Pull file properties and easily manage your BigFix Repository.
This application will provide you with a Windows Shell Extension that ties directly into your BigFix file repository. You no longer need to use the Windows Software Distribution Wizard in order to put files into the repository. A few screen shots below might be useful:
1. This is a .NET Framework 4.0 application, so you'll need that installed and functional.
3. Install the application onto your development machine, or any machine you'd like to easily manage your repository.
Once you have this application installed... simply right-click on any file you want in your BigFix Repository.
Our standard General tab will pop up first. On there you'll have generic information related to this specific file. Special fields added include Sha1 and MD5 hash values including file size in bytes.
If you choose the Repository tab, you'll be presented with a status. As you can see from this screen, we have not configured the repository... so click the change button to do so.
Two scenarios exist: Local/Network storage or FTP storage.
Local/Network Storage
Required fields include:
Public URL: This is how you can access files via web browser. If you want to use the wwwrootbes folder of your root server, then simply put http://[BES Server URL]:[BES Port]/
Physical Path: Specify either a local or network path. For example, if you've created a wwwrootbes folder share on your BigFixServer... then put \\BigFixServer\wwwrootbes\
FTP Storage
Required fields include:
Public URL: This is how you can access files via web browser. If your FTP server offers public http acess, as in our example, then simply put http://[FTP Server URL]/[sub path]/ OR ftp://[FTP Server URL]/[sub path]/
FTP Server: This setting and Public URL are different because you may access the files differently depending on the protocol. Here you'd specify the ftp:// address and subfolders you want the file stored. In my example, I have a public folder which is accessed via an http address. But to manage those files I'd use an ftp:// address.
Username: FTP Server Username you log in with.
Password: Corresponding password for the specified Username.
Once you've properly configured your repository settings, you can return to the Repository tab which has been updated. In both examples, there is an X indicating the file you right-clicked is NOT in your repository.
Simply click "Copy To" or "Upload". The file will be copied, if local, or uploaded, if via ftp.
Now that your file resides in the repository the Repository tab refreshes again with the new status.
If you return to the file at some later point, and pull up these BigFix File Properties... the tab will show the current status of the file.
As you can see from the bottom text box in both screens, we automatically organize action script code which can be directly copied into your a task or fixlet which you have under development.
If you come back to this file at some later point, and pull up the BigFix File Properties... we will reach out to your repository compare values and show you the current comparison between the two files.
If you have your repository configured as a local or network share, we compare the sha1 values of both files to determine status. If you have an FTP repository, we pull a directory listing and compare timestamps.
