Deploying Enterprise apps to macOS devices using Hexnode MDM

Hey, Thanks for posting the query.

The Apps can be deployed as Enterprise Apps using the PKG file.
Firstly, Apps have to be added to the App inventory. Follow the below steps for the same:

1. Navigate to Apps tab
2. Click +Add Apps->Enterprise App
3. Select Mac
4. Enter the App Name
5. Choose the option to upload PKG file
6. Choose a category that the app can be placed in or add a new category by clicking the + button.
7. Add a suitable description for the app and click Add.

These Apps can then be added to devices via Actions drop-down or Mandatory app policy.

Please use the help link for a detailed explanation of the same.

Cheers!
Grace Baker
Hexnode MDM

Does the enterprise app need any user interaction? How much of time would the installation take?

Hey, Thanks for reaching out to us.

The enterprise app will get silently installed on the macOS devices. It will not require any manual interaction. The app can be deployed either via remote actions or mandatory app policy.
The app should get installed on the device right away, once the action initiated/mandatory policy associated is successful. However, depending upon the size of the app and the network speed, it may take a couple of minutes.

Cheers!
Grace Baker
Hexnode MDM

Tried uploading an app manifest URL (for macOS) and for some strange reason that is beyond my understanding the app doesn’t show up in apps tab. I checked after applying all the filter (including the filter upload status failed). It is just not there!

• This reply was modified 2 years, 8 months ago by  Deborah.
• This reply was modified 2 years, 8 months ago by  Deborah.
• This reply was modified 2 years, 8 months ago by  Deborah.

The manifest URL you provided for the macOS app might be in the wrong format. Hexnode only supports .plist format. Prepare a .plist file containing the URL of the app and then upload the link of the .plist file in the portal. Check out our blog on uploading files using manifest URL to know more.

Cheers!
Deborah Timothy
Hexnode UEM

• This reply was modified 2 years, 8 months ago by  Deborah.
• This reply was modified 2 years, 8 months ago by  Deborah.

Can we not push apps using its dmg file? I tried to install and my portal shows It has been successful but app missing on the device.

I couldn’t find some apps that I installed on my mac.  Tried out a hack that I saw somewhere and it worked perfectly. Here is the hack:
Select Go (from top menu bar), press and hold Option key. This will reveal an option called Library. Open Library and select the Application Support folder. Next open the Dock folder and delete all the files ending in .db. Then restart the device.

Hello Dahlia,

Thank you for reaching out to us.

Incomplete installation of the dmg file can cause the app to be missing from the device. Some apps require user intervention to be completely installed. For example, the .dmg file might have a configuration file that hasn’t been installed on the device. The user might have to run a script present in the .dmg file to complete the installation of the app. For smooth installation, make sure that you are using the .dmg file build for IT admins. These files will seldom require user intervention.

Cheers!!
Deborah Timothy
Hexnode UEM

Hey y’all
Has anyone successfully deployed dmg files on mac successfully? Bcoz I added a dmg app as mandatory app. It initiates itself automatically after every few hours and fails continuously. I’m stumped by it.

No worries,

We’re here to help!

Could you please check what the error message shown on the Action History page is?

Feel free to reach out to us!

FYI, this is not the case with a single device. In most devices it shows “No signature found from pkg file: Validation failed, Error While Extacting zip file” and other devices shows “Mount return unknown path”.

But the thing is, there are certain devices that have the app installed on them already. The installation is proceeded after every few hours on such devices also. Even then, it fails repeatedly and neither shows that the app is present on the device.

Thanks for your response @trixie-katy.

The Mandatory Apps policy associated with the device ensures that the specified applications are installed on the devices. As a result, the Hexnode server re-initiates the installation every 3 hours until the installation is successful.

The same is the case with DMG files. The DMG app is considered to be installed after the Hexnode UEM app returns a Success status to the previous install action. Thus, when an installation action fails, the app is regarded as uninstalled, and the process continues as the policy remains associated.

“No signature found from pkg file: Validation failed, Error While Extracting zip file” or “Mount return unknown path” messages are encountered only when there is an issue with the DMG file.

Remove the policy from the devices. Kindly check with the DMG file and try installing it manually. You may get the file worked out or go for some other files. Finally, associate it with the devices using the Mandatory Apps policy.

Good luck,

Catherine George
Hexnode UEM