Adobe Reader 2017 Classic Track Lockdown

[llitz123]

I believe I downloaded the [Adobe Reader 2017 Classic](ftp://ftp.adobe.com/pub/adobe/reader/mac/Acrobat2017/1700830051/) track with the hopes of managing updates through Casper.
The only thing I want to do is disable auto updates. I searched and was unable to find out how to do this.
Has anyone accomplished this and if so -how?
Thanks for any help.

[chris_hansen]

Create a plist as described by Adobe.
http://www.adobe.com/devnet-docs/acrobatetk/tools/AdminGuide/mac.html#disabling-updates

Either deploy the file, (test first) or import it to a config profile (more with the testing.)

[llitz123]

I actually missed that. I will take a look and test. Thanks.

[llitz123]

So I believe I created and edited the files correctly. UpdateMode was already 0 in the com.adobe.reader.2017.plist file.
For anyone that's successfully done this can you share the plists for the 2017 track?
And how do you test if the settings are correct?
I see:

<key>UpdateCycle</key>
<integer>4320</integer>

So my guess is I can edit to shrink the update check wait time here for testing yet I can't find any info.

Thanks for any help.

[llitz123 · Accepted solution]

For anyone that may come across this issue and it's not obvious.
I only had to edit one file in <machine root>/Library/Preferences.
Create a new file called com.adobe.(Acrobat.Pro | Reader).plist This file does not exist by default. So:
com.adobe.Acrobat.Pro.plist
or
com.adobe.Reader.plist
Open the plist with an editor.
Set the version value in the key. For 11.x, this is 11. For DC, this is either DC for the Continuous track or 2015|2017 for the Classic track.
Add the content they specify

<dict> <key>2017</key> <dict> <key>FeatureLockdown</key> <dict> <key>bUpdater</key> <false/> </dict> </dict> </dict>

Then provision this file.

[donmontalvo]

For reference:

Enterprise Toolkit » Enterprise Administration Guide » Preference Basics » next: Service and Online ...

[llitz123]

@donmontalvo - very helpful. Thanks.

[donmontalvo]

Since Adobe doesn't give you the actual command, assuming you want to script this...

bash-3.2# defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.adobe.Reader '<dict><key>2017</key><dict><key>FeatureLockdown</key><dict><key>bUpdater</key><false/></dict></dict></dict>'
bash-3.2# defaults read /Library/Preferences/com.adobe.Reader
{
    2017 =     {
        FeatureLockdown =         {
            bUpdater = 0;
        };
    };
}
bash-3.2#

[donmontalvo]

Ran up against this last week, may as well disable EULA and that stupid splash screen...

#!/bin/sh  
# Adobe Reader 2017 (classic) disable updates, splash screen, and EULA.. 20180326 DM  

over500=$( dscl . list /Users UniqueID | awk '$2 > 500 { print $1 }' )  

# Computer wide  
/usr/bin/defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.adobe.Reader '<dict><key>2017</key><dict><key>FeatureLockdown</key><dict><key>bUpdater</key><false/></dict></dict></dict>'  

# User level  
for USER in ${over500};  
do  
    /bin/echo "Setting for ${USER}..."
    /usr/bin/defaults write /Users/${USER}/Library/Preferences/com.adobe.Reader '<dict><key>2017</key><dict><key>ShowSplashScreen</key><false/><key>EULAAccepted</key><true/></dict></dict>'  
    /usr/sbin/chown ${USER} /Users/${USER}/Library/Preferences/com.adobe.Reader.plist 
done  

exit 0

[donmontalvo]

We had some issues that were resolved by setting Local, and User, and User Template levels.

#!/bin/sh
# Adobe Reader 2017 (classic) disable updates, splash screen, and EULA.
# Sets at Local, and User, and User Template levels, since Adobe can't get their act together. 20180405DM

over500=$( dscl . list /Users UniqueID | awk '$2 > 500 { print $1 }' )

# Set pref User Template
/bin/echo "Setting User Template..."
/usr/bin/defaults write /System/Library/User Template/English.lproj/Library/Preferences/com.adobe.Reader '<dict><key>2017</key><dict><key>EULAAccepted</key><true/><key>FeatureLockdown</key><dict><key>bUpdater</key><false/></dict><key>ShowSplashScreen</key><false/></dict></dict>'
/bin/chmod 700 /System/Library/User Template/English.lproj/Library/Preferences/com.adobe.Reader.plist
/usr/sbin/chown root:wheel /System/Library/User Template/English.lproj/Library/Preferences/com.adobe.Reader.plist
/bin/echo "Done setting for User Template..."

# Computer wide
/bin/echo "Setting for all users..."
/usr/bin/defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.adobe.Reader '<dict><key>2017</key><dict><key>EULAAccepted</key><true/><key>FeatureLockdown</key><dict><key>bUpdater</key><false/></dict><key>ShowSplashScreen</key><false/></dict></dict>'
/bin/chmod 755 /Library/Preferences/com.adobe.Reader.plist
/usr/sbin/chown root:admin /Library/Preferences/com.adobe.Reader.plist
/bin/echo "Done setting for all users..."

# User level
for USER in ${over500};
do
    /bin/echo "Setting for ${USER}..."
    /usr/bin/defaults write /Users/${USER}/Library/Preferences/com.adobe.Reader '<dict><key>2017</key><dict><key>EULAAccepted</key><true/><key>FeatureLockdown</key><dict><key>bUpdater</key><false/></dict><key>ShowSplashScreen</key><false/></dict></dict>'
    /bin/chmod 755 /Users/${USER}/Library/Preferences/com.adobe.Reader.plist
    /usr/sbin/chown ${USER} /Users/${USER}/Library/Preferences/com.adobe.Reader.plist
    /bin/echo "Done setting for ${USER}..."
done

exit 0