Skype push

[Vitamin-Z]

Hi,

How do i push the Skype package to our users. When I download it from MS it is a dmg and if I unpack age it, it's a .app. Is there a different way to do this?

Thanks.

[rderewianko]

Hello!

There's two ways you can do it.
One way is with composer. 1. Put skype in your applications folder
2. Open Composer
3. Select "Pre-installed software" and select Skype.
4. Build as pkg
5. Upload using Casper Admin

Way 2
1. Put Skype in your applications folder
2. Use @mm2270's App-Packager
3. Upload using Casper Admin

[Vitamin-Z]

Wow. Thanks for the quick response rderewianki. I'll try both methods and update this thread if I run into problems.

[mm2270]

Thanks for the mention on App-Packager @rderewianko. (I didn't even think anyone had used that honestly)
But its even easier than 3 steps if you use that. Its more like:

1. Drag the Skype.dmg onto App-Packager, follow instructions and let it build the .pkg
2. Drag Skype_<vers>.pkg into Casper Admin.app

I would be remiss in not mentioning that Packages.app from Stéphane Sudre can also build packages from drag and drop app bundles pretty easily, and of course its a much more capable app to boot. Check out Rich Trouton's quick write up on the process here

Any of the above methods will do the trick, including of course, using Composer, though that's probably the longest process.
The only actual advantage with mine (if you consider it to be one) is that you don't have to even mount the disk image if you drag one in. It auto mounts the dmg and locates the .app bundle inside it to package up.

[mpermann]

@mm2270 This is a little off topic but, does your App-Packager program clear the X-Protect attribute that you might see when launching the first time if you downloaded the app from the internet? I'm looking forward to trying your program.

[mm2270]

@mpermann Yes, it does, but, you can send the thank you note to Apple on that, since the pkgbuild command its using under the hood takes care of that automatically, so its not something I specifically programmed into it. It wasn't necessary. :)

[emily]

Packages.app. You can just drag an app into it and it creates a deployable .pkg. It's lovely.

@rtrouton demos that feature here:
https://derflounder.wordpress.com/2014/05/02/building-simple-packages-with-packages/

[Chris_Hafner]

Not to add another redundant solution but you can do exactly the same thing with Composer. At least that's how I do it. Basically, like the some of other solutions (Not all) you install Skype in your applications folder, then drag to Composer, set permissions and package as .pkg or .dmg

With that said, I've not yet used @mm2270 's app packager!

[#9]

You might also want to check out AutoPkgr. I've been using it for Skype and plenty of other items.

I also found that back with Skype 6.x releases, I'd need to uninstall the previous version before installing the updated .app.

[Chris_Hafner]

@pete_c Yep! This is another reason why i like using Composer as you can have it build an indexed uninstaller as well. Anyways, 5 ways to the same end ;-)