Pro Tools 12

I'm installing the "Install Pro Tools 12.3.0.pkg" from the PT 12 DMG, but for some reason it only successfully installs if I'm logged into the machine and run "jamf policy" manually. If it runs automatically, I get the following in my JSS logs:
Installation failed. The installer reported: installer: Package name is Pro Tools 12.3.0
installer: Upgrading at base path /
installer: The upgrade failed (The Installer encountered an error that caused the installation to fail. Contact the software manufacturer for assistance.)

The /var/log/install.log doesn't show anything obvious (to me).

I've followed the previous instructions for version 11 with a tweaked script I've got here

Curious about your tweaked script, but the link appears to be broken.

I hate to reopen old wounds, but is anyone successfully installing ProTools 12 now? I'm following the same v11 instructions mentioned above, along with a tweaked script for the changed shoetool helper tool (from com.avid.bsd.shoe to com.avid.bsd.shoetoolv120). I've been trying with ProTools v12.5.0 on 10.11.4.

Installation of the iLok license manager, HD driver, and codecs all run smoothly, but 'Pro Tools.app' itself does not install. These telling lines appear in /var/log/install.log, but I'm still trying to divine their causes...
The preinstall is from the 'Pro Tools Application.pkg' portion of the installer.

Apr 1 08:16:38 forman2 installd[6243]: ./preinstall: Use of uninitialized value $_[0] in substitution (s///) at /System/Library/Perl/5.18/File/Basename.pm line 341.
Apr 1 08:16:38 forman2 installd[6243]: ./preinstall: fileparse(): need a valid pathname at ./install_utils.pl line 260.

Hi @jonscott

Give this a go.

Hope it helps!

Darren

Thanks @daz_wallace for the quick response!

The process I'm testing looks nearly identical to that in your post. The differences seem to be that I'm trying with ProTools 12.5, and I'm trying this under Casper's firstboot. Were you installing during imaging or afterwards by policy? When I push using Remote, the ProTools app is installed, should've mentioned that earlier...

No worries @jonscott, glad we're working in a simalur way!

In this instance I was installing during imaging, but on a postponed (eg at reboot) installation.

Looking at the error messages, it looks like a possible issue with the pre install script. Is the Pro Tools installer direct from AVID, without any modifications?

Would it be possible to check for an updated installer from AVID?

Last question for now, does the same failing package would fine:
A) when run by a normal user using the GUI installer app?
B) when run locally from the command line?

Darren

Hey @daz_wallace, it does look like an issue with that pre-install, but I can't see where/why it's failing. The pre-install also looks identical to the one under the 12.1 installer. I haven't checked others. My 12.5 installer comes straight from AVID, supposedly the latest and with no modifications.

The package installs fine when copied to the Mac in question and run in the GUI. I haven't tried command line yet. It seems there must be a problem running this installer under Casper's adobeinstall firstboot for some reason.

If I can't figure this out, I may try a policy-based install after imaging, though I'd like to get this all done in one shot. There's a lot more going into this config after ProTools is in place...

Jon

Hmmm, I suggest the command line as its closer to what Casoer does.

My understanding is that the first boot stuff runs as root, even though it's in the adobeinstall account.

Worth testing to see if the policy works where the imaging method doesn't. If so, you can build a policy scoped to a smart group of 'does not have pro tools' and set to run on 'enrolment'?

Good luck!

Darren

Yeah, the policy route seems fine. Or at least It does work fine when pushed by Casper Remote, which I believe should mimic any policy. It's only failing (so far) during first boot. It looks like some of AVID's script logic may be falling apart when this runs during first boot, though I can't quite figure why yet.

I might end up doing a custom first boot kind of thing, and have a bunch of our software install in that after imaging, as I believe a few things require a console logon.

Thanks for your help!

Hi @jonscott

Good Luck and please come back and share what you did to get it working!

Darren

Has anyone had luck getting this to work with 12.5.0?

I'm trying the same process (I think) and encountering what sounds like the same issue as @jonscott. Seeing the same errors in the /var/log/install.log about problems with the pre-install script.

I'm using the latest installer PKG from Avid copied off the downloaded DMG and deploying it using a policy. Ideally will want to push it as a part of a configuration as part of re-imaging.

It does install ok when it's deployed using Casper Remote but not via policy. I've tried caching it on the client and then reinstalling but with the same result.

Can anyone offer any info?

To answer my own question I've now got it working!

