Acrobat Reader DC detected as Acrobat DC

[mag00_75]

Hi All

We stumbled on the issue that our "Adobe Acrobat DC (2021) Continuous" license consumption has increased quite rapidly and started to investigate. 

I found this article that gave me some clue. https://community.adobe.com/t5/acrobat-reader-discussions/adobe-acrobat-reader-dc-x64-msi-installer/m-p/12576339

With that I downloaded and installed AcroRdrDCx642200120085_MUI.msi

When starting the application is presented as "Adobe Acrobat Reader DC (64-bit), however in Add/Remove programs it shows up as "Adobe Acrobat DC (64-bit)" which then triggers the licenses.

Now I'm thinking is it a ARL update that are required or actually a bug/feature in the AcrobatReader installation package? Whats your thoughts if you stumbled onto the same issue?

[mag00_75]

Done some more research and it seams that a registry value needs to be read to set the correct product to reader. It might be possible to have a workaround in the agent to add the registry key and evidences, but will go for a ticket to the content team.

https://helpx.adobe.com/sea/acrobat/kb/about-acrobat-reader-dc-migration-to-64-bit.html

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Adobe\Adobe Acrobat\DC\Installer\, and check the value of the key SCAPackageLevel.

If the value of SCAPackageLevel is 1, the installed application is Acrobat Reader DC.

If the value of SCAPackageLevel is greater than 1, the installed application is Acrobat DC.

[kclausen]

Thank you Adobe for making something that should be extremely simple and easy into something that is overly complicated and confusing for your customers.

I do know of a company that sells Packaging Technologies to software publishers to make things simple and easy for your customers.

[nrousseau1]

Hello @mag00_75 

Thanks for your question and comments.

Indeed, having Acrobat Reader and writer sharing the same add / remove is just a pain.

Our plan is to stop using the ambiguous add/remove program evidence from Acrobat DC, add it to Acrobat Reader, and enhance the WMI evidences we use for  Acrobat DC (Created from the SWIDTags that have not been systematically managed in the last versions), with the patterns below.

I would prefer we use the existing WMI evidences collected from the SWIDTags than change the agent to collect a new registry entry (by the way, thanks for your investigation, I had found the IsAcrInstalledInRdrMode in the same node but the key you provide looks good!).

Do you see the WMI patterns I show below. The first test look encouraging on our side.

2020 Classic pro

WMI class	Property name	Property value	Added evidence
FLX_Adobe	SWIDTAG_Serial_Number	9707%	No
FLX_Adobe	SWIDTAG_Activation_Status	activated	No
FLX_Adobe	SWIDTAG_Product_Title	Adobe Acrobat	No
FLX_Adobe	SWIDTAG_Product_Version	20.%.30%	No

2020 Continuous pro

WMI class	Property name	Property value	Added evidence
FLX_Adobe	SWIDTAG_Serial_Number	9707%	No
FLX_Adobe	SWIDTAG_Activation_Status	activated	No
FLX_Adobe	SWIDTAG_Product_Title	Adobe Acrobat	No
FLX_Adobe	SWIDTAG_Product_Version	20.%.20%	No

like 1

2021 Classic pro

WMI class	Property name	Property value	Added evidence
FLX_Adobe	SWIDTAG_Serial_Number	9707%	No
FLX_Adobe	SWIDTAG_Activation_Status	activated	No
FLX_Adobe	SWIDTAG_Product_Title	Adobe Acrobat	No
FLX_Adobe	SWIDTAG_Product_Version	21.%.30%	No

2021 Continuous pro

WMI class	Property name	Property value	Added evidence
FLX_Adobe	SWIDTAG_Serial_Number	9707%	No
FLX_Adobe	SWIDTAG_Activation_Status	activated	No
FLX_Adobe	SWIDTAG_Product_Title	Adobe Acrobat	No
FLX_Adobe	SWIDTAG_Product_Version	21.%.20%	No

Thanks,

Nicolas

[mag00_75]

@nrousseau1 It seams that I do not have any newer Acrobat WMI evidences in the FLX_Adobe class. Could that relate to this issue since we are running the onpremise 2021r1?
Known Issue: Adobe Acrobat 2020 edition does not get recognized based on inventory gathered by the F... - Community (flexera.com)

Appendix A: Identifying Installs — Deployment Planning and Configuration (adobe.com)  mentions that the 64-bit unified installation package do not have SWID and I cant find any adobe swidtag on my test computer which only have Acrobat Reader installed.

