inventorying apps not stored in /Applications or /Users/<user>/Applications

[ChrisJScott-wor]

I've just made an odd discovery - it appears that Autodesk's Fusion 360 app does not install itself to either of the directories I mention in the subject. I'm guessing that this is why it doesn't appear in my enrolled system's app inventory and, worse, why I can't pull Application Usage statistics about it!

I have no idea why, but the app itself is installed to /Users/<installingUser>/Library/Application Support/Autodesk/webdeploy/production/<randomHash>

Anybody have any experience with apps installed outside of the typical locations and is there any way to get JAMF to "see" them effectively?

Sure would be nice to be able to pull usage statistics for this app so I could better manage the license allocations...

[ike]

Hi @ChrisJScott-work,
You may have already tried this, but under Computer Management > Inventory Collection > Software > Applications there are Custom Search Paths that support user directory expansion. For Example, using a custom search path of "~/Library/Application Support/Autodesk" will auto expand to "Users/<username>/Library/Application Support/Autodesk" and search for applications in those directories as well as report on application usage. It might take a little experimenting to get the exact path needed, but it might be a solution.

[tlarkin]

Use Spotlight, it is your friend

mdfind -onlyin /Users -name "kMDItemContentType = com.apple.application-bundle"

[ChrisJScott-wor]

Ah, I'll be darned - forgot all about Custom Search paths! Thank you @ike - one question: will JAMF search the added path(s) recursively or will it only look for .app folders at the level specified?

And @tlarkin, that's a great trick, too - thank you!

[ike]

@ChrisJScott-work yes, there is some recursive searching built in for custom paths but again, you may have to do some experimenting.

[donmontalvo]

@tlarkin wrote:

Use Spotlight, it is your friend

mdfind -onlyin /Users -name "kMDItemContentType = com.apple.application-bundle"

Until mdfind breaks, because nobody wants to be friends with a broke mdfind. #fragile

[tlarkin]

So Spotlight has been in macOS since like 10.4, maybe even sooner. It has had a TON of features built into it. It is what the mdmclient literally uses spotlight for sudo /usr/libexec/mdmclient QueryInstalledApps and other MDM commands. It isn't fragile or going away anytime soon. It also works near instantly in my testing. I have had code base run for years with spotlight that hasn't needed any altering.

I'd be very interested in any data or proof that shows Spotlight is fragile and should not be used

On the other hand with SIP and TCC/PPPC Apple has crippled UNIX binaries like find, so really spotlight APIs, mdls and mdfind are really the best of breed tools now.

[donmontalvo]

@tlarkin totallly missed your response, and I stand corrected.

Been using mdfind and I've got to say, its the cat's meow. :)

[gabester]

I came for tips on how to scan my users' home folder Applications without inventorying all of /Users...

I stayed to read the banter on mdfind.

I commented to confirm for everyone looking to inventory /Users/*/Applications that ~/Applications is the right way.