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Command-line Deployments of Foxit PDF Editor

Answer

Foxit has tested and supports the installation of Foxit PDF Editor using the command line. You can use command line methods to install software in many ways, such as typing commands at a command prompt, in a batch script or with any application that supports Windows Installers (msi).

 

Audience:

Organizations looking to deploy Foxit PDF Editor to their knowledge workers.

In this article:

 

Supported MSI Properties

ADDLOCAL<list of features>The value of the ADDLOCAL property is a comma-delimited list of features that the installation of Foxit PDF Editor will make available locally. Foxit PDF Editor installer defines the following features:

Property Description
FX_PDFVIEWER Foxit PDF Viewer and its components
FX_FIREFOXPLUGIN
 Plugin which is used for opening PDF files in Internet Explorer web browser. This feature requires FX_PDFVIEWER feature to be installed.
FX_SPELLCHECK Spell check tool which is used for finding any misspelled words in typewriter or form filler mode and suggest the correct spelling. This feature requires FX_PDFVIEWER feature to be installed.
FX_PDFA Module which is used for verifying compliance with PDF/A-1a and PDF/A-1b. This feature requires FX_PDFVIEWER feature to be installed.
FX_OCR Module which is used for making scanned or image-based PDF documents selectable and searchable. This feature requires FX_PDFVIEWER feature to be installed.
FX_CREATOR
 Foxit PDF Editor Creator installs a virtual printer on your system. You can use Creator to convert any printable documents into high-quality PDFs conveniently and efficiently. This feature requires FX_PDFVIEWER feature to be installed.
FX_CONVERTEXT
 Shell extension which is used for converting PDF or combining supported files from right click menu. This feature requires FX_CREATOR to be installed.
FX_CREATORWORDADDIN MS word toolbar addin to create PDF with one click. This feature requires FX_CREATOR feature to be installed.
FX_CREATOREXCELADDIN MS Excel toolbar addin to create PDF with one click . This feature requires FX_CREATOR feature to be installed.
FX_CREATORPPTADDIN MS PPT toolbar addin to create PDF with one click . This feature requires FX_CREATOR feature to be installed.
FX_CREATOROUTLOOKADDIN MS Outlook toolbar addin to create PDF with one click . This feature requires FX_CREATOR feature to be installed.
FX_SE
 Plugins for Windows Explorer and Windows shell. These extensions allow PDF thumbnails to be viewed in Windows Explorer, and PDF files to be previewed in Windows OS and Office 2007 (or a later version). This feature requires FX_PDFVIEWER to be installed.
FX_IFILTER Foxit IFilter is a plug-in for Windows search engines and it can help do search PDF document.
FX_BROWSERADDIN The web browser plugin used for converting web pages to PDFs.

 

INSTALLATION: Specify the folder where products will be installed.

MAKEDEFAULT: Default value of "1", Foxit PDF Editor will be set as the default application for PDF files.

VIEW_IN_BROWSER: Default value of "1", Foxit PDF Editor will be configured to open PDF files inside browsers.

DESKTOP_SHORTCUT: Default value of "1"; the installer will place a shortcut for the installed application on the Desktop. To manually delete this shortcut, will ask for administrator rights.

USERS_DESKTOP: It only has a value of "1"; the installer will place a shortcut for the installed application on the desktop. To manually delete this shortcut will not ask for administrator rights. This parameter is applicable to V11.1 or later.

STARTMENU_SHORTCUT: Default value of "1", the installer will create a program menu group for the installed application and their components.

SETDEFAULTPRINTER: Default value of "1." the installer will install the Foxit PDF Editor Printer as the system's default printer.

LAUNCHCHECKDEFAULT: Default value of "1", Foxit PDF Editor will check if the PDF Editor is the default reader when launching.

INTERNET_DISABLE: Disables all features that require Internet connection by setting the value to “1”.

LIVEPUS_DISABLE: Dock the floating Foxit Assistant to the status bar or to the right side of the application window if the status bar is hidden with the value of "1".

AUTO_UPDATE:

With the default value of "1", Foxit PDF Editor will automatically download updates and let you choose when to install them.

With the value of “0”, Foxit PDF Editor will not download or install updates automatically.

With the value of “2”, Foxit PDF Editor will automatically download and install updates.

KEYPATH: Specify a license key file and save it to the PDF Editor installation folder.

REMOVENEWVERSION: Force an installation to overwrite the higher version of Foxit PDF Editor with the value of “1”.

CLEAN: Uninstall Foxit PDF Editor and remove all of its settings completely with the value of “1”.

NOTINSTALLUPDATE: Do not install updates by setting the value to “1”. This will prevent Foxit PDF Editor from being updated from within the software.

READ_MODE: Opens PDF file in Read Mode by default in web browsers by setting the value to “1”.

KEYCODE: Use the key code to activate Foxit PDF Editor.

