PDQ Inventory using Nested Dynamic Collections from Collection Library
I feel like this answer to this is going to be obvious but between the forum, google, and various articles I still can't get this solved yet and I'm working a deadline (when aren't we?).
What I am trying to accomplish is a discovery using "Applications" from the Collection Library on a particular OU. I want to be able to see this particular group only and drill down into the various applications that may or may not be installed so I can create deploy packages to uninstall unwanted versions, install desired versions, and eliminate any rouge applications. Ideally here is the structure I am trying to use:
All Computers (e.g. 1000)
I. Dynamic Collection from OU (e.g. 100)
A. "Applications" (Duplicated from Collection Library)
1. PDF Apps
i. PDF Reader
a. App Version (e.g. 90)
-Latest (85)
-Not Installed (10)
-Old (5)
ii. PDF Writers
a. App Version (e.g. 25)
-Latest (15)
-Not Installed (75)
-Old (10)
The Dynamic Collection for the OU works fine and shows the expected number of computers. As I drill down, I cannot get it to show me the correct counts for sub-groups without adding filters for the OU to every level because the filters are grabbing from All Computers. If I select to "drill down from parent" it seems to be only grabbing the immediate parent which is empty. If I take "App Version" and move it right under the Dynamic Collection for the OU, it works with drill down from parent. It's something with the collections in the middle I'm not understanding.
Can anyone give me some guidance on this one? I'd like to preserve the organization structure if at all possible because that's extremely useful right now for troubleshooting and gathering quick information while I'm getting the environment setup.
Thanks in advance,
Robby
Comments
I have a possible alternative: run the Applications Report, use Select Collection Source to filter the targets to just your OU Collection, then right-click on the Name column and choose Group By This Column.
Robby,
None of the dynamic collections under Applications in the Collection Library have the "drill down from parent collection" checked by default. After duplicating that structure under your dynamic collection you will need to check that box on every single dynamic collection underneath it in order to have it behave the way you expect.
Sorry for the delay in my reply everyone.
Colby Bouma thanks for the suggestion. If all else fails that is an option for information but the various types of PDF readers alone seems to make that a little more cumbersome than I was hoping for. That said, it's definitely one way to go.
lnichols also appreciate the feedback. We're on the same page for that approach. I did try to do that, but I have an ominous feeling (and I'm not a dev so I can absolutely be wrong here) each sub-collection that is empty used for organizing the data (e.g. the highlighted collections in the image below) is acting as if it is null even with the "drill down" option selected. Using the same image as a reference if I grab Adobe Reader and drop it directly under the Dynamic OU Collection with Drill Down selected, then I start getting the information. However it's the organizing collections between that are causing the grief if this is even possible, yet that is the desired structure to keep it neat.
I have another idea: add the AD Path column (it might be AD Parent Path, I don't remember which one is just the OU), then use the filter symbol on the column header to select your desired OU. Note: the count next to the collections isn't affected by this.