Mac apps patching Acrobat Reader

[ImAMacGuy]

Looking at Mac Apps section to update Acrobat Reader DC.  If I set it to all managed computers, does it only update the devices that actually have it installed or does it install on 'all' of devices, regardless of if Acrobat Reader DC is installed or not?

[skeenan07 · Accepted solution]

If you scope the app to All Managed Computers, it will update on the Macs that have Reader and install on Macs that don't. (I'm basing this on the info below from the App Installers page in the 10.43.0 Jamf Pro Documentation.) 

Keep the following in mind after deploying an App Installer:

• If the target computer is removed from the scoped smart group, the software title remains on the computer but no longer receives updates.

• If a new target computer is added to the scoped smart group, the deployment process starts.

• If an end user removes the software title from the target computer the software title remains uninstalled until one of the following occurs:

  • The App Installer deployment is toggled off and back on.

  • A new version of the software title is added to the Jamf App Catalog.

  • The target computer is removed from the scoped smart group and then re-added to the smart group.

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[AJPinto · Accepted solution]

If you scope it to all managed devices, it will target all managed devices.

If you only want to target devices with Adobe installed, you will need to make a smart group to collect devices with Adobe Reader installed. Then target your policy at that smart group.

[skeenan07 · Accepted solution]

If you scope the app to All Managed Computers, it will update on the Macs that have Reader and install on Macs that don't. (I'm basing this on the info below from the App Installers page in the 10.43.0 Jamf Pro Documentation.) 

Keep the following in mind after deploying an App Installer:

• If the target computer is removed from the scoped smart group, the software title remains on the computer but no longer receives updates.

• If a new target computer is added to the scoped smart group, the deployment process starts.

• If an end user removes the software title from the target computer the software title remains uninstalled until one of the following occurs:

  • The App Installer deployment is toggled off and back on.

  • A new version of the software title is added to the Jamf App Catalog.

  • The target computer is removed from the scoped smart group and then re-added to the smart group.

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[AJPinto · Accepted solution]

If you scope it to all managed devices, it will target all managed devices.

If you only want to target devices with Adobe installed, you will need to make a smart group to collect devices with Adobe Reader installed. Then target your policy at that smart group.

[sdagley · Accepted solution]

@ImAMacGuy Mac Apps is for deploying apps that will then auto update as new versions are released.

If you've previously used a Policy based deployment process for an app, and you want to force updates for that without adopting the Mac App deployment mechanism you can use Patch Management which does allow you to specifically target only devices that are lower than the specific version you're looking to update to. For Patch Management Patch Policies the Scope tab shows this message: "Targets added to the scope are automatically limited to eligible computers. View list of eligible computers." You can click on the "eligible computers" portion of that message to see specifically what devices are in scope, even if the Patch Policy isn't enabled (something I _really_ wish Jamf would add to the Scope tab for standard policies)

[ImAMacGuy]

@sdagley @AJPinto @skeenan07 thank you all for the clarifications.  I was afraid that was the case, but at least now I have a better idea of what the differences are.  thanks!