Scheduling Reports#

Patcher can be streamlined to schedule the export of patch management reports. This page outlines how to use the provided LaunchAgent to automate the process. While entirely optional, the LaunchAgent offers a convenient method to ensure consistent and timely report generation.

Purpose of the LaunchAgent#

The included LaunchAgent is configured to:

Automatically generate patch management reports on a scheduled basis.
Save these reports in your specified directory in PDF format.
Log errors and outputs to help with debugging (if needed).

Using this LaunchAgent eliminates the need for manual report exports, helping you maintain a consistent reporting schedule.

Warning

Ensure that the Python executable and the CLI are on your system’s PATH. When installing the project via PyPI, Patcher is typically placed in the bin directory of your Python installation. If these directories are not in your PATH, Patcher may not work as expected. See Adding to PATH

Setting Up the LaunchAgent#

Follow these steps to deploy and configure the LaunchAgent:

1. Modify the `.plist` File#

Customize the provided .plist file to suit your needs. Key fields to update include:

ProgramArguments: Adjust the boilerplate options in the patcherctl export command with your desired path or options. See Export command page for more.
StartCalendarInterval: Define the schedule for your task. Launched is an amazing resource for this.

Optional

Update the StandardErrorPath and StandardOutPath strings if you would like LaunchAgent logs to go to a different directory.

Example `.plist` Configuration#

The example below schedules the task to run on the first day of each month at 9:00 AM:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
  <dict>
    <key>Label</key>
    <string>com.liquidzoo.patcher-export.plist</string>
    <key>ProgramArguments</key>
    <array>
      <string>sh</string>
      <string>-c</string>
      <string>patcherctl export --path /path/to/save --pdf</string>
    </array>
    <key>StandardErrorPath</key>
    <string>$HOME/Library/Application\ Support/Patcher/logs/patcher-agent.err.log</string>
    <key>StandardOutPath</key>
    <string>$HOME/Library/Application\ Support/Patcher/logs/patcher-agent.out.log</string>
    <key>StartCalendarInterval</key>
    <array>
      <dict>
        <key>Day</key>
        <integer>1</integer>
        <key>Hour</key>
        <integer>9</integer>
        <key>Minute</key>
        <integer>0</integer>
      </dict>
    </array>
  </dict>
</plist>

2. Deploy the `.plist` File#

Place the modified .plist file in the ~/Library/LaunchAgents/ directory:

$ cp com.liquidzoo.patcher-export.plist ~/Library/LaunchAgents/

Ensure the LaunchAgent has the proper permissions:

$ chmod 644 ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.liquidzoo.patcher-export.plist

Load the LaunchAgent:

$ launchctl load ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.liquidzoo.patcher-export.plist

To verify the LaunchAgent is active:

$ launchctl list | grep com.liquidzoo.patcher-export

Testing the Configuration#

To ensure the LaunchAgent is working:

Manually run the patcherctl export command to confirm it executes as expected.
Check the logs for errors or confirmation of success:
- Standard Output: ~/Library/Application Support/Patcher/logs/patcher-agent.out.log
- Standard Error: ~/Library/Application Support/Patcher/logs/patcher-agent.err.log

Troubleshooting#

If the LaunchAgent does not work as expected:

Verify the .plist file is correctly placed and formatted.
Ensure file permissions are properly set.
Review the logs for detailed error messages:

$ tail -f ~/Library/Application\ Support/Patcher/logs/patcher-agent.err.log

Scheduling Reports#

Purpose of the LaunchAgent#

Setting Up the LaunchAgent#

1. Modify the .plist File#

Example .plist Configuration#

2. Deploy the .plist File#