Deploy Software to MacOS
Please forgive me as this is my first experience trying to manage Macs with KACE or managing them in general on any large scale that I need to distribute software remotely. I am looking for up to date and detailed information on how to deploy basic software packages to MacOS. I have built an image with the large software packages just as Microsoft Office and Adobe Creative Suite and I am just looking for a way to distribute the following software applications
Adobe Flash - install_flash_player_18_osx_pkg.dmg
Adobe AIR - AdobeAIR.dmg
Adobe Shockwave - Shockwave_Installer_Full_64bit.dmg
Google Chrome - googlechrome.dmg
Adobe Reader DC - AcroRdrDC_1500720033_MUI.dmg
I have been reading and watching a lot of videos and tried some methods that do not work. I have downloaded the offline installers which I reflected above in my software list. It appears Adobe makes a prebuilt distributable PKG for Flash but not for the others. Also I have read that you have to use the Adobe Customization Wizard for Adobe Acrobat Reader to make the PKG which I have also downloaded.
What I was hoping for is some details and steps on how to set all this up as I am thoroughly confused partially because the MacOS command lines are very foreign to me and I have no idea what they are actually doing.
I am thinking for programs like AIR, Shockwave, and Chrome I am going to have to re-package them and I have read that MacOS has a repackager built in that can make a PKG file or whatever. I am going to try that but honestly I have no idea how to distribute even a PKG file if I upload it to the KACE.
Please help me!!
Adobe Flash - install_flash_player_18_osx_pkg.dmg
Adobe AIR - AdobeAIR.dmg
Adobe Shockwave - Shockwave_Installer_Full_64bit.dmg
Google Chrome - googlechrome.dmg
Adobe Reader DC - AcroRdrDC_1500720033_MUI.dmg
I have been reading and watching a lot of videos and tried some methods that do not work. I have downloaded the offline installers which I reflected above in my software list. It appears Adobe makes a prebuilt distributable PKG for Flash but not for the others. Also I have read that you have to use the Adobe Customization Wizard for Adobe Acrobat Reader to make the PKG which I have also downloaded.
What I was hoping for is some details and steps on how to set all this up as I am thoroughly confused partially because the MacOS command lines are very foreign to me and I have no idea what they are actually doing.
I am thinking for programs like AIR, Shockwave, and Chrome I am going to have to re-package them and I have read that MacOS has a repackager built in that can make a PKG file or whatever. I am going to try that but honestly I have no idea how to distribute even a PKG file if I upload it to the KACE.
Please help me!!
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Answers (2)
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Posted by:
jknox
8 years ago
Top Answer
The installation method will vary with the software title. Some things, like Firefox, you can just upload the DMG and use the defaults: https://support.software.dell.com/k1000-systems-management-appliance/kb/111167
Silverlight, as a similar example: http://www.itninja.com/blog/view/k1000-mac-deploy-silverlight-through-a-managed-install
Others, you will have to tweak a little: http://www.itninja.com/blog/view/kace-mac-managed-install-of-adobe-flash-player-for-mac-using-install-adobe-flash-player-app
As far as package tools go, here are some examples:
https://developer.apple.com/library/mac/documentation/Darwin/Reference/ManPages/man1/pkgbuild.1.html
https://developer.apple.com/library/mac/documentation/Darwin/Reference/ManPages/man1/productbuild.1.html#//apple_ref/doc/man/1/productbuild
http://s.sudre.free.fr/Software/Packages/about.html
https://derflounder.wordpress.com/2015/05/21/payload-free-package-creator-app-revisited/
Silverlight, as a similar example: http://www.itninja.com/blog/view/k1000-mac-deploy-silverlight-through-a-managed-install
Others, you will have to tweak a little: http://www.itninja.com/blog/view/kace-mac-managed-install-of-adobe-flash-player-for-mac-using-install-adobe-flash-player-app
As far as package tools go, here are some examples:
https://developer.apple.com/library/mac/documentation/Darwin/Reference/ManPages/man1/pkgbuild.1.html
https://developer.apple.com/library/mac/documentation/Darwin/Reference/ManPages/man1/productbuild.1.html#//apple_ref/doc/man/1/productbuild
http://s.sudre.free.fr/Software/Packages/about.html
https://derflounder.wordpress.com/2015/05/21/payload-free-package-creator-app-revisited/
Comments:
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Thank you.. The simple process of adding the DMG seemed to work for Chrome but not AIR or Shockwave so I have to look into those further.
I appreciate your insight as it seems to be the information I am looking for so far. - bwilkerson 8 years ago
Posted by:
chucksteel
8 years ago
Check out AutoPKG: https://github.com/autopkg/autopkg
It's a system for building packages and includes recipes for a lot of common software. It can output packages that can be easily added to KACE for deployment.
Comments:
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Thanks. I will check that out. - bwilkerson 8 years ago
installer -pkg FlashPlayer.pkg -target /
So I think if I could find some good resources on how to make good PKG files I can just do that for the rest.
Anyone know of a good and FREE PKG creator that can take a DMG and make it into an installer package? - bwilkerson 8 years ago