Amanda Kunes

NETA 2010 Deploy Studio

2010-06-24T14:38:00.001-05:00

This link will take you the the DeployStudio presentation and notes from NETA 2010 in Omaha, Nebraska.

Disable Software Updates for Various Software Applications on Mac Image

2010-06-24T13:36:00.007-05:00

Disable Software Updates for Various Software Applications on Mac Image

The purpose of this documentation is to share the steps to disable software update messages for users. I work in a school district with thousands of users, most of which are students. Every time we launch Google Earth I don't want the students being prompted to update the software. Different applications require different methods to disable software update messages. Below are three of the common methods used to disable software update messages. Below these options are the specifics for each application.

Sample Plists - Download sample plists for the following examples.

Option 1: Deploy plist for application to user accounts or user groups via Workgroup Manager. This solution works if the OSX computers are bound to an OSX server. To obtain the plist to deploy, log into a clean (brand new) user account, launch the application, set the settings to stop software updating, go to this user's Library/Preferences folder, copy the plist for the application to another location for future use. Then using Workgroup Manager set the application's plist to for the user or user group. TEST TEST TEST!!!

Option 2: If you don't use Workgroup Manager from an OSX server to manage your users and groups, you can copy the same plists into the computer's User Template folder. When a user is created on an OSX computer, the User Template folder structure is used. Users can change the plists you deploy to them using this method, unlike setting the settings via Workgroup Manager from a server. However, at least the initial settings deployed to users would be the same.

To do this, first obtain the plist for the application. Log into a clean (brand new) user account, launch the application, set the settings to stop software updating, go to the user's Library/Preferences folder, copy the plist for the application to another location. Log into the computer's root account (this option must be enabled first, techs are probably rolling their eyes on this but it is the easiest way for some users to set these preferences in the User Template folder). Go to Macintosh HD/System/Library/User Template folder. Zip the current English.lproj folder just in case you make a mistake. Copy the plists for the applications you would like to configure into this folder structure. After I have placed all of my settings in this folder, I zip it up and label it so I know it is my edited version of the User Template. Then I copy this zipped user template off of the computer and place it in the same location on the computer that I am using to create the base image for the year.

Option 3: Some application such as Camino do not require you to make sure all of the user's have the same plist file. These application will allow you to disable software updates via the application directly affecting every user on the computer rather than just one.

Note: To open plist files use Properly List Editor, you can obtain a copy of this from Apple's Developer Tools. This one is free from Apple, other editors can be downloaded from the web.

Specific Methods for Disabling Software Updates

Apimac Timer

Use Option 1 or Option 2
Plist is named com.apimac.timer.plist

Apple's Software Updater

Download NHR, this is one method for running login scripts on the computer when a user logs in (or out). Most the the scripting done in the NHR packages are relevant to the school environment.
http://tools.mconserv.net/Scripts.html
Onto the login script for both network home or local home users add the following code:

sudo -u $1 softwareupdate --schedule off

This command on the login script will disable Apple's Software Update message for users.

Camino

Download application from web, copy to the computer's Applications folder.
Control click (or right click) on Camino, select Show Package Contents.
Open info.plist with Property List Editor.
Change su enable automatic checks to no.
Save the plist.
Camino will no longer prompt a user to run a software update for any user on the computer.

Coconut Battery

Use Option 1 or Option 2
Plist is named com.coconut-flavour.coconutBattery.plist

Flip for Mac

Use Option 1 or Option 2
Plist is named net.telestream.wmv.plist

Google Earth

Download application from web, copy to the computer's Applications folder.
Control click (or right click) on Google Earth, select Show Package Contents.
Navigate to this location Contents/Frameworks/KeystoneRegistration.framework/Resources/
Remove the files install.py and Keystone.tbz
Google Earth will no longer prompt a user to run a software update for any user on the computer.

KidPix - Disable License Exception

This tip isn't for the software update message, but the license message when launching the application for the first time as a user.
Use Option 1 or Option 2
Plist is named com.mackiev.kidpix.plist

KidPix

Install the 1.2.4 Updater if running Snow Leopard. http://www.mackiev.com/support_kp.html
Contact MacKiev's tech support so they can email you the restore_settings_to_default_school script that will stop the program from prompting users to run a software updater each time they use the software.

MicroSoft Office

Use Option 1 or Option 2
Plist is named com.microsoft.autoupdate2.plist

Perian

Use Option 1 or Option 2
Plist is named org.perian.Perian.plist

RealPlayer

Use Option 1 or Option 2
Plist is named com.RealNetworks.RealPlayer.plist

Skype

Use Option 1 or Option 2
Plist is named com.skype.skype.plist

Time Machine Stop Asking for Disks - Not a software update message, but this is how you stop time machine from popping up for every user when they attach a drive.

Use Option 1 or Option 2
Plist is named com.apple.TimeMachine.plist

Tooble

Use Option 1 or Option 2
Plist is named com.Gridlock.Tooble.plist

VLC

Use Option 1 or Option 2
Plist is named org.videolan.vlc.plist

ARD Commands

2010-06-24T13:22:00.005-05:00

This is a listing of ARD Commands (For Apple Remote Desktop) that I find useful. These were distributed at the 2010 ATSE in Omaha Nebraska.

ARD-Commands.pdf

Adobe Photoshop Elements and Network Homes

2009-12-02T21:33:00.002-06:00

If you are using Network Home Redirector to redirect items that don't work so well with Network Homes on an OSX Server and you are using Adobe Photoshop Elements, you will have an issue with the Adobe Bridge software.

