Deploy Mathematica to a Lab

[jnraulst]

Hey guys

I am looking at creating a policy to deploy Mathematica to a lab nearby. We have a license server that these will connect to, and I found out there is a mathpass file that I think needs to be placed in /Library/Mathematica/Licensing/mathpass

What would be the best workflow for this to happen?

[mjhersh]

You'll want to use Composer to build a DMG installer. The Mathematica installer drops a bunch of things in different places, like "/Library/Internet Plug-ins", /usr/local/bin, and others. Composer's snapshot feature will help you out here.

For the mathpass file specifically, at least on my systems it's in the user Library, not the root library. So I used Composer to build a DMG and enabled FUT/FEU in the JSS, so that every user would get the mathpass file in ~/Library/Mathematica/Licensing/. I don't know if you could put that in /Library instead; I never tried.

[dsavageED]

I've made Mathematica available via Self Service for our users, from looking at the package the mathpass file is located inside the application binary; Mathmatica.app/Contents/Configuration/Licensing along with a playerpass file.

[mschroder]

I create the mathpass file in /Library/Mathematica/Licensing/ by using a script. But it is possible that the app looks in several places to find it. If my memory serves me well you can put it in the User Library path in case you want to allow some but not all users on the Mac to use it. If you put it in /Library every user on the Mac can use the app.

And we just copy the App from the dmg, and install the Extras package in addition. No Composer involved in our Mathematica preparation.

[jnraulst]

Thanks @mjhersh

I forgot to mention this will be installed on iMacs joined to AD in a lab environment

[jnraulst]

@mschroder

Could I use composer to build a pkg that drops the mathpass file to /Library/Mathematica/Licensing/

Or do you mind sharing the script you use?

[MLBZ521]

I install and license almost all my software in separate steps in my environment -- we have a lot of different groups that have different licenses and/or different license needs (local/serial vs network/license manager). This way, if a group has a specific need, or a specific license that is unique to them, everyone can use the same .pkg to install the <Software Title>, and then use a script to apply the specific license type needed.

I essentially drop the .app into the /Applications folder for the installation of Mathematica and then create the license file with a script as mentioned before.

You can view my "install" and "license" specific scripts here: https://github.com/MLBZ521/macOS.Software/tree/master/Mathematica

[jnraulst · Accepted solution]

Actually, thank you all

I made the dmg in composer from a snapshot, and put the mathpass file in there with the playerpass in the Mathmatica.app/Contents/Configuration/Licensing folder