not disable the LabTech web service from transmitting properties to remote agents. Instead, the service will transmit an empty list. For information on creating properties, please refer to the Properties documentation.

Template Properties Variable Replacements

Template properties will support the following server-side variable replacements:

• %companyname%
• %clientname%
• %computername%
• %locationname%
• %adminusername%
• %adminpassword%
• %drive%
• %username%
• %password%
• %routeraddress%
• %extra1%
• %extra2%

Properties are available via LabTech replacements using the token "{%^". The format is <qualifier>:<Field name>, where the qualifier is one of the following:

e: Computer Extra Data Field

el: Location Extra Data Field

ec: Client Extra Data Field

tp: Template Property

For example, to access the Location property LocalShare, use the following:

{%^el:LocalShare^%}

Sample Usage

You want to execute a script that accumulates data from all servers, but want the ability to ignore specific computers for various reasons. Prior to 2012 SP1, this could be accomplished by creating an 'Ignore Data Accumulation' extra data field and turning that field on/off for each computer. This new method allows for the creation of an 'Ignore Accumulation Group' with a template property 'Ignore Accumulation'. Now, having the script ignore any computers is as simple as dragging the computers into the 'Ignore Data Accumulation' group.

Here's how:

1. From the navigation tree in the Control Center, right-click Groups and select Add Group. A new group will be added to the list of groups. Slow-click on the new group or right-click and select Rename Group. Type 'Ignore Data Accumulation'.
   Figure 4: Ignore Data Accumulation Group Created
   
2. Expand Admin on the navigation tree and then right-click on Templates and select Templates > Add New Template.
   Figure 5: Ignore Data Accumulation Template
   
   
3. Enter 'Ignore Data Accumulation Template' in the Template Name field.
4. Click on the Properties tab.
   Figure 6: Agent Template—Properties
   
5. Click on the Manage button to create a new property.
   Figure 7: Template Property Manager—Add New Property
   
6. Enter 'IgnoreAccumulation' in the Name field. Spaces in property names are not accepted.
7. Enter 'Ignores data accumulation' in the Description field.
8. Click the Add button. This will add it to the list of properties and will appear in the bottom of the window. Please note that this does not assign the property to the template, but only to the master list of properties.
9. Close this window. This will return you to the Properties tab of the Template Editor.
   Figure 8: Template Editor—Properties
   
10. From the Name drop-down select the 'Ignore_Accumulation' property.
11. Enter '1' in the Value field and click Add.
    Figure 9: Property Assigned to Template
    
12. Click Add to save your changes and add the template to the list of templates available.
13. Open the 'Ignore Data Accumulation' group and from the Template drop-down, select 'Ignore Data Accumulation'. This template will be applied to any computer that joins this group.
    Figure 10: Assign Template to Group
    
14. Click Save.
15. Assign one or more computers to the group. You can do this by simply dragging the computer to the group or by right-clicking on each computer and selecting Edit Groups and then selecting the 'Ignore Data Accumulation' group.
    Figure 11: Computer Assigned to Group
    
16. Create your script using the 'Template Property Get Value' function that checks the template property 'Ignore Accumulation', and exits script if equal to '1'.

Document Revision History