If you are using NHR and Elements (at least I have seen this on version 6 and 8) then Adobe Bridge will not launch. This is because the /Users/~/Library/Application Support/Adobe folder is redirected to tmp because Adobe Reader 9 doesn't work with Network Homes. Adobe Reader just won't launch, so that Adobe folder needs to be redirected. However, if the Adobe folder is redirected then Adobe Bridge doesn't work.

Solution: I don't really have one, in my environment only mobile users (with an account on the local workstation that syncs to the server) uses Adobe Photoshop Elements, so I don't redirect the ~/Library/Application Support/Adobe folder. But, at least you will know where to look for the problem with Adobe Bridge.

This was verified with client OS 10.5.7, 10.5.8, 10.6.1 and 10.6.2. Also with Adobe Photoshop Elements 6 and 8 for the mac.

Adobe Photoshop Elements 6 or 8 for the Mac not working

2009-12-02T21:30:00.002-06:00

Problems displayed:

Adobe Photoshop Elements 6 won't open any files.
Adobe Photoshop Elements 8 will launch the first time after installation but force quits every other time.

Cause of Problem:

If AVerVision is installed to support the AVerVision Document cameras, then these two version of Adobe are affected.

Remove AverVision on the computer. Delete these three files:

/Macintosh HD/Applications/AVerVision 2
/Macintosh HD/Library/QuickTime/AVerVDig.component
/Macintosh HD/Library/Image Capture/TWAIN Data Sources/AVerVision.ds
/Macintosh HD/Users/The user that is going to use the program/Library/Application Support/Adobe

NETA 2009 Ask the Mac Expert

2009-04-23T17:57:00.002-05:00

Below are the documents that were referenced during NETA 2009's Ask the Mac Experts session:

AFP Server Preferences
Troubleshooting Portable Home Directories
- Troubleshooting Mobile Accounts logging in or disappearing from the login window.
- Troubleshooting Syncing issues.
DeployStudio
- DeployStudio Local Imaging from External Device Configuration of software.
- DeployStudio Locally Creating an Image
- DeployStudio Locally Deploying an Image
Disk Utility
- Disk Utility Creating an Image
- Disk Utility Deploying an Image

10.5 Client Removing Computer Plist

2009-01-13T09:41:00.002-06:00

Run this command if:

The client that is bound to and OSX server (via Directory Utility).

The computer is in a computer group on the server.

The computer is suppose to receive preferences from this computer group.

Example, you are controlling the login window to show the name of the company or school. If the computer isn't showing this information and the computer is in the computer group, then run the following command.

rm -rf /var/db/dslocal/nodes/Default/computers/

(this removes the plist that is affecting the computer)

shutdown -r now

(this will just restart the computer)

These commands can be run via the Unix command option in Apple's Remote Desktop.

Office 2008, stopping the setup assistant for each user.

2008-09-05T23:50:00.003-05:00

This solution is meant for large deployments of Microsoft Office 2008. This solution is assuming that you are re-directing the office preference files for a user. You would redirect these files if you were using Network Homes on an OSX server or you wanted to specify settings for users with Mobile Accounts.

If you want to stop Setup Assistant from running each time a user logs in....I had that too, really annoying. If you check out the ~/Library/Preferences/com.microsoft.office.plist you will see an entry for Completing the SetupAssistant. I am now pushing this plist file out to all users, via WorkGroup Manager so they are not asked for the setup assistant anymore. It works great now....

If you are wondering how I am browsing my plists for freely I am using a program called PlistEditPro. I don't know how originally told me about this software, but it is AWESOME!!! I am sending out more and more plist files to my users and this program really lets me edit and browse my plist files before I even get to WGM. There is a free version of the software. http://www.fatcatsoftware.com/plisteditpro/

Office 2008 receiving blank pages when launching documents.

2008-09-05T23:45:00.004-05:00

This solution is intended for large deployments of Office 2008. For a home user, just throw away any of the files mentioned and they will be recreated the next time you launch any of the Office 2008 applications. However, if you are managing hundreds/thousands of machines, this is how you can handle it.

I use NHR to redirect.... (NHR can be downloaded from: http://jochsner.dyndns.org/scripts/NHR.html)

~/Library/Application Support/Microsoft
~/Library/Preferences/Microsoft
~/Documents/Microsoft User Data

I use WorkGroup Manager to control....
~/Library/Preferences/com.microsoft.Excel.plist
~/Library/Preferences/com.microsoft.Word.plist
~/Library/Preferences/com.microsoft.PowerPoint.plist
~/Library/Preferences/com.microsoft.office.plist

Even with doing these redirects I had a few users with this blank page problem. I went into the ~/Library/Preferences folder and removed any com.microsoft preference (there were about ten of them from when the user used Office 2004f) and the com.Office preference file.

When I logged out and logged back in again, I haven't had the problem again on the user.

Reason to start this blog....

2008-07-29T23:18:00.003-05:00

Apple's product line changes so rapidly, that technical resources are many times slow to follow, if at all. Due to this fact, I have been getting most of my technical advice from other users in the field. I have started this blog in order to communicate and share my experiences with Apple's products, specifically client and server within a K-12 environment.

During the month of June of this year, I converted 28 servers from OS 10.4 to OS 10.5. I have been testing for this conversion since November 2007 when I received my copies of Leopard from Apple. In fact, I presented a hands-on session at MacWorld 2008 in January on OSX Leopard Server for Education. Of course, all goes well during testing. In the real world, I have 1 master and 25 replicas, the other servers are stand alone serving different purposes. I can test one master and one replica in a test environment, but I was not able to test the load with all 25 replicas.

From here on out I would like to document what my experiences were with the conversion from 10.4 to 10.5. I will also be technically committing on other issues or items that I address from here on out.