Office 2011 packaging

[jwojda]

Since we are finally getting ready to deploy office 2011, I decided to make an official package for it. I've been following teh scripted steps in http://www.officeformachelp.com/office/administration/deployment/casper/

Some of the stuff is a little wonky with composer 8.52 (postflight scripts refused to save until I deleted the default one and then recopied the proper one).

Anyway - to make a long story short - the directions said to put 'must be installed at image time' does that mean I can't push the install/config separate? do I need another bundle to handle that portion?

[#2]

To make this a bit easier on yourself (if you haven't already) is to download Office 2011 for Mac with SP2 from Microsoft. I know this is not exactly your question, but thought I'd mention it since it might save you some time bundling the package with the updates.

[mm2270 · Accepted solution]

If you're referring to the "This package must be installed to the boot volume at imaging time" setting, that only applies to actual imaging, meaning the package should run the install AFTER the Mac has booted up into its new OS. Some packages don't play nice with trying to install on the hard drive while they are in an imaging state like NetBoot or Target Disk Mode, so that's what that setting is for.
Shouldn't affect anything with a regular policy push, so you should be OK.

[jwojda]

Oh, I left that out, I am using the sp2 version. I just did a test reimage with it - and it ran the casper is installing software screen after reboot - but when I logged in there was no office - the best I can find in the logs is:

5/2/12 1:43:59.524 PM com.jamfsoftware.firstrun.postinstall: Installing Microsoft Office 2011.dmg... 5/2/12 1:44:00.667 PM fseventsd: could not open <</Volumes/Microsoft Office 2011/.fseventsd/fseventsd-uuid>> (No such file or directory) 5/2/12 1:44:00.668 PM fseventsd: log dir: /Volumes/Microsoft Office 2011/.fseventsd getting new uuid: 4F8081AC-B27C-46DC-A387-C1A530B369DD 5/2/12 1:44:44.046 PM com.jamfsoftware.firstrun.postinstall: Installing Office 2011 Preferences.pkg... 5/2/12 1:45:01.825 PM fseventsd: disk logger: failed to open output file /Volumes/Microsoft Office 2011/.fseventsd/fbd8c3009337ad61 (No such file or directory). mount point /Volumes/Microsoft Office 2011/.fseventsd 5/2/12 1:45:01.825 PM fseventsd: disk logger: failed to open output file /Volumes/Microsoft Office 2011/.fseventsd/fbd8c3009337ad61 (No such file or directory). mount point /Volumes/Microsoft Office 2011/.fseventsd 5/2/12 1:45:04.951 PM installd: Installed "Office 2011 Preferences" () 5/2/12 1:45:05.695 PM com.jamfsoftware.firstrun.postinstall: Successfully installed Office 2011 Preferences.pkg.

So I guess my question is a bit premature.

[taugust04]

The scripted methodology is clearly the most complicated way of installing Office 2011. I've read that document in the past, and decided to use the snapshot method for deployment during imaging. I've never had any issues using the snapshot method during the imaging process. I usually save the snapshot packages of applications as .pkg rather than .dmg in Composer.

I know this doesn't help with your initial question - is there a requirement to use Microsoft's installer to deploy Office at your organization?

~Ted

[jwojda]

Would somone be willing to look at my choices.xml file? i manually copied / pasted the line that installs the office installer and it returned that my .xml file was malformed. Basically I want to remove all proofing tools except English, and remove the messenger / lync / and remote desktop.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<array>
    <string>proofing-tools</string>
    <string>english</string>
    <string>messenger</string>
    <string>Microsoft Lync</string>
    <string>Remote Desktop Connection for Mac</string>
</array>

[jwojda]

@Ted

No, I'm just a glutton for punishment. I wanted a more customized setup, I didn't want to install everything from office. Plus we've had problems packaging updates in the past, I was hoping this method would alleviate some of those issues.

[talkingmoose]

Using those instructions the "Office 2011 Preferences" package runs a script that looks in /private/tmp/ for the Office installer package. If the Office installer package were deployed during imaging rather than to the boot volume after imaging then the /private/tmp folder would get emptied when the machine is rebooted and everything would fail.