Simply added the PKG downloaded from Avid to Composer, converted to source then rebuilt it as a new PKG without making any changes to the contents. Then deployed the new PKG using a policy and this time it installed ok, very strange.

We also use the Air Instruments pack and Xpand II addon's which are downloadable as DMG containing PKG from the Avid site and these also failed in the same way earlier so will try the same tactic with them, fingers crossed they'll work as well.

My work on Pro Tools 12 was somewhat shelved in favor of a goal change, but I believe in the end I was dropping the PKGs direct from Avid to the JSS, and it deployed without issue during imaging. I was otherwise following the suggestions in this thread, but adding PKGs to the JSS and pushing during normal imaging (not first-run).

My memory often fails me, so I could be completely wrong about all of that, but it is what I recall at the moment!

Hi All,

I happened to have already gotten the iLok licenses upgraded manually. And like everyone else the installer, when installed by policy, failed with the same errors. This is Pro Tools 12.6.

However I did try from the command line using the installer command, and had no problems installing! I dug into it a bit and have pasted my notes below. Regardless I was able to install three packages of extras with normal Policy package payloads - but use the command line method in Files and Processes in the same policy.

When deployed by Jamf the primary install package failed: PackageKit: Executing script "./preinstall" in /private/tmp/PKInstallSandbox.DTu3nv/Scripts/com.avid.installer.osx.ProToolsApplication.fv7PPh Temporarily excluding: /Applications, /Library, /System, /bin, /private, /sbin, /usr PackageKit: Locking applications ./preinstall: Use of uninitialized value $_[0] in substitution (s///) at /System/Library/Perl/5.18/File/Basename.pm line 341. ./preinstall: fileparse(): need a valid pathname at ./install_utils.pl line 260. However it works when installed with the 'installer' command at the command line. After a bit of research it seems that the error might have to do with the python not being called from inside a shell, which means it is a bug in Avid's script. Instead of having Jamf install the package in the Packages payload, I'll send the command instead in the 'Files and Processes' payload.

HTH

chris

[edit to change a word for clarity]

@cdenesha Thanks! I'm actually working on this today. The last time I had to install Pro Tools was version 10.x and remember it being quite the headache at the time.

@achmelvic I am trying to re-pkg the Pro Tools installer as you said. Here are my steps:

1) Captured the Install Pro Tools 2019.10.0.pkg from Avid
2) Added it to the Packages area of Composer
3) Clicked Convert To Source (Jeopardy music while composer does its thang)
4) New Source appeared under sources
5) Viewed Source.... There are no files in the converted source. 6) Built as PKG anyway.. (4kb file created) 7) Ran PKG, nothing was installed....

Help!! Any ideas would be appreciated.

The latest version of Pro Tools (2019.12) is very annoying, you can't install the pkg via Jamf as it asks for user input half way through and even there seems to be no way to stop Avid Link from prompting to update itself. I can't find a way to stop this notification as it seems Avid have changed it since the last version I was rolling out (2019.6).

@allanp81 Yup this has been the bane of my existence for the last couple days. I have not found a really good way to work around it besides doing a full app capture with Composer which I'm loath to do.

I've done full captures with older versions and never had any issues reported so will probably end up doing the same again.

Just so you guys know, we worked with Avid to have them take away the user input issue from the installer. The newest version will install without issue if you do it a certain way. We cache it first and then install it via a script. Here's an example:

#!/bin/bash

sudo installer -pkg /Library/Application Support/JAMF/Waiting Room/Install Pro Tools 2020.12.0.pkg -tgt / -verbose;

sudo rm -f /Library/Application Support/JAMF/Waiting Room/Install Pro Tools 2020.12.0.pkg;
sudo rm -f /Library/Application Support/JAMF/Waiting Room/Install Pro Tools 2020.12.0.pkg.cache.xml;
sudo /System/Library/CoreServices/RemoteManagement/ARDAgent.app/Contents/Resources/kickstart -configure -computerinfo -set4 -4 20.12

exit 0

Hmmm...for this last semester we just plugged the pkg into Jamf and installed it via Self Service. I had someone else install it in our lab but I wasn't told that there were any prompts and the instructor signed off on things that everything was fine.

Install Pro Tools 2020.11.0.pkg was the package we installed.

@ivanpiesh so are you saying they've "fixed" their installer? I'm not seeing anything in your script that's otherwise out of the ordinary?

@allanp81 They have removed the user input asking if you'd like to opt into sending anonymous usage and diagnostic data collection during install, which is what I assume is the issue you were having. Avid Link is another issue that I have yet to figure out how do negate from the install.