Packaging Photoshop Elements 11, any suggestions?

[jhalvorson]

I've captured a "New and Modified" using Composer 8.63, but looking for suggestions on what can safely be removed prior to building the package.

[franton]

All my packaging is done on a clean machine with a fresh install. Does a standard snapshot not work?

[michaelhusar]

Hey there - I am also "working" on Photoshop Elements 11....
a) I capture (as root) with composer from a clean machine and killed all branches but the /Applications and the /Library
b) the "original" link to the editor under "Photoshop Elements" is dead but I can start the ps elements editor from the /Support files folder
c) It runs not really smooth - the switching between the modes (expert, guided, quick) freezes soon

Any ideas?
and: What did you do with the Adobe ID ? It will pop up time after time if you do not fill it in?
last: I need to deploy also to machines with CS6: Would you therefore use as "clean machine" for capturing a machine set up with CS6 ?
Thanx a lot!

[nessts]

AAMEE google it learn it love it. https://jamfnation.jamfsoftware.com/viewProduct.html?id=201&view=info

[franton]

AAMEE doesn't work with Elements

[nessts]

creative cloud elements is there, sorry i never packaged an older version of elements before. and CS6 you should be using AAMEE

[michaelhusar]

thanx - I am glad we are on the same page :-)
Yes - we use AAMEE for CS6. And for the moment I have to stick to the "old" Elements 11 - and you are totally right AAMEE does not work with Elements.

[freddie_cox]

I'm currently working on PSE 12 and I am not having any luck with AAMEE, any version. Does anyone have experience or hints with this version?

If I manually install and activate with adobe_prtk all is well, until I install the captured version.

FYI This doesn't work:
http://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop-elements/kb/silent-install-instructions-photoshop-elements.html

[michaelhusar]

...less than a hint:
I captured PSE11 with composer - made a dmg to use FUT FEU
This worked on machines without CS6 - since they share some folders and I did not have to figure that out.

[freddie_cox]

PSE 12 just does not like the snapshot installer. Each time I try, I receive an error that "Your application install seems to be damaged..." even when not editing the package and FUT and FEU.

Looks like adobe has a silent install option, but it requires the media be copied to the client then run from install.app. Looks like I will have to leverage that.

[a_simmons]

Has anyone had any luck with packaging PSE12?

[freddie_cox]

@a.simmons what I did was create a package that copied the install media to the client to the path of your choosing. I also included the adobe_prtk as part if the package. Then after the media was copied, I created a script that ran adobes silent install followed by the prtk activation. I will see if I can drum up some more details later but it worked like a charm once I figured out their terrible and missing documentation

[a_simmons]

Thanks a lot Freddie, a copy of that script would be fantastic.

[freddie_cox]

@a.simmons][/url][/url][/url][/url][/url Here you go!

#!/bin/bash

# Install Adobe Photoshop Elements Silently
/Library/HoldingRoom/Elements12/Install.app/Contents/MacOS/Install --mode=silent --deploymentFile=/Library/HoldingRoom/Elements12/deploy/AdobePhotoshopElements12en_US.install.xml

# Activate with Volume License and disable adobe sign in prompt
/usr/sbin/adobe_prtk --tool=VolumeSerialize --generate --serial=####-####-####-####-####-#### --leid="V7{}PhotoshopElements-EMT12-Mac-GM" --regsuppress=ss

# You have to run this again to actually get the activation to work, why I don't know.
/usr/sbin/adobe_prtk --tool=VolumeSerialize

# You can Delete the install media here if space is an issue.
# I left it on the client in case it is needed on site.

Information About The Silent Install of Elements 12 with registration info at the bottom of the page.
http://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop-elements/kb/silent-install-instructions-photoshop-elements2.html

You will need to do the following:

1. Create a Composer Image that Copies the entire Elements 12 Install Folder to the client (I used /Library/HoldingRoom)
2. Add the adobe_prtk to the Composer Image to the path of your choosing (I used /usr/sbin)
3. Create a policy and add the composer install dmg and your customized script from the code above (with your serial number and correct paths to the install.app and adobe_prtk)
4. Have that script run AFTER the media is "installed" to your client. The script will handle the actual install and activation
5. Cross your fingers and wish it good luck on its journey

Let me know if you have any other specific questions as there is a good chance I left something out.