[talkingmoose]

@Ted

Definitely the most complicated but the advantage to this method is that it consumes the least amount of space and uses existing installers and updaters as opposed to repackaging for every update. A new update? Just throw it into Casper Admin and go.

Since the Office SP2 update I've found I need to update the template identity for Outlook. Not horrible. Just another niggling thing.

[talkingmoose]

In this case you really want a vanilla XML file not a .plist file. Remove the commentary and leave just this.

<array>
    <string>proofing-tools</string>
    <string>english</string>
    <string>messenger</string>
    <string>Microsoft Lync</string>
    <string>rdc</string>
</array>

I corrected your Remote Desktop value. It must be the same as you'd see when running this command:

installer -pkg /Volumes/Microsoft Office 2011/Office Installer.mpkg -showChoicesXML | grep -A 1 choiceIdentifier

I don't have Lync in my Office installer so I can't verify it. I would assume it's just "lync".

[bentoms]

AFAIK Lync is a seperate installer.

Communicator comes with Office 2011 Enterprise.

[jwojda]

thank you, those worked, I re-did my choices file and it now was able to run through casper remote.
whoohooo

it is just lync too @bentoms lync is included with the office 2011 w/ sp2 iso that we just downloaded from M$ yesterday.

Thank you everybody!

[bentoms]

Thanks John. I did not know that. Will repackage my installer tomorrow. :)

[thisisdave]

I threw this together a couple days ago; it may help you, @bentoms, with re-packaging: http://goo.gl/dObiX

@Ted: The scripted installers approach may very well be "clearly the most complicated" avenue to people, but it's certainly the least complicated approach from the perspective of the target Mac. The benefits pay off, especially when you're looking to create the most versatile installers (which I suppose is irrelevant if you use Casper as your sole tool for imaging/deployment/management).

Composer can certainly help Mac admins avoid "complicated" avenues and can meet their current needs quickly, but if a Mac admin never deals with the more complicated (read: 'more UNIX-y') approaches, s/he'll have a harder time advancing technically, and will potentially become reliant on a third-party ecosystem. I guess the question, for me anyway, comes down to whether I'd rather be a Casper admin, or a sysadmin who uses (some of) Casper.

[wmateo]

@jwojda @talkingmoose i know these posts are old, but is this the only method of deplying office along with preferences and outlook scipt? also these instructions have .mpkg and base office install. But I am doing it all with the updates and repackaging as .pkg - am I missing something? I tried to do this with FUT/FEU but failed miserablly.

my goal is to package office, deploy during image, remove any startup preferences for launch of apps, bring user right into document, and disable automatic updates. can you guys send me in the right direction as far as best practices, etc I have looked over site, and lots of info appears few years old. Just wondering if there is a better/more efficient method of accomplishing this.

Thanks guys!

[RobertHammen]

Here's one approach to packaging, via @rtrouton's excellent blog:

https://derflounder.wordpress.com/2013/11/03/re-packaging-installer-packages-with-packages/

[CasperSally]

@wmateo - I know snapshots are frowned upon by some - but I snapshot the office install (part of snapshot is turning off updates, setting toolbars, and turning off launch prompts) and push it as dmg (you can't use FEU/FUT with pkg unless you script it manually).

The only app I don't touch is outlook. Setting up exchange profile in outlook is pretty self explanatory so we don't see the need to try to script it for users.

[franton]

@CasperSally For me, it's whatever approach works best. I've spent the last few days trying to repackage Microsoft Office installer within a package. Had endless "fun" trying to make managed preferences work with it.

I'm now going back to what I used to do. Snapshot. I've already proved it can work to myself.

FYI: The SP3 release of Office 2011 doesn't supply Communicator anymore, it just installs Lync instead. Your mileage will vary but that fact stops me updating our install package until we've got our 365 rollout running.

