Can App Portal detect the OS and only show catalog items for that OS?

TStevenson asked a question.

July 24, 2020 at 11:41 PM

We have an integration to JAMF for MACs and well as we have a mix of Win 10 and Win 7 devices. We've made categories for MAC and we have placed something in the name of the item to differentiate like Camtasia 2020 for MAC Camatasia 2020 for Windows.

Our users search for software and don't read the item name and place an order for the wrong item. Its not until it errors out that it's noticed like "Platform rejected - wrong platform".

I'v been asked if there is a way for App Portal to detect the OS and only show those items in the catalog that pertain to the OS. I've only seem where SCCM has the ability to note the OS for windows and hope I've missed something in a configuration for App Portal

App Broker

Top Rated Answers

jdempsey (Flexera Software)
6 years ago
With mobile device catalog items (iOS/Android/Windows Phone), App Broker has the ability to detect the device OS and filter to only catalog items for that type of device. Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way on Windows/Mac. However, if you have the same software for both platforms, you can add both SCCM and Jamf deployments to the same catalog item. So, instead of having Camtasia 2020 for Mac and Camtasia 2020 for Windows, you would just have Camtasia 2020 with two different deployments tied to it. Then when the user checks out, App Broker will check the deployment systems to see which one manages that device and will send the request to the appropriate system. That doesn't solve the problem when you have a catalog item that's only available for one platform or the other, but it at least gets you part way there. Also, I thought we had a check during the checkout wizard that would tell you if a device wasn't eligible for the catalog item because isn't managed by the deployment system (e.g. an error on the Choose Target page, or something like that). Is that not the case? Maybe you have to check the box for validating the distribution point? Not sure.
Expand Post
Selected as Best

All Answers

TStevenson
6 years ago
I should have added that I know we can use collections but they're hoping for magic
Expand Post
- jdempsey (Flexera Software)
  6 years ago
  With mobile device catalog items (iOS/Android/Windows Phone), App Broker has the ability to detect the device OS and filter to only catalog items for that type of device. Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way on Windows/Mac. However, if you have the same software for both platforms, you can add both SCCM and Jamf deployments to the same catalog item. So, instead of having Camtasia 2020 for Mac and Camtasia 2020 for Windows, you would just have Camtasia 2020 with two different deployments tied to it. Then when the user checks out, App Broker will check the deployment systems to see which one manages that device and will send the request to the appropriate system. That doesn't solve the problem when you have a catalog item that's only available for one platform or the other, but it at least gets you part way there. Also, I thought we had a check during the checkout wizard that would tell you if a device wasn't eligible for the catalog item because isn't managed by the deployment system (e.g. an error on the Choose Target page, or something like that). Is that not the case? Maybe you have to check the box for validating the distribution point? Not sure.
  Expand Post
  Selected as Best
  - TStevenson
    6 years ago
    Thanks! I was wondering ho the mobile apps worked and you confirmed my thoughts on the OS. We only have 2 MAC items and haven't used App Portal for mobile.
    Expand Post
  - TStevenson
    6 years ago
    One follow up question if you don't mind. What would be the best way to hide catalog items during an OSD deployment upgrade from windows 7 to windows 10? We're run into an issue where users are selecting everything they have installed during the screen selection to install additional apps and once their system is done doing the upgrade and moves to installs apps it hangs for the apps that they selected that are only enabled for window 7
    Expand Post
    TStevenson
    6 years ago
    It seems like I should just mark those only enabled for win 7 as core applications not available for migration then they wouldn't show.
    Expand Post
    CharlesW (Flexera Software)
    6 years ago
    Yep, that's what I was going to suggest..
    Expand Post
    TStevenson
    6 years ago
    Thanks Charles and Jim! You two are always awesome
    Expand Post
    jdempsey (Flexera Software)
    6 years ago
    @CharlesW , what's the difference between checking the box for "core application" versus just not checking the box for "show for migration"? Wouldn't that have the same effect either way?
    One other thing you can do is if you have a Windows 10 app that replaces the Windows 7 app (either new version or different app), you could set up an upgrade/replace relationship between them. Then they'll still see the Windows 7 app during OSD, but it will indicate that the app will be replaced by the Windows 10 app. If you don't have a Windows 10 replacement, you might be able to create a placeholder catalog item for "Not Supported on Windows 10" (not sure if it would work with a general catalog item, but if not, just create a dummy SCCM package that just exits with a success message), then link your Windows 7 app to that placeholder with an upgrade/replace relationship. Then if they select a Windows 7 app during OSD, it would tell them it will be replaced with "Not Supported on Windows 10". I'll caveat this by saying I haven't tried this, but I think it should work. It just depends on if you want them to have visibility to what they are losing or not.
    Expand Post
    CharlesW (Flexera Software)
    6 years ago
    Jim - I "believe" that if you select "core application", and have "show for clone/migrate", the item will still be available under the support tools->clone/migrate tab. It just won't be available during a task sequence checkout.. Of course, it you are not using clone/migrate, then you should simply be able to deselect "show for clone/migrate", to get the same results. Mind you, I've not actually tested this, but I think that this is how it works.
    Expand Post

Related Product Forums

→ Flexera One

→ Snow Atlas

→ FlexNet Manager

→ Snow License Manager

→ App Broker

Need help finding an answer?

Ask a Question →