asked on

How can this be done - powershell msgbox

Alright, i know the following can be locally on my computer to display a message box

[system.reflection.assembly]::LoadWithPartialName("system.windows.forms")
[system.windows.forms.messagebox]::Show("YOur system needs to be accesses for maintence please finish all your work")

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but how the heck can i get it to show on remote computers? I know i can use the msg command that is built into windows but some systems don't have that function.

i'm guessing something along the lines of

[system.reflection.assembly]::LoadWithPartialName("system.windows.forms")
$creds = get-credential
.... -computername testbox -credential $cred | [show.windows.form.messagebox]::Show("message here")

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ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

Qlemo

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SOLUTION

footech

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bbimis

ASKER

well wouldn't msg /server:[computername] * "message here" do the same thing ?
that works on windows 7 machines if they have the built in msg

my goal is along these lines but i can't figure out how to get the code to work.

$computer = "testpc"
Send-NetMessage "testing" -Computername $computer -Seconds 30 -VerboseMsg -Wait

Function Send-NetMessage{
<#  
.SYNOPSIS  
    Sends a message to network computers
 
.DESCRIPTION  
    Allows the administrator to send a message via a pop-up textbox to multiple computers
 
.EXAMPLE  
    Send-NetMessage "This is a test of the emergency broadcast system.  This is only a test."
 
    Sends the message to all users on the local computer.
 
.EXAMPLE  
    Send-NetMessage "Updates start in 15 minutes.  Please log off." -Computername testbox01 -Seconds 30 -VerboseMsg -Wait
 
    Sends a message to all users on Testbox01 asking them to log off.  
    The popup will appear for 30 seconds and will write verbose messages to the console. 

.EXAMPLE
    ".",$Env:Computername | Send-NetMessage "Fire in the hole!" -Verbose
    
    Pipes the computernames to Send-NetMessage and sends the message "Fire in the hole!" with verbose output
    
    VERBOSE: Sending the following message to computers with a 5 delay: Fire in the hole!
    VERBOSE: Processing .
    VERBOSE: Processing MyPC01
    VERBOSE: Message sent.
    
.EXAMPLE
    Get-ADComputer -filter * | Send-NetMessage "Updates are being installed tonight. Please log off at EOD." -Seconds 60
    
    Queries Active Directory for all computers and then notifies all users on those computers of updates.  
    Notification stays for 60 seconds or until user clicks OK.
    
.NOTES  
    Author: Rich Prescott  
    Blog: blog.richprescott.com
    Twitter: @Rich_Prescott
#>

Param(
    [Parameter(Mandatory=$True)]
    [String]$Message,
    
    [String]$Session="*",
    
    [Parameter(ValueFromPipeline=$True,ValueFromPipelineByPropertyName=$True)]
    [Alias("Name")]
    [String[]]$Computername=$env:computername,
    
    [Int]$Seconds="5",
    [Switch]$VerboseMsg,
    [Switch]$Wait
    )
    
Begin
    {
    Write-Verbose "Sending the following message to computers with a $Seconds second delay: $Message"
    }
    
Process
    {
    ForEach ($Computer in $ComputerName)
        {
        Write-Verbose "Processing $Computer"
        $cmd = "msg.exe $Session /Time:$($Seconds)"
        if ($Computername){$cmd += " /SERVER:$($Computer)"}
        if ($VerboseMsg){$cmd += " /V"}
        if ($Wait){$cmd += " /W"}
        $cmd += " $($Message)"

        Invoke-Expression $cmd
        }
    }
End
    {
    Write-Verbose "Message sent."
    }
}

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footech

I believe it depends on whether you have the firewall configured to allow it (referring to whether msg /server would work or not). It doesn't for me and I haven't tried to diagnose it. If you have PS Remoting configured then the network communication happens over that so you don't have to worry about any additional firewall configuration.

That script is just a wrapper for msg.exe.

bbimis

ASKER

thanks