Adobe Creative Suite 3 - Deployment

[EduTech]

Morning Edugeekers,

 

We recently installed 30 machines in our new mobile classroom, no problem until they decided to now have ICT Lesson's over there and they require Dreamweaver and Fireworks.

 

Has anyone ever made an MSI for Adobe Creative Suite 3: Web Standard?

 

I did try, but it failed saying it couldn't fine some EXE.

 

Or

 

Do you have another way this can be done?

 

If not then i'll have to resort to manual install in the holiday

 

Cheers

 

James.

[AngryTechnician]

I spent a log time trying to do this. It is probably possible to install via GPO deployment but I found it extremely difficult to the point of becoming infeasible. The .exe runs about 20-30 different MSIs for the various programs and shared components, with transforms it builds on the fly. I've tried running ProcExp on it all to try and replicate the various customisations but it very quickly became a nightmare.

 

In the end I used an XML answer file as is described in Adobe's deployment guide and used PSExec to launch the installer remotely after ensuring all the machines were turned on.

[K.C.Leblanc]

In the end I used an XML answer file as is described in Adobe's deployment guide and used PSExec to launch the installer remotely after ensuring all the machines were turned on.

 

I did it the same way, worked fine. However I have heard of there being issues if there are already some of the products included in creative suite on the computer.

[TimJing]

I did it the same way, worked fine. However I have heard of there being issues if there are already some of the products included in creative suite on the computer.

 

Yep, some of the apps wont install correctly if there are previous versions in place. Also you gotta have more than 512 physical memory available to the OS.

[dgsmith]

However I have heard of there being issues if there are already some of the products included in creative suite on the computer.

 

We've got this exact issue on CS4, as I have split our's up to be able to assign the individual applications (like some machines we just want flash and dreamweaver, and others just photoshop and indesign). It will usually install any 2 ok, but if we want say 3 (maybe illustrator) then the 3rd fails.

 

I think the alternative may be to create an xml file with a "package" of the few we want together, and try installing them in 1 go, rather than one by one.

[Crispin]

We have successfully deployed using the method I describe here:

 

http://www.edugeek.net/forums/windows/9492-adobe-creative-suite-3-a-2.html#post263940

 

having a few problems with the GP part at the moment, but in theory it should work. hope that helps.

[dgsmith]

Your script queries for an existing installation, and if it finds one, then just halts. That isn't really avoiding or working around the problem of wanting to install additional components via the deployment method without coming unstuck as described above, unless I have overlooked something?

 

When this happens for me, I get an exe file related error with code 7 - I don't think any script could fix that if it's built in to the adobe software. MSIs for adobe cs just don't work, and the concept of using a script for each xml component in theory should work, but as proven it doesn't quite do it fully.

[Crispin]

I thought the OP just needed a normal deployment method? Looked to me like there were no orginal installs of other software..

 

I've always hated Adobe's way of doing things but if I was in that situation I would probably start from scratch and remove all traces of the software and start over. I know thats probably not applicable.

Edited February 6, 2009 by Crispin

[EduTech]

Well i made the msi on my computer which never actually had adobe installed on there EVER!, and thats when the msi build failed.

 

I will try some of the things you guys have said on monday and let you know how i get on.

 

Its a shame Adobe dont provide an MSI edition to make it easier for us.. owell maybe one day..

 

Cheers

[Southwell]

Well ive tried and pretty much given up with auto deployment. I have a script which runs the exe and install.xml but all it install is Adboe Bridge, Device Central, Extend Script and extension manager. If i go in and run the script manually it all installs perfectly.