App Store System Preferences

chad_fox
Contributor II

Does anyone have a good way to manage the System Preferences pane for the App Store? I've searched around but haven't found a good solution.

I'd like to not have to block the entire App Store. I just don't want the application to automatically
check for updates.

1ce51384fdce45e0848098c3ed8a2605

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

milesleacy
Valued Contributor

Three items...

Configuration profile using a custom payload...
5c93e6d4ba3e4297aade8e37a568dd32
This covers the "Automatically check for updates", "Download newly available updates in the background", and "Install system data files and security updates" (includes Xprotect updates).

The other two options are governed by the preference domain com.apple.commerce, and I have not been successful in setting these with a configuration profile. I use scripts temporarily until these settings are consistently manageable with profiles...

8e2193d95a5b4122b1ec3be6efc65bf1
19b5635a1cfc4b68aa390a97b3378273

These are separate by design. Modularity is everything. I have an extension attribute for these settings populated by a "defaults read" on the same keys. Policies that run these scripts are scoped to smart computer groups where the setting is off.

View solution in original post

9 REPLIES 9

rqomsiya
Contributor III

Are your users admin? Either a config profile or script will let you set these. I use a script that only jnstalls the xprotect updates. Basically only the first and last checkbox are checked.

I'll post the script when i get to my Mac.

milesleacy
Valued Contributor

Three items...

Configuration profile using a custom payload...
5c93e6d4ba3e4297aade8e37a568dd32
This covers the "Automatically check for updates", "Download newly available updates in the background", and "Install system data files and security updates" (includes Xprotect updates).

The other two options are governed by the preference domain com.apple.commerce, and I have not been successful in setting these with a configuration profile. I use scripts temporarily until these settings are consistently manageable with profiles...

8e2193d95a5b4122b1ec3be6efc65bf1
19b5635a1cfc4b68aa390a97b3378273

These are separate by design. Modularity is everything. I have an extension attribute for these settings populated by a "defaults read" on the same keys. Policies that run these scripts are scoped to smart computer groups where the setting is off.

chad_fox
Contributor II

@rqomsiya @milesleacy Thanks for the help, I've got it sorted out now.

The config profile with custom settings is the way to go.

seann
Contributor

I don't think the custom config profile works in Sierra.

Can anyone else confirm this?

milesleacy
Valued Contributor

Seems to be working in 10.12.3.c5fcdab2d8be46d08786c30d74e027d2

seann
Contributor

Would you mind sharing your plist code?

Thanks

milesleacy
Valued Contributor

@seann See my answer above. The four keys in com.apple.SoftwareUpdate (ConfigDataInstall, CriticalUpdateInstall, AutomaticCheckEnabled, AutomaticDownload) are set by the custom profile payload.

I did not have success configuring com.apple.commerce with a custom profile payload in El Capitan and delivered those settings via scripts. As the scripts continue to function in Sierra, I have not prioritized re-testing a custom profile payload for Sierra.

See the source com.apple.SoftwareUpdate.plist contents used to create the custom payload below...

<?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">
<dict>
    <key>ConfigDataInstall</key>
    <true/>
    <key>CriticalUpdateInstall</key>
    <true/>
    <key>AutomaticCheckEnabled</key>
    <true/>
    <key>AutomaticDownload</key>
    <true/>
</dict>
</plist>

seann
Contributor

Thanks. Yeah, I made a custom config and uploaded it based on your previous responses, but unfortunately it wasn't working. I'll compare yours and mine, maybe I made a stupid typo someplace.

Update - thanks again, working now. I think that I must have made an error somewhere. Or maybe b/c I was stupidly using TextEdit.

mack525
Contributor II

@rqomsiya Still have that script?