[a_simmons]

Hi Freedie,

Thanks for your help and thanks a lot for the script. It worked great installing the .dmg then installing the software. The only problem I had was when I opened the program I would be prompted to sign in with my Adobe ID.
In my script I did enter:
-- leid=”V7{}PremiereElements-EMT12-Mac-GM” --regsuppress=ss

Not sure how to remove the Adobe ID prompt so that the clients don't get prompted.

[freddie_cox]

Make sure you are running the following after the regsuppress.

/usr/sbin/adobe_prtk --tool=VolumeSerialize

If you get two successful return codes (0) then you should never get the adobe ID login prompt.

[ronb]

Hi Freddie,

I have this about set except - where do you find/get the "adobe_prtk" command? I have Adobe Application Manager Enterprise Edition, but I can't seem to find this piece to add to my "cache" package/policy. Everything else is set.

[freddie_cox]

The main page is here.

http://www.adobe.com/devnet/creativesuite/enterprisedeployment.html

The link you need is the Adobe Provisioning Toolkit Enterprise Edition for CS 5 (I think this is the right one off the top of my head. If not try CS 6)

http://download.macromedia.com/pub/developer/creativesuite/APTEE/Mac/adobe_prtk_22012.dmg

And finally tech note info here:

http://wwwimages.adobe.com/www.adobe.com/content/dam/Adobe/en/devnet/creativesuite/pdfs/AdobeProvisi...

Good luck! Let me know how it goes!

[kswiedikon]

Thanks!
I'm trying to pack Photoshop Elements 11 but already the silent-install Fails:

/Library/HoldingRoom/Elements11/Install.app/Contents/MacOS/Install --mode=silent --deploymentFile=/Library/HoldingRoom/Elements11/deploy/AdobePhotoshopElements11en_US.install.xml

It says unable to initialise objects. Exiting Installer with Code: -3
What did I miss?

[freddie_cox]

@kswiedikon My method was with Elements 12, so the syntax may be different for the silent install and I am not having much luck finding anything that relates specifically to PSE 11 Silent Install Errors on Adobes site.

It does look like if there were any previous instances of Adobe Photoshop on the system that it needs to be removed first: http://forums.adobe.com/message/4886903

Also, there my be a log in ~/Library/Logs/Adobe or /Library/Logs/Adobe that can give you some additional help.

[ronb]

Freddie,

Thanks for the links!!! Got it going with your script!!!

In our case we have a "company" folder in the root Library folder, with icons, desktop images, and a "resources" folder to dump installers in like we've had to do with Photoshop Elements (also have to with Extensis Suitcase). I moved the "Adobe_prtk" command in with the Elements installer folder and ran it from there. Then deleted the whole installer folder when it was all done.

Thanks again for you help!!!!

[freddie_cox]

Glad to help @ronb!

[ronb]

Well maybe I missed something. I thought I'd tested this out on the lab bench. But now, a few weeks later I install it for the first time and it's asking for the Apple ID log in. Doesn't this script suppress that as well? I don't recall seeing it in testing.

[freddie_cox]

@ronb You're correct. The regsuppress with a successful activation should supress the adobe ID sign in prompt. I would run the command again and look at the output to see if there was a successful exit code or if it reports any errors.

