NOTE: this document has been superceded since the release of Creative Cloud Packager version 1.9.3.  Please see this document for installation instructions for packages created since this version of the packager tool.

Adobe^® Exceptions Deployer Application provides an automated way to deploy the packages in the Exceptions folder, that is, the packages that you would otherwise deploy separately before and/or after deploying the main MSI or PKG file.

Exceptions Deployer Application can be used to deploy only the payloads generated by Adobe^® Creative Cloud™ Packager in the Exceptions folder. Payloads not generated by Creative Cloud Packager (for example downloaded from the web) can not be deployed using Exceptions Deployer Application.

Exceptions Deployer Application is copied to the Exceptions folder when you create a package using Creative Cloud Packager.

In this article:

• Background information about installation packages
• Using Exceptions Deployer Application to deploy the exception payloads

When creating a package, Creative Cloud Packager presents you with a list of applications and updates that can be installed, from which you make your choices. All of these choices are recorded in the package.

When you create a package for enterprise deployment with Creative Cloud Packager, two folders are created:

• The Build folder contains the MSI (Windows) or the PKG (Mac OS) file for deployment with enterprise deployment tools such as Microsoft SCCM, Apple ARD, or JAMF Casper Suite.
• The Exceptions folder contains the payloads that must be installed separately.
  

Packages in the Exceptions folder

On Windows

In Windows, the Exceptions folder includes all the packages that should be installed separately.

On Windows, Acrobat was previously included in the Exceptions folder, but on packages created with Creative Cloud Packager version 1.9.3 and above, Acrobat will now be placed in the Build folder and is installed along with the other applications in the main installation package.

On Mac OS

On the Mac OS, if you selected the DISABLE AIR COMPONENTS IN PACKAGE option in the Configure Package screen, AIR-based components are not installed with the regular package. They are instead copied into the Exceptions folder, from where you install them. The instructions on installing are provided in the next sections.

If, however, on the Mac OS, you did not select the DISABLE AIR COMPONENTS IN PACKAGE option in the Configure Package screen, no components are copied to the Exceptions folder.

Sequence of installation of packages in the Exceptions folder

Except for Acrobat XI for Windows (in older packages), all packages in the Exceptions folder should be deployed after you have deployed the main MSI or PKG package. Acrobat XI for Windows should be deployed before you deploy the main package.

Therefore, if you are using Exceptions Deployer Application to deploy Acrobat XI on Windows, you should run Exceptions Deployer Application before deploying the main MSI package (in pre mode). For all other packages, you run Exceptions Deployer Application after deploying the main packages (in post mode). If the Exceptions folder contains Acrobat for Windows as well as other packages, you run Exceptions Deployer Application twice—once before deploying the main MSI package (this will deploy Acrobat for WIndows) and once after deploying the main MSI package (this will deploy the other packages).

For Acrobat, Exception Deployer Application is not required. For Acrobat, you only need to run the setup.exe in the Build folder which will install Acrobat, the chosen type of license and any main applications not found in the Exceptions directory.

If any applications are still located in the Exceptions folder, you will need to run the ExceptionDeployer with its post-installation option to install them. These application include Adobe Scount, Gaming SDK, and Adobe Help.

For instructions on installing Acrobat manually, see Deploying Adobe Acrobat.

CCP deployment script

On Windows, you can use the following script to deploy Creative Cloud Packager. The attached script is an example and you can use it after editing the following details according to the package you are deploying:

• Language: @cd /d "%~dp0"
• Names of MSI and log file: start /wait msiexec /i "<msi_file_name>.msi" /qn /lv* "<log_file_name>.log"

Using Exceptions Deployer Application to deploy the exception payloads

In this section:

• Exceptions Deployer Application zip package
• Requirements to run Exceptions Deployer Application
• Exceptions Deployer Application syntax and description
  
• Examples
  
• Return values
  
• Using the Exceptions Deployer Application man page on Mac OS
• Exceptions Deployer Application log file
  

Exceptions Deployer Application zip package

The zip package contains two files:

• ExceptionDeployer file, which is the Exceptions Deployer Application executable file
• ExceptionConfig file, which contains configuration-related information for exception payloads.
  

Exceptions Deployer Application should be run from the Exceptions folder. It is copied to the Exceptions folder when you create a package using Creative Cloud Packager.

Requirements to run Exceptions Deployer Application

• Exceptions Deployer Application should be launched with Admin credentials.
• There can only be a single running Exceptions Deployer Application instance on a machine.
  

Exceptions Deployer Application syntax and description

Run Exceptions Deployer Application from the Exceptions folder, with the following syntax. The parameters in bold are mandatory.

Examples

• The following command is used to deploy Acrobat for Windows. (You will recollect that Acrobat for Windows should be deployed before deploying the main package.) The --mode=pre option specifies that Exceptions Deployer Application is run before deploying the main package. The installLanguage is specified as en_US (US English)—this option is also mandatory while deploying Acrobat for Windows.

ExceptionDeployer --workflow=install --mode=pre --installLanguage=en_US

• The following command is used to deploy all the packages in the Exceptions folder (except the Acrobat for Windows package if present) The --mode=post option specifies that Exceptions Deployer Application is run after the main package has been deployed. Note that the --installLanguage option is not required here. Also, because the --INSTALLDIR option has not been specified, the exception payload will be deployed in the default location specified within the payload.
  
  

ExceptionDeployer --workflow=install --mode=post

• The following command specifies that the package(s) in the Exceptions folder should be deployed to the \test directory on the client machine. The assumption is that you had earlier deployed the main package to the \test location on the client machine

ExceptionDeployer --workflow=install --mode=post --INSTALLDIR=\test

• The following command specifies that the package(s) should be installed in the location \test on the client machine. Because the abortOnFail option is set to true, if one of the packages cannot be deployed, Exceptions Deployer Application will exit instead of continuing with the deployment of the next package.

ExceptionDeployer --workflow=install --mode=post --INSTALLDIR=\test --abortOnFail=true

Return values

After execution, Exceptions Deployer Application returns one of the following values:

Detailed information is available in the Exceptions Deployer Application Log file, explained in the next section.

Using the Exceptions Deployer Application man page on Mac OS

On Mac OS, you can use the Adobe Exceptions Deployer man page to get information on the syntax and usage from the command line. Use the following steps to set up the man page:

1. Mount the Exceptions Deployer Application dmg file.
   
2. Open a command terminal
   
3. Change the directory to the mounted dmg file.
   
4. Run the following command:
   sudo sh Install_XDAManPage.sh
   

This sets up the Exceptions Deployer Application man page. You can now get the syntax and usage information by running the man ExceptionDeployer command.

Exceptions Deployer Application log file

The Exceptions Deployer Application log file provides detailed information about the events that occur during deployment of exception payloads.

The log file is named ExceptionDeployer.log. This file is located as follows:

• In Windows, the log file is in the %temp% location.
• In Mac OS, the log file is in the folder ~/Library/Logs/.
  

Here are excerpts from contents of sample log files:

ExceptionDeployer.log on Windows: before deploying the main MSI file

ExceptionDeployer.log on Mac OS: after deploying the main PKG file