Unified Installer Reader Mode

[Matthew22812294hdsk]

Hi there, I am running into an issue where I have the unified x64 Acrobat Installer installed on my PC using the TRANSFORMS switch with a custom mst file created with the Adobe Customization Wizard to allow the product to open and work as reader for unlisenced users. I have a web app that launches acrobat with a PDF that works with the x64 bit Reader and x32bit Reader, but both products are slow at launch. I noticed that the unified installer after some customization is quite snappy, but when I attempt to have my web app launch a PDF it starts Adobe in the background and then stops it almost immediatly. I reviewed some logs and the issue points to Adobe launching, but the quiting due to being unlisenced even with the unified installer set to run in reader mode when unlisenced.  

[S. S]

Hi @Matthew22812294hdsk,

Hope you are doing well. Thanks for writing in, and sorry for the delayed response.

To ensure your unified Acrobat installation is correctly set to operate in Reader mode for unlicensed users:

1. Review MST File Settings:

   • Open the MST file you created using the Adobe Customization Wizard.
   • Navigate to the Personalization Options section.
   • Confirm the following settings:
     • Suppress Licensing: Ensure that the option to suppress activation and licensing dialogs is enabled.
     • Run in Reader Mode: Verify that the configuration explicitly enables Reader mode when no license is detected.

2. Test the Configuration:

   • Open Acrobat directly (not via the web app) on a system without an Acrobat license.
   • It should open in Reader mode. Look for visual indicators, such as the "Acrobat Reader" branding, instead of "Adobe Acrobat."

3. Check the Registry Entries:

   • Open the Windows Registry Editor and verify the following keys:
     • For 64-bit installations:
       HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Adobe\Acrobat Reader\DC\Activation
       • Look for a value like bUpdater set to 0 (if updates are disabled) and other relevant keys for Reader mode.
     • For unified mode:
       HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Adobe\Acrobat\DC\FeatureLockDown
       • Check the key bUseLowRightsForReader or similar values to ensure Reader mode is enforced.

4. Validate Transform Application:

   • Confirm that the MST file is properly applied during installation. The syntax for the installer should include the TRANSFORMS switch:

     msiexec /i AcroPro.msi TRANSFORMS=custom.mst /qn
     

5. Inspect Adobe Customization Wizard Documentation:

   • Refer to the documentation to confirm the MST configurations align with the latest standards.
   • Also, usage of the transforms property can be reviewed through Microsoft's help page.

If everything checks out but the issue persists, the configuration may not be propagating correctly to the web app context. Further investigation into the integration between the app and Acrobat would be necessary.

-Souvik