FEU for application updates

[kirkd]

I am new to Casper and I am having trouble understanding how to update existing applications without overwriting the existing settings, which would be catastrophic. I understand that FUT simply fills the user template, english.lproj, and FEU fills the user directories on the target computer with all settings. Here is my dilemma:
FEU works great when installing an application for the first time, all the tweaks and settings I made before packaging in composer carry over beautifully. If I use the same package, with FEU selected, to update an existing application it will overwrite all settings. This would be tragic with browser bookmarks for example. can someone give me advice on this?

[daz_wallace]

Hi Kirkd,

It's always a sticky situation and I can see two main methods to deal with it:

1) Management, These settings you want configured, could they be set using MCXs and / or Configuration Profiles?

2) plist entries, using either 'defaults write' or 'plistbuddy' to manually set the preferences you need. You'd have to package it within a script to check for existing homes and loop through setting this but I believe there are examples within these forums.

As always test it fully before pushing it out site-wide.....then test it again to make doubly sure.

Darren

[kirkd]

Hi Daz, thanks for the reply. During the jumpstart I was trained to start Composer, configure the application as you like, and take a snapshot. I see now that this is not a good option since it is very possible to overwrite existing application settings during an application update. I am not familiar with the workflow you mentioned in step 2. I will have to look into it.

[kirkd]

I was actually hoping that I could deploy packages in Casper as designed without a ton of additional scripting and customizing. FUT will not work for updating existing applications? I guess I could create two versions of the same package - one with FEU for first time installs and one with FUT for application upgrades. I don't like this answer but it may be the only way. I hope JAMF makes this process a lot easier in version 9.

[Nix4Life]

Hey Kirk;

For the Applications that are preinstalled, drop into comppser, package and deploy. when you deploy, leave fut/feu unchecked. This is the way i deploy Firefox updates. does not affect users settings. also Geometrs sketchpad and Fathom Math applications. it seems if you uncheck fut/feu,ite like copying the application in ARD. this aslo works for regular snapshots

hth

LS

[Nix4Life]

Kirk;
you just need 1 package. apply application lets say Evodots v1. late rin the month when evoditsv 1.1 comes out, drop it in composer upload package, ( unchecking fut/feu) then deploy. or create a policy that looks for evodots v1, and updates it. if I am wrong please post a workflow. we can doe this man

LS

[kirkd]

Hey LSinNY,
your comment about unchecking FUT and FEU for apllication upgrades helps a lot. The only remaining issue is using the same package for imaging and/or first time installs on existing users machines. Based on my tests, I have noticed that unless FEU is ticked for new application installs the application does not work properly.