[ncottle]

@wmateo A month or two ago I went the snapshot route as @CasperSally suggested to you. Very pleased with the end results. I actually set it up just as she did and did not touch Outlook (not used a lot in our environment). I put the package in with our imaging process and it works flawlessly. I also tried other routes like what @franton mentioned with the man. prefs. and it was... "fun". Back to snapshot and I'll never look back.

[talkingmoose]

@wmateo][/url

I wrote the Outlook Exchange setup script originally for Entourage because Exchange Autodiscover didn't work in my environment. It was too new and my Exchange admins simply didn't understand it and why it was important. My suggestion is to try getting Autodiscover to work in your environment and only use the setup script if necessary.

Microsoft switched from a .mpkg to a .pkg Installer format around version 14.2.0, I believe. They behave the same. Some folks like to repackage Office for Mac. I see no need with Casper. If you have a volume license then get thee to the Volume License Service Center (VLSC) on Microsoft's website and download the latest installer. It's usually patched to nearly the current version of Office. All you need do is apply the current update (such as the 14.4.3 update) and call it done. Office for Mac updates are all combo updates. The 14.4.3 update will fully patch anything back to version 14.1.0.

Regarding those startup screens and AutoUpdate, be on the lookout for the video of my presentation at PSU MacAdmins a week ago: Manage Third Party Applications with Profiles. I explain how to upload custom plist files into the JSS to create configuration profiles for removing all those startup windows and setting AutoUpdate to "Manual". You'll find the PowerPoint presentation and my Office for Mac plist files on my blog: Posting my PSU MacAdmins Conference presentation.

The fourth and last section of the presentation shows how to create a custom configuration profile for a screen saver lock with Apple's Profile Manager, but you'd apply the same method for the Office plists in your JSS. The video will show me demoing this for Office.

Post back if you run into any snags or need more detail.

[wmateo]

@talkingmoose Thanks for that detailed response. I would love to take a look at those vids. I could not access the links. you can email them to me if you want wmateo1 at gmail dot com

[talkingmoose]

@wmateo

I've corrected the links in the forum.

Manage Third Party Applications with Profiles

Posting my PSU MacAdmins Conference presentation

[wmateo]

@bentoms thanks for the links. I have gotten AutoDiscover to work in my enviroment, however, there is still some manual input from user email address, domain, etc. would you still recommend script to pre-populate the user information with the currently logged in user, and pull from AD similar how windows does it? we are trying to make it as simple as possible for a new user

[wmateo]

@nick.cottle I have it set up similar, but do the first launch preferences stick? are you installing post imaging? are you using FEU/FUT options? I find it when I check any of those, I get a keychain error when logging in as the user.

[ncottle]

@wmateo We are deploying the .pkg during imaging and post imaging via self service or ARD or flash drive or pretty much however we want. Every once in a while a machine will have the .pkg install but Office is borked, we just re-install via Self Service and it is good to go. In all of the machines I have done I have only had one where the first launch prefs only partially stuck. Beyond that it has really worked like a charm. We use FEU/FUT. If I remember correctly we did have some permission issues that we battled. It seemed like whatever user we took the snapshot from the permissions varied from a finished install. I think we looked at the permissions for each folder and verified they matched a completed install on a different machine. There has to be a better way but I think that is what worked for us. One of those things that in hindsight I really wish I had documented the process. I'll try to do some digging and see if I can come up with some more info. Looking at the .pkg in Composer I see a lot of root ownership but I don't have a machine readily available to see if that is the norm on a stock install.

[wmateo]

@nick.cottle Thanks Nick. I have used the Configuration profiles based on @bentoms presentation and it does work, I was just wondering if this is best done at imaging time and FEU/FUT is in place.

[geoffreykobrien]

I too am using the configs based on @bentoms presentation, works slick.

I just download the installer from Microsoft, and drop the pkg into Admin, index it and deploy on reboot during imaging and through self service.

Strange thing started yesterday, I newly imaged machine when outlook is configured ,you can't create a new email, calendar event, etc, it's strange. Im in the process of downloading SP4 now to see if there is an issue with 10.9.4 and 14.3.0 that I was running. Fingers crossed.