For the licensed Acrobat versions we are using the FRL-Offline packages (and FRL-LAN before that), which by them self also have challenges in managing evidences.

[nrousseau1]

Hello @mag00_75 , The agent collects WMI evidences, even if there are not mapped to applications by the ARL.

You can run the query below (you can uncomment to get only the computers where 2021 Continuous Pro exists but performance is poor) and hopefully will see many records. Can you confirm this? I can verify this with other customers.

You are right Acrobat reader as a common add / remove program evidence, but no WMI. So, you could theoretically ignore the add / remove evidence and add the WMI... The issue is that you can't make WMI evidences clever (for instance 21.%.20%), unless inserting them in the database.

SELECT ic.ComputerName, iwm.*, ic.ComplianceComputerID, ic.ExternalID FROM ImportedComputer ic WITH (NOLOCK)
LEFT JOIN ImportedInstalledWMIEvidence iiwm WITH (NOLOCK) on iiwm.ExternalComputerID = ic.ExternalID
AND iiwm.ComplianceConnectionID = ic.ComplianceConnectionID
INNER JOIN ImportedWMIEvidence iwm WITH (NOLOCK) on iwm.ExternalEvidenceID = iiwm.ExternalEvidenceID
AND iwm.ComplianceConnectionID = iiwm.ComplianceConnectionID
AND iwm.ClassName = 'FLX_Adobe'
--WHERE
--EXISTS (SELECT * from importedInstalledWMIEvidence iiw
-- LEFT JOIN ImportedWMIEvidence iw on iw.ExternalEvidenceID = iiw.ExternalEvidenceID
-- WHERE iw.ClassName = 'FLX_Adobe'
-- AND iw.PropertyValue LIKE '21.%20%'
-- AND iw.PropertyName = 'SWIDTAG_Product_Version'
-- AND ic.ExternalID = iiw.ExternalComputerID AND ic.ComplianceConnectionID = iiw.ComplianceConnectionID)
--AND
--EXISTS (SELECT * from importedInstalledWMIEvidence iiw
-- LEFT JOIN ImportedWMIEvidence iw on iw.ExternalEvidenceID = iiw.ExternalEvidenceID
-- WHERE iw.ClassName = 'FLX_Adobe'
-- AND iw.PropertyValue = 'Adobe Acrobat'
-- AND iw.PropertyName = 'SWIDTAG_Product_Title'
-- AND ic.ExternalID = iiw.ExternalComputerID AND ic.ComplianceConnectionID = iiw.ComplianceConnectionID)

--AND EXISTS (SELECT * from importedInstalledWMIEvidence iiw
-- LEFT JOIN ImportedWMIEvidence iw on iw.ExternalEvidenceID = iiw.ExternalEvidenceID
-- WHERE iw.ClassName = 'FLX_Adobe'
-- AND iw.PropertyValue = 'Activated'
-- AND iw.PropertyName = 'SWIDTAG_Activation_Status'
-- AND ic.ExternalID = iiw.ExternalComputerID AND ic.ComplianceConnectionID = iiw.ComplianceConnectionID)
--AND EXISTS (SELECT * from importedInstalledWMIEvidence iiw
-- LEFT JOIN ImportedWMIEvidence iw on iw.ExternalEvidenceID = iiw.ExternalEvidenceID
-- WHERE iw.ClassName = 'FLX_Adobe'
-- AND iw.PropertyValue LIKE '97%'
-- AND iw.PropertyName = 'SWIDTAG_Serial_Number'
-- AND ic.ExternalID = iiw.ExternalComputerID AND ic.ComplianceConnectionID = iiw.ComplianceConnectionID)
ORDER BY ic.ComplianceComputerID

[mag00_75]

@nrousseau1 Hi

 We have a few sites which has the Adobe Cloud products and can see very few results and I can also see a lot of leftovers from earlier versions. For our major sites we run FRL-Offline 64 bit package and they do not show up in the query with/without the uncomment rows.

[JenMaier]

Hello Nicolas!   Based on your comment Our plan is to stop using the ambiguous add/remove program evidence from Acrobat DC, add it to Acrobat Reader, and enhance the WMI evidences we use for  Acrobat DC (Created from the SWIDTags that have not been systematically managed in the last versions), with the patterns below.  When do you think you'll be getting something in place?

