turning off program updates

[peterocallaghan]

Hi

we currently have an istallation with 3 Xserves running 10.4.10 server (1 dns, 1 Open Directory Master, 1 Fileserver). We are using network accounts for 400 users. Does anybody know of any way to turn off all automatic update checking for programs such as itunes, iphoto, iweb etc. ? a third party solution or some sort of scripting solution would be great or even if someone could point me in the right direction. The programs seem to store the preference on a per user basis but we wish to switch off automatic checking for all users without having to log in as them all individually. Thanks in advance

[Patrick Gallagher]

If you can figure out which plist is storing that preference(s), you can add it to the “Details” tab of workgroup manager > Computer Accounts > Preferences. It should still apply to all users.

[peterocallaghan]

I thought that. I decided to start with just one program, namely iphoto. I found that the preference file is stored in /Library/preferences/com.apple.iphoto.plist under the users home folder. I edited this file and changed CheckforUpdates to NO. However when i log in as this user and open iphoto the updates checkbox is still ticked. If I then check the date modified on the plist file it is set to the time the user opened iphoto. Am I missing something? Is there an order that iphoto goes through to check what plist to apply, i.e if I apply the plist file through wgm ( which I also tried ) is this supposed to take over from the plist in the users preference folder?

[Patrick Gallagher]

I dunno. I never tried blocking updates at the application level like that. I wonder if you add the update to the “Ignored” list in the /Library/Preferences/com.apple.softwareupdate.plist what will happen?

Do you run your own SUS? If so, what happens if you don’t make that update(s) available? I would hope those Apple apps would honor that for it’s source of updates.

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