Admin prompt on a managed MacOS device to install helper tool

Ruta22

There is no way to clear the helper tool prompt on a managed MacOS device with no admin rights. If the prompt is cancelled, that corrupts the application which then fails to launch.

This is happening on version 7.0.30.

Can the helper tool be made optional? Is there a way to suppress this prompt?

dstillman

The helper tool is the Zotero updater.

Are you saying you get the prompt on every launch, or that you get it once (when Zotero tries to update itself) and after you cancel it, you can no longer start Zotero normally?

Do you recall how you installed the app originally? Did the admin do it from their account, or did you install it via your account with the admin entering their credentials?

Can you email the file at /Users/:username:/Library/Caches/Zotero/updates/Applications/Zotero/last-update.log to support@zotero.org with a link to this thread?

After that, you can likely fix this temporarily by deleting /Users/:username:/Library/Caches/Zotero/updates/Applications/Zotero, which will delete the stored update files, but you should get an admin to perform the update for you.

dstillman

The Zotero app is installed via a self service app using jamf auto update to deploy it which does not require admin to be present or enter a password. The auto update process will keep the app updated but there is a delay of a few days from when a new version of Zotero is released for the version to be packaged and updated on devices via auto update.

If you're getting regular updates via the system, you can just disable updates within Zotero by going to the Config Editor in the Advanced pane of the Zotero settings and setting app.update.auto to false.

Ruta22

Hi,

Apologies for such a late reply. 

I created an entry in the Config Editor for app.update.enabled and set it to false. This had no effect. 

I then tried changing the setting app.update.auto to false but was also presented the option to update the app.

I left it at that but then noticed the message changed after I logged out from my device. Screenshot below.

https://s3.amazonaws.com/zotero.org/images/forums/u17503214/6ni5w6bbaz2rgorygdga.png

I did notice that a new entry had appeared in the Config Editor: app.update.elevate.never which was set to 7.0.30. I did not set this manually. I have to confess to being unsure if any of the changes I made resulted in this entry being created but this seems to be the setting that stops the app from attempting to update. Is my interpretation correct?

How quickly are the changes in the Config Editor applied? I assume that the log out process was just a coincidence. 

Please note that the client on my device is 7.0.29. 

Many thanks,
Ruta

dstillman

Make sure app.update.auto is set to true (app.update.enabled no longer does anything, so you can clear that) and then delete /Users/:username:/Library/Caches/Zotero/updates/Applications/Zotero. You shouldn't get prompted after that.