[nrousseau1]

Hello @JenMaier , please check also on your side. We are looking for confirmation that data is here and consistent to extend the ARL (and remove the link to the add remove program)... your help will be useful confirming this. Then, this is a matter of a week to wait for the next ARL build. Thanks for sharing your observations.

Nicolas

[JenMaier]

Yes we are experiencing the same thing.  

[nrousseau1]

Hello everyone,

Friday's ARL will unlink Acrobat DC installer evidence from Acrobat DC 2021... and link to Acrobat Reader. WMI evidences will be added to Acrobat DC 2020 and 2021.

This means:

• When no FNMS agent is used (typically SCCM for desktops, which is a very reasonable choice), Acrobat DC 2021 will no longer be recognized (and was anyway not recognized correctly)
• When Acrobat DC will be installed, Acrobat reader may also be rcognized... we are considering the use of precedence rules to "hide" Acrobat Reader.

The fact older versons appear, related to swidtag files that stay after upgrade (unless the WMI evidences are here even when applications have been installed) should not be a big issue as consomption will not be augmented... 

@mag00_75 , could you please share by email nrousseau@flexera.com the extracts of a computer deployed with FRL-Offline 64 for installer, file and WMI evidences tabs. We need to find and accurate evidence...

Thanks,

Nicolas

[mag00_75]

@nrousseau1 After the new ARL it looks better, however still need to be extended for the 22.xx releases of Acrobat DC Reader, Standard and Pro.
I have mailed you some screenshots and Swid from our FRL-Offline installations, and the NDI files are included in the support case.

[80jignesh]

@nrousseau1 - Is there a timeline on when the ARL changes will be implemented for Adobe Acrobat DC 2022 releases? We are seeing a similar issue on our end.

[anne_watson]

So, what happens if you are not using the FlexNet agent and are getting inventory from JAMF and SCCM? WMI does not really come in.  Why can't Flexera use a combination of Distiller and Acrobat to determine if it is not Reader.  That would seem to be a pretty direct way of identifying at least free versions from paid versions.

[anne_watson]

Also, i did a clean uninstall of my Acrobat Pro 2022, re-installed through Creative Cloud and my software tag never got updated.  Still reads exactly the same:

regid.1986-12.com.adobe_V7{}AcrobatCont-12-Win-GM.swidtag with a datestapm ofd 10/27/2020.

[nrousseau1]

Hello Anne,

So many topics and so many directions... All ideas and experience are good, thanks for sharing!

So... swidtags are not reliable... OK. When you have Acrobat DC full installed, are you seeing two installer evidence (Acrobat DC, overlaps with reader) and "Distiller"?

We can combine installer evidences with a suite (or just use Distiller if it is relevant), combine file evidences with "Required"... We just need to understand from your experience and data.

Thanks!

Nicolas

[anne_watson]

I tested the swidtag by uninstalling the Pro version, rebooting, reinstalling from CC Desktop and the swidtag did not get updated, so no, i don't trust those entirely.  Once I reinstalled, I show one entry for Adobe Acrobat Reader DC and then another for Adobe Acrobat DC (the Pro version - see attached).  I am working with our packaging team to add Pro to our deployed packages. 

I'd be careful on the suite, unless you do one massive piece of file evidence that can be applied against different versions (for example, Adobe DC shows up as 22.x but Distiller is 21.x - so the required could kill that idea, but Distiller is the best way of determining Pro/Standard from Reader.

[anne_watson]

Also, the program size is considerably different between the two versions.  Acrobat Pro 2.68GB and Reader is only 495MB, if that helps.

[anne_watson]

and this piece of evidence if overstepping itself.

[anne_watson]

see attached for file evidence.  I think one of the real problems is that AcroRd32.exe appears in both versions.  However, acrobat.exe is unique to the Pro Install, as is AcroBroker and AcroDist.  But the distiller version can differ from the executable.  The Pro version executable has no file size, so not sure why that is not being distinguished from the Reader Version

[kclausen]

Greetings to everyone on this thread.  Just wanted to share my personal experience on this topic.

Yesterday my local install of Acrobat Reader on my Windows 10 machine self-upgraded to version 2022.  After the upgrade:
1 - My Add/Remove Program Name simply says "Adobe Acrobat DC".
2 - My Start Menu now says "Adobe Acrobat DC"
3 - The Start Menu shortcut launches ACROBAT.EXE

So, looking at my Installer and File Evidence, it is now the same as if the full version of Acrobat DC is installed.

And, when I launch Acrobat DC from my Start menu, it does in fact launch Acrobat Reader.  When I go to Help