Update Re-Added Removed Plugin

[keane_br]

I work in an enterprise environment and used the Acrobat Customization Tool to create an installation package for automated deployment. We ran into a hiccup with a subset of computers that a 3rd party plugin, that was slipped into the installtion w/ ACW, cause Acrobat to crash. I pushed out a seperate package that removed the file from the plugins folder for the subset of computers. The problem is, with the recent update, the plugin was re-added, and is crashing the subset's Acrobat again.

Ideally, I was hoping to recreate the entire Acrobat deployment package with Updates turned off, and the 3rd party plugin removed. The plugin would later be added via another package where needed, as opposed to including in all and removing from subset. I'm assuming this setup would leave the 3rd party plugin for the computers that have added it post-install.

I used the ACW to disable updates and removed the setting for the plugin file, along with including the new patch. When installing over the previous version, the plugin is still readded and the Check for Updates option is not removed. The version is properly updated to 10.1.8, so I know the installation is completely successfully. If I remove the 10.1.7 version and use the same 10.1.8 installation package, everything is as I'd like it.

I'd really prefer not to have to do an uninstall/reinstall on all users' machines. Is there some way I can accomplish having the new package overwrite the previous, settings and all?

Thanks in Advance,
Brenden

[EnterpriseHelp]

Here's how it works (so won't help in your case):

• Once an MST is applied during an install another MST can’t be used later during an update (say, to change one setting).
• Though there are crude ways to work around this but I won’t recommend those here.
• The way the Windows Installer Technology works is that during  an update or repair, the installer references the MST file that the installation used when it was first installed. The only way to use another MST it to uninstall the product and then reinstall with a new MST file.
• The installer does support multiple transforms during initial install. A list of all transforms can be applied during installation separated by semi colon. http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/aa372085(v=vs.85).aspx

Ben

[keane_br]

Ben,

Thanks for the followup information. It's nice to know how it functions, even if it doesn't help in this specific case. The more you know *star shooting across trailing a rainbow*.

Brenden