I haven't heard of any issues from this group since deploying, but that doesn't mean they aren't signing in each time they try to use it. :-)

[ronb]

Ok. Just got off the phone with Adobe support and here's what I found out -

1. Manually run (from yours or a lab system) this command first: /Library/pennwell/resources/Elements12/adobe_prtk --tool=VolumeSerialize --generate --serial=XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX --leid="V7{}PhotoshopElements-EMT12-Mac-GM" --regsuppress=ss {where the path in front is of course where you have the "adobe_prtk" file, and the X's need to be replaced with your serial number}
2. This will create a file in the same path as your "adobe_prtk" command file called "prov.xml"
3. Create your Composer package with the "adobe_prtk" and "prov.xml" files in the path you want them in. I actually installed these files into the same location as my installer - /Library/pennwell/resources/Elements12/.
4. Your script should then look like this (with appropriate paths) -

   #!/bin/bash

# Install Adobe Photoshop Elements Silently
/Library/pennwell/resources/Elements12/Install.app/Contents/MacOS/Install --mode=silent --deploymentFile=/Library/pennwell/resources/Elements12/deploy/AdobePhotoshopElements12en_US.install.xml

# You have to run this again to actually get the activation to work, why I don't know.
/Library/pennwell/resources/Elements12/adobe_prtk --tool=VolumeSerialize --provfile=prov.xml

# Delete installer folder
rm -R /Library/pennwell/resources/Elements12/
Note that the two change in Freddie's script earlier are:
. the removal of the serializing line because the added "prov.xml" file has done that already
. adding "--provfile=prov.xml" at the end of the last adobe_prtk command line
. our "custom" script also deletes the entire installer folder when complete
Kudo's to Adobe support for calling me back within 3 hours of turning on this solution that worked!

[nsterken]

@ronb I stumbled upon here... I am looking for a way to register my copy of PSE12 with out having to remain signed in to my Adobe account. Will this information help me to acheive that?

[ronb]

If you mean register your license with Adobe, I don't see how. We download our software thru our enterprise license, and they do not require registering. I believe these steps only allow silent installation and suppressing the Adobe login dialog box to our users.
I'm assuming you have a consumer purchase of PSE12 and this would probably not work in Casper in this manner.

[kema808]

@ronb @freddie.cox Thanks for the helpful posts! Took me a second to realize I also needed specify the path to the prov.xml file but everything works great.

[blindcola]

ronb and freddie you two rock.
Has anyone had luck locking in the region/country selection during this deployment? I know i could do it after install via casper, just dump the setting files into the user folder after install. But that's an ugly solution. These are lab deployed with multiple clients logging in & out. So far i've built off the previous scrips

#!/bin/bash

# Install Adobe Photoshop Elements Silently
/Library/HoldingRoom/Elements12/Install.app/Contents/MacOS/Install --mode=silent --deploymentFile=/Library/HoldingRoom/Elements12/deploy/en_US/install.xml

# Activate with Volume License and disable adobe sign in prompt/eula with the earlier generated prov.xml.
/usr/sbin/adobe_prtk --tool=VolumeSerialize --stream

# You have to run this again to actually get the activation to work, why I don't know.
/usr/sbin/adobe_prtk --tool=UpdateSuppress --leid="V7{}PremiereElements-EMT12-Mac-GM"
/usr/sbin/adobe_prtk --tool=VolumeSerialize

#After install is complete these files will be removed.
#rm -R /Library/HoldingRoom
#rm /usr/sbin/adobe_prtk
#rm /usr/sbin/prov.xml

#For creating the prov.xml. To be run separately, this was just a good place to store it so i dont forget.
#--tool=VolumeSerialize --generate --serial="####-####-ect" --leid="V7{}PremiereElements-EMT12-Mac-GM" --regsuppress=ss --eulasuppress --eulaaccept --locale=244

that local=244 was one of many attempts in this process. From documentation i've found off old versions and forums online. Country code US=244, Language code en=1033. This is provided they hold true from the versions they applied too (doubtful) and cross platform. I have tried to use the adobe_prtk to accomplish this during the silent setup (an full list of --tool's may be helpful adobe!). And through an application.xml.override file in the instal step. If there is a way to do this during the silent instal process i cant for the life of me find the even the variable name for it.

