Adobe Reader

Adobe Reader.

OK I understand you get what you pay for, but really. Why does it have to be so hard.

My intentions were to make a custom installer for Adobe, rollup the lastest updates (There have been a few lately) to be able to install it on networks without touching the machines.

1) Download and install the Adobe Customisation Wizard: http://tinyurl.com/cbcg5k.
2) Sign up to distribute Adobe Reader: http://get.adobe.com/reader (Click distribute reader).
3) Go through the registration process, verify the email address is correct.
4) Get the email, realize that it attempts to redirect you to http://get.adobe.com/reader.
5) Somewhere along the line, you end up at: http://tinyurl.com/3fx2.
6) Select the MUI package and download the updates as well.
7) Open the package using the adobe customisation wizard.
8) Select the options you want (Unattended, suppress reboot, etc).
9) Save the package.
10) Put the updates (*.msp) in the same directory.
11) Edit the setup.ini file: Under the [product] section find the patch line, add a ;nameOfThe.msp.
EG: PATCH=AdbeRdrUpd930_mui_cum.msp;AdbeRdrUpd932_all_incr.msp;AdbeRdrUpd933_all_incr.msp;AdbeRdrUpd934_all_incr.msp (Yes they are not all cumulative)
12) Create Group Policy to remove Javascript (completely optional) but these days recommended: http://tinyurl.com/yb9kyxr .
13) Test an upgrade scenario.
14) Test a clean install scenario.


It just seems all a bit too complicated. Customising an MSI is never easy, however I have to think that if there was a cumulative MSI at this point it would be easier. Also having the ability to change each and every option in the Customisation Wizard would be handy, instead of having to use GP.