Awesome

Nudge (macadmin's Slack #nudge)

Nudge functionality overview

Nudge, rather than trying to install updates, merely prompts users to install updates via an approved method (System Preferences, Munki, Jamf, etc.).
By default, Nudge will open every 30 minutes, at the 0 and 30 minute mark. This is because of the default launch agent. If you find this behavior too aggressive, please change the launch agent.
The timers are for if the user minimizes/hides the window. It will re-load the window into the foreground, taking precedence over any window.
If you want a certain time (in seconds) between notifications, you can set that using the time_between_notifications preference.
Read Alan Siu's Introduction to Nudge blog post for a more in-depth introduction to Nudge.

Embedded Python

As of v2.0, Nudge now uses its own embedded python (currently v3.8). This is due to Apple's upcoming removal of Python2.

Gurl has been updated from the Munki 4.0 release.

Nibbler has been updated to support python 3.

Building embedded python framework

To reduce the size of the git repository, you must create your own Python. To do this, simply run the ./build_python_framework script within the repository.

This process was tested on Catalina only.

./build_python_framework

Cloning relocatable-python tool from github...
Cloning into '/tmp/relocatable-python-git'...
remote: Enumerating objects: 28, done.
remote: Counting objects: 100% (28/28), done.
remote: Compressing objects: 100% (19/19), done.
remote: Total 78 (delta 12), reused 19 (delta 9), pack-reused 50
Unpacking objects: 100% (78/78), done.
Downloading https://www.python.org/ftp/python/3.8.0/python-3.8.0-macosx10.9.pkg...

...

Done!
Customized, relocatable framework is at /Library/nudge/Python.framework
Moving Python.framework to nudge munki-pkg payload folder
Taking ownership of the file to not break git

Important Information

Since version 2.1 a new way of configuration have been included. From now on Profiles is the preferred method to configure Nudge. In addition to that the JSON file format has changed, you can see an example JSON file in the code repository.

You most certainly want to customize the following values:

cut_off_date
main_subtitle_text
more_info_url
minimum_os_version
minimum_os_sub_build_version

Also, you will at the very least want to change the company_logo.png

Screenshots

Screenshot Nudge

Building this package

You will need to use munki-pkg to build this package.

Credits

This tool would not be possible without nibbler, written by Michael Lynn.

OS Support v1

The following operating system and versions have been tested.

10.10.0, 10.10.5
10.11.0, 10.11.6
10.12.0, 10.12.6
10.13.0 10.13.3, 10.13.6
10.14 -> 10.14.6
10.15 -> 10.15.1

OS Support v2 (embedded python)

The following operating system and versions have been tested with the embedded python.

10.14
10.15

Configuration File

Essentially every component of the UI is customizable, all through a JSON configuration file or a Profile (or MCX). An example json file plus an example profile are available within the code repository.

Defined JSON config file

To define a configuration file, use the jsonurl script parameter.

--jsonurl=https://fake.domain.com/path/to/config.json

--jsonurl=file:///path/to/local/config.json

Default config file

A Profile will have precedence over any other method of configuration and in this case the jsonurl does not need to be set. If you prefer to deploy the JSON configuration file to each client, it needs to be placed in the Resources directory and named nudge.json. If this file exists, jsonurl does not need to be set either.

Preferences

A description of each preference is listed below.

Cutoff date

Cut off date in UTC.

"cut_off_date": "2018-12-31-00:00"

Cut off date warning

This is the number, in days, of when to start the initial UI warning. When this set of days passes, the user will be required to hit the I Understand button, followed by the Close button to exit out of the UI.

"cut_off_date_warning": 14

Logo path

A custom logo path. Alternatively, just replace the included company_logo.png.

"logo_path": "/Some/Custom/Path/company_logo.png"

Button Title text

This is the first set of text above the Update Machine button.

"button_title_text": "Ready to start the update?"

Button Sub-title text

This is the second set of text above the Update Machine button.

"button_sub_titletext": "Click on the button below."

Dismissal Count Threshold

This is the amount of times a user can disregard nudge before more aggressive behaviors kick in.

"dismissal_count_threshold": 100

URL for self-servicing upgrade app

This is the full URL for a local self-servicing app such as Jamf Self Service or Munki Managed Software Center linking directly to a Jamf policy or Munki catalog item to install a major version upgrade.

This is useful in situations where users do not have administrative privileges and cannot run Install macOS...app directly. This option has no effect on minor version updates – only full version OS upgrades.

Provide a full URL with the correct protocol for your self-servicing app.

Open Jamf Self Service to main page: jamfselfservice://content
Open Jamf Self Service to view a policy by ID number: jamfselfservice://content?entity=policy&id=<id>&action=view
Open Jamf Self Service to execute a policy by ID number: jamfselfservice://content?entity=policy&id=<id>&action=execute
Open Manage Software Center to the detail page for an item: munki://detail-<item name>

"local_url_for_upgrade": "jamfselfservice://content?entity=policy&id=<id>&action=view"

Note: If local_url_for_upgrade is provided, path_to_app is ignored in the configuration file.

Minimum OS Version

This is the minimum OS version a machine must be on to not receive this UI.

"minimum_os_version": "10.13.6"

Minimum OS Sub Version

This is the minimum OS version a machine must be on to not receive this UI.

"minimum_os_sub_build_version": "18G103"

More info URL

This is the URL to open when the More Info button is clicked.

"more_info_url": "https://google.com"

Main Title text

This is the main, bolded text at the very top.

"main_title_text": "macOS Update"

Main Sub-title text

This is the text right under the main title.

"main_subtitle_text": "A friendly reminder from your local IT team"

Paragraph Title text

This is the bolded portion of the UI towards the top.

"paragraph_title_text": "A security update is required on your machine."

Paragraph 1 text

This is the text for the first paragraph.

"paragraph1_text": "A fully up-to-date device is required to ensure that IT can your accurately protect your computer."

Paragraph 2 text

This is the text for the second paragraph.

"paragraph2_text": "If you do not update your computer, you may lose access to some items necessary for your day-to-day tasks."

Paragraph 3 text

This is the text for the third paragraph.

"paragraph3_text": "To begin the update, simply click on the button below and follow the provided steps."

Path to app

This is the path to the macOS installer application.

"path_to_app": "/Applications/Install macOS High Sierra.app"

Note: This setting is ignored when local_url_for_upgrade is provided.

Time Between Notifications

Instead of having the Nudge GUI appear every half hour, you can express the time between notification in seconds. *The notifications still base its behaviour in how the LaunchAgent works so every half hour it will check for this time between notifications.

"time_between_notifications": 0