Reader vs pro default, RDS Farm

[rhysp26312776]

Hi all,

We are running a remote desktop farm. Because there is one machine between many users, we have both Reader and Adobe DC installed. However, only a few users require the DC license. The issue is, Adobe DC keeps taking the default application for all users, and then causing license/trial messages and expiry prompts for the users that do not use the license. This is also interfering with other 3rd party tools that are designed to output to reader.

Is there anything we can do to prevent this from taking default? presently we are constantly going round setting the default back to reader for the users. I've already seen a few discussions surrounding this topic to which the responses were 'all the features in reader are available in DC, so uninstall reader', which isn't applicable to the farm situation.

It's difficult to determine what's causing DC to take default but I am having a best guess at when the application receives an update, it see's that reader is on the machine and then takes the default. Either this, or a user on the machine that uses DC is selecting 'make this my default application' and it's setting it for all users at a registry level?

Anyhow, is there a way we can prevent DC from taking default full stop? we fully still want it to receive updates, so anything bespoke 'fixes' like blocking the app with NTFS for the readers wont work, as when DC takes the default then they simply will just not be able to open 'DC'. I then thought about stopping it interacting with the system to change these preferences (the 'system' NTFS permission), but then this might stop updates working correctly. Any suggestions?

The end result should be, the users that need reader as the default should be able to keep that, and the users that use DC should be able to keep that as default too. At this moment we have had about 3 instances of all users being set to DC as default.

Thanks

Rhys

[rhysp26312776]

^ note; the main issue is the expiry and license messages as the people that normally use reader are not signed into DC. The message does not appear to the people that are using DC obviously.

[rhysp26312776 · Accepted solution]

Had to use a third party tool for this; post windows 8.1 - whenever a default program is set, windows stores a hash value in the registry in an effort to give 'default choices back to the user', thus making it hard for IT to script / set default programs for users.

the tool called SetUserFTA allows you to run a batch file line as part of a login script which sets the default program and stores the SHA-256 in the registry for you, which is tested and working (incorrect hash values causes windows to set PDF's back to their default, which was Edge in my case). I then had to apply the login script to a security group containing users that needed that particular program. A bit overkill, but the only solution that's working at the moment.

end result being, our free users are all set to use Reader DC and paid license users are all set to use Pro DC at logon. Seems to be working for now, will have to see if Pro DC updates in working day and takes default because still unsure what was causing that.

Cheers