Common External Tool Configurations

The list below of various examples is by no means a full list of ways to use External Tools but gives you a idea of how it can be used in different ways.

Ping

Ping a server via cmdline.

  • Filename: %COMSPEC%
  • Arguments: /c ping -t %HostName%
  • Can integrate: Unknown

Traceroute

Run a traceroute via cmdline.

  • Filename: %COMSPEC%
  • Arguments: /c set /P = | tracert %HostName%
  • Can integrate: Unknown

WinSCP

WinSCP is a free GUI Secure Copy program.

  • Filename: C:\Program Files\WinSCP\WinSCP.exe (example path)
  • Arguments: scp://%Username%:%Password%@%Hostname%/
  • Optional Arguments - turn on compression and ignore any host key errors: -rawsetting Compression=1 -hostkey=*
  • Can integrate: No

FileZilla S/FTP

Free and open source FTP client for most platforms.

  • Filename: C:\Program Files\FileZilla FTP Client\filezilla.exe (example path)
  • Arguments (FTP): ftp://%Username%:%Password%@%Hostname%
  • Arguments (SFTP): sftp://%Username%:%Password%@%Hostname%
  • Can integrate: Unknown

Firefox

Don’t like the built-in browser support? Integrate with the Mozilla Firefox browser directly!

  • Filename: C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe (example path)
  • Arguments: %Hostname%
  • Can integrate: Unknown

Google Chrome

Google Chrome is a freeware web browser developed by Google.

  • Filename: C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe (example path)
  • Arguments: %Hostname%
  • Can integrate: Unknown

Internet Explorer

Standard browser included with Windows installation.

  • Filename: C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
  • Arguments: %Hostname%
  • Can integrate: Unknown

MySql Workbench

MySQL Workbench provides data modeling, SQL development, and comprehensive administration tools for server configuration, user administration, backup, and much more. You will be prompted for a password when starting the connection.

  • Filename: C:\Program Files\MySQL\MySQL Workbench 6.3 CE\MySQLWorkbench.exe (example path)
  • Arguments: -query %USERNAME%@%HOSTNAME%
  • Can integrate: Unknown

VNC Viewer

  • Filename: C:\Program Files\RealVNC\VNC Viewer\vncviewer.exe (example path)
  • Arguments: %HostName%
  • Can integrate: Unknown

Windows Computer Manager

  • Filename: %WINDIR%\system32\compmgmt.msc
  • Arguments: /Computer=%HostName%
  • Can integrate: Unknown

Zenmap GUI

Zenmap is a GUI front-end for nmap.

  • Filename: C:\Program Files\Nmap\zenmap.exe (example path)
  • Arguments: -p “Quick scan plus” -t %Hostname%
  • Can integrate: Unknown

UltraVNC

UltraVNC is a free and open source program for connection to remote machines using the VNC protocol.

  • Filename: C:\Program Files\UltraVNC\vncviewer.exe (example path)
  • Arguments: %HostName%:%port% -password %PASSWORD%
  • Can integrate: Unknown

COM Serial Port

This will allow you to connect to a specific COM serial port using PuTTY.

  • Filename: putty.exe (example path)
  • Arguments: -serial com%Port%
  • Can integrate: Yes

Create a new connection entry with the following information:

  • Name: Serial COM**X**
  • Protocol: Ext. App
  • External Tool: COM Serial Port
  • Port: your desired COM port # here

Windows PowerShell

Windows PowerShell is a task-based command-line shell and scripting language designed especially for system administration.

Running with suggested argument will open a PS session connected to a host. No prompt for credintials will popup.

  • Filename: %WINDIR%system32WindowsPowerShellv1.0PowerShell.exe
  • Arguments: -noexit $pw = “%password%” -replace ‘^’, ‘’; $password = ConvertTo-SecureString $pw -AsPlainText -Force; $Cred= New-Object System.Management.Automation.PSCredential (“%username%”, $password); Enter-PSSession -ComputerName %hostname% -credential $Cred
  • Can integrate: No

Windows PowerShell (ISE)

Windows PowerShell Integrated Scripting Environment (ISE) is a graphical host application that enables you to read, write, run, debug, and test scripts and modules in a graphic-assisted environment.

  • Filename: %WINDIR%\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\PowerShell_ISE.exe
  • Arguments: args here
  • Can integrate: Yes

To get all windows file systems attributes of the remote server

It’s could be very useful for database and application servers to know all windows file systems attributes of the remote server, the size in mb, free space in mb and free % including all lettered drives ( e.g c: ) as well as mounted drives. Mounted drives are tricky to find and interrogate by other means.

You must run mR as a user with appropriate permission on the remote server: shortcut = C:WindowsSystem32runas.exe /user:domainntuser “C:Program FilesmRemoteNGmRemoteNG.exe”

  • Filename: %SystemRoot%system32WindowsPowerShellv1.0powershell.exe
  • Arguments: -NoExit Get-WmiObject Win32_Volume -ComputerName %hostname% | Format-Table Name, @{Name=”Size(MB)”;Expression={“{0:0,0.00}” -f($_.Capacity/1mb)}}, @{Name=”Free Space(MB)”;Expression={“{0:0,0.00}” -f($_.FreeSpace/1mb)}}, @{Name=”Free (%)”;Expression={“{0,6:P0}” -f(($_.FreeSpace/1mb) / ($_.Capacity/1mb))}}
  • Can integrate: No

Result will be similar to this:

_images/external_tools_win-resurces.png

You do not need to be logged into the remote server – just highlight the name.

(suggested by: Ray Miller)