Any thoughts the group here has would be greatly appreciated!

Thank!

[sean]

Try Creative Cloud Packager instead of AAMEE.

[ngidzak]

I am constantly getting Return Code = 19, when i look it up it refers to the provfile being bad.

/Volumes/data/Adobe Photoshop Elements 12/Install.app/Contents/MacOS/Install --mode=silent --deploymentFile=/Volumes/data/Adobe Photoshop Elements 12/deploy/AdobePhotoshopElements12en_US.install.xml

/usr/sbin/adobe_prtk --tool=VolumeSerialize --generate --serial=xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx --leid="V7{}PhotoshopElements-EMT12-Mac-GM" --regsuppress=ss

i am hesitant to turn thins into a shell script until i can actually get the commands to work....
so far it is not getting beyond this step, and returning the following error (i have been running the above commands as with the sudo prefix

bash-3.2$ sudo /usr/sbin/adobe_prtk --tool=VolumeSerialize --generate --serial=xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx --leid="V7{}PhotoshopElements-EMT12-Mac-GM" --regsuppress=as Copyright 2012 Adobe Systems Incorporated All rights reserved. Return Code = 19 bash-3.2$ sudo /usr/sbin/adobe_prtk --tool=VolumeSerialize Copyright 2012 Adobe Systems Incorporated All rights reserved. Return Code = 19 bash-3.2$

I have no idea at this point what i am doing wrong.

My understanding (which is obviously wrong, is that the first command installs the application (it works) the second command should build the prove.xml file (because none was stated) the third command will apply the prove.xml file that was created (because none was stated)

If i can just create the Prov.xml file, i think i should be able to deploy it and run that last command

[hansjoerg_watzl]

Hello
I need to create a test package of Photoshop Elements 12. I have the source, the volume serial number and a Adobe ID (not for access to the Adobe licence server), BUT I don't have the adobe_prtk tool.

Can anybody provide me this tool or give me hint where to find it?

I have the CCPLauncher.app (Adobe Creative Cloud Packager) too, but I don't find this tool.

Thanks

[ronb]

Hans, Did you see the link from Freddie's message above? Did it work?

[hansjoerg_watzl]

@ronb
Thanks! I've missed Freddie's link.

In the meantime I tried it with the Creative Cloud Packager and it worked. It downloaded the v12.1 source of Photoshop Elements and created a pkg. I think I need to use a cached DMG for this pkg, as we already did for our other Creative Cloud apps.

Maybe I don't need the adobe_prtk anymore with this approach.

[ronb]

Cool.
But now of course we'll have to see what Adobe has for us with Photoshop Elements 13!!!

[C_Long]

Hey there

ngidzak had mentioned above that he was receiving a return code 19.

I am having the same issue he reported. I receive the Return Code = 19. Even though the prov.xml file was created in the earlier step. Did you ever figure out a fix? Any help would be very appreciated.

[blindcola]

TheReal check that your using the correct version of adobe_prtk, I lost half a day trying to create that prov.xml only to find out the version i'd been using didn't match my version of Elements.

[C_Long]

Hey thanks for the reply. I actually was able to get past the code = 19 last night. I did start with the wrong adobe_prtk tool though. I started with 5.5 and had to go up to 6. My issue was in my syntax. I originally just copied the code in the earlier posts:

/Library/HoldingRoom/adobe_prtk --tool=VolumeSerialize --provfile=prov.xml

That's what gave me the code 19. I had to put in the exact path to that prove.xml file to take. So mine ended up looking like:

/Library/HoldingRoom/adobe_prtk --tool=VolumeSerialize --provfile=/Library/HoldingRoom/prov.xml

Once I made that change I was good to go.

C.Long

[jguz]

Has anyone managed to get this to work for PSE13?