Re: How to specify a destination (in Packages) that is relative to the current user's home?
Re: How to specify a destination (in Packages) that is relative to the current user's home?
- Subject: Re: How to specify a destination (in Packages) that is relative to the current user's home?
- From: Motti Shneor <email@hidden>
- Date: Thu, 10 May 2018 21:02:55 +0300
I bag to differ. Apple clearly defined a replica of the root hierarchy inside
each user’s home - just for that.
We intentionally install per user. A second user should not be able to see or
use the app (unless he installed it for himself). Network homes - are just
homes - and all Apple File APIs respect these when resolving the home folder.
This distribution package will be downloaded and opened following user’s click
on a specific link - (so to enter a virtual conference - this is a widely used
conferencing tool).
It will NEVER be mass deployed by any IT, and such scenario is uninteresting.
The package is only available from our servers - and expected to be downloaded
when first entering such a meeting.
This installation scenario is perfectly viable, and closely matches any app you
download from the internet - and install without Admin privileges. You’re free
to install software in your home directory - and Apple created the
“Applications” folder just there for you.
The existing installer (the previous version) is a standard Apple package (no
scripts, daemons, or other hackery used) did this without a hitch - and I just
wonder how. I could (hmmm… in theory…) learn the lost scrolls that kind-of
document the structure of Apple’s installer package - but I hoped for more
knowledge here.
I will not resort to any non-Apple installation/deployment tool - for many
reasons. Had I the time - I would get rid of the installer altogether - and
would include my Internet plugin as a resource in the Application’s bundle, and
would install it in place on App’s first run (if it is not there already). Then
the user could just drag the app to his home/Applications, or wherever he
likes, without any packaging, installing or whatever.
The app is freely relocatable - and very small (about 15MB overall).
Motti Shneor
---
Ceterum censeo Microsoftinem delendam esse
> On 10 May 2018, at 18:44, Conor Schutzman <email@hidden> wrote:
>
> The short answer is you don’t. How would an installer targeting a home
> folder handle network homes? Or a second user logging into the device? Or
> what if there was no owner of console at the time the package was pushed
> (such as pushing it via ARD while the machine is locked or at the login
> window)? Trying to install into a home folder just generates an excessive
> amount of corner cases.
>
> Best approach would be to deploy using a tool like Munki or Jamf Self Service
> that allows for non-admin users to install software (I’d add that in most
> cases it is not necessary to prevent users from being admins, but that is a
> different debate for a different day).
>
> For files that must be installed into a user’s home folder, the best approach
> would be to create a agent/daemon to moved files from a central location to a
> home folder upon login. There are even prebuilt tools designed to handle
> this exact scenario. A less optimal solution would be to do that work
> yourself utilizing a postinstall script that can determine the home folder
> location of the active user’s home folder.
>
> On May 10, 2018, at 7:37 AM, Motti Shneor <email@hidden
> <mailto:email@hidden>> wrote:
>
>> I’m building a distribution flat package, with one installation package
>> inside that should install two bundles
>> 1. An application bundle
>> 2. An Internet Plug-In bundle.
>>
>> I’m required to allow users to install the app without Admin privileges -
>> for their own use.
>>
>> Hence - the App should go to ~/Applications/
>> and the plugin bundle should go to ~/Library/Internet Plug-Ins/
>>
>> Actually I’m re-doing a 10 year old installer, for which I have the .pmdoc,
>> but PackageMaker no longer exists or works - so I can’t even open the
>> original packagemaker document to see how it was done in the past.
>>
>> I resolved to use the great “Packages” application - but I can’t find how to
>> specify destinations for the payload, that are relative to the current
>> user’s home folder. Also - when I uncheck the “Require Admin Privileges”
>> checkmark - the created installer still demand admin user and password.
>>
>> Idea anyone?
>>
>> Motti Shneor
>> ---
>> ceterum censeo microsoftiem delendam esse
>> ---
>>
>>
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