EMBEDDED_PDF_INOFFICE: With the value of “1”, open embedded PDF files in Microsoft Office with Foxit PDF Editor if Acrobat and Foxit Reader is not installed. (For the EXE installation package, input the command-line /displayadobeindoc.)

 

Unsupported MSI Properties

CPDF_DISABLE - Disable ConnectedPDF functions with the value of “1”.

This function was discontinued.

EDITION - Choose which Foxit PDF Editor edition to install with the value of “Standard”, “Business” or “Education”.

The license now controls the Edition of the software.

 

MSI Switches

For Microsoft documentation, see https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/Aa367988.

Command

Description

{ /?| /h}

Displays the Windows Installer version and copyright information.

/a

Applies the administrative installation option.

/f

For product repair. Enables one or more of the command-line options below:

  • p: Reinstalls only if file is missing.
  • o: Reinstalls if file is missing or if an older version is installed.
  • e: Reinstalls if file is missing or an equal or older version is installed.
  • d: Reinstalls if file is missing or a different version is installed.
  • c: Reinstalls if file is missing or the stored checksum does not match the calculated value.
  • a: Forces all files to be reinstalled.
  • u: Rewrite all required user-specific registry entries.
  • m: Rewrites all required computer-specific registry entries.
  • s: Overwrites all existing shortcuts.
  • v: Runs from source and re-caches the local package

/i

Installs or configures a product.

/j

Advertises a product. If you want to install the application with elevated privileges, use /jm. Syntax:

  • msiexec /j [{u | m}] Package
  • msiexec {u | m} Package /t TransformList
  • msiexec {u | m} Package /g LanguageID
  • m: Advertises to all users of the computer.
  • u: Advertises to the current user.

/L

Specifies the path to the log file. To include the v option in a log file using the wildcard flag, type /L*v at the command prompt. The Windows Installer log file options can also be used with the uninstall and repair processes. For example, use /L*v to set verbose logging.

  • Syntax: msiexec /L [i][w][e][a][r][u][c][m][p][v][+][!]LogFile.txt
  • i: Logs status messages.
  • w: Logs nonfatal warnings.
  • e: Logs all error messages.
  • a: Logs startup of actions.
  • r: Logs action-specific records.
  • u: Logs user requests.
  • c: Logs initial user interface parameters.
  • m: Logs out-of-memory.
  • p: Logs terminal properties.
  • v: Logs verbose output. To use v, specify /L*v.
  • +: Appends to existing file.
  • !: Flushes each line to the log.
  • *: Logs all information except for the v option. This is a wildcard.

/p

Applies an update.

/q

Sets the user interface level. The modal box is not displayed if the user cancels the installation.

  • Syntax: msiexec /q{n | b | r | f | n+ | b+ | b-}
  • /qn: Displays no user interface.
  • /qb: Displays a basic user interface.
  • /qr: Displays a reduced user interface with a modal dialog box displayed at installation end.
  • /qf: Displays the full user interface with a modal dialog box displayed at the end.
  • /qn+: Displays no user interface, except for a modal dialog box displayed at the end.
  • /qb+-: Not supported.
  • /qb+!: Displays a basic user interface with a modal dialog box displayed at the end.
  • /qb-!: Displays a basic user interface with no modal dialog boxes.Both qb-! and qb!- provide a way to prevent users from canceling the install via a cancel button.

/t

Applies transform to advertised package. Syntax: /t TransformList

/x

Uninstalls a product.

/y

Calls the system API DllRegisterServer to self-register modules passed on the command line.

/z

Calls the system API DllUnRegisterServer to unregister modules passed on the command line.

Package Code

Specifies the globally unique identifier of the Windows Installer package. For Acrobat products, this is the GUID.

Package

Not supported. Specifies the name of the Windows Installer package file

/sAll

Run installer in silent mode.

/sPB

Silent mode with minimum UI: show the progress bar only.

/rs

Reboot Suppress. Setup.exe will not initiate reboot even if it is required.

/rps

Reboot Prompt Suppress. If reboot is required, the system restarts without warning.

/ini “PATH”

Relative or absolute path to an alternative (different) Bootstrapper INI file. The CmdLine of alternative INI will be ignored.

/msi[Command line]

Identifies the portion of CmdLine for additional MSIEXEC command line parameters. Everything following /msi is passed to MSIEXEC without analyzing and without any changes.
Command-line Examples:

Use a Transforms (MST file)

msiexec /i "Foxit PDF Editor.msi" TRANSFORMS="xxx.mst"

Create a log file

msiexec /i "Foxit PDF Editor.msi" /log c:\debug.txt

Note: the path to the logfile location must already exist (For example, output the debug.txt log file into C:\ drive while installation Foxit PDF Editor)

Install the application in quiet mode (no user interaction) 

msiexec /i "Foxit PDF Editor.msi" /quiet INSTALLLOCATION="C:\Program Files\ Foxit Software "

Use the license key file saved in disk C to activate the application when running the setup. 

msiexec /i "Foxit PDF Editor.msi" KEYPATH="C:\fpmkey.txt"

No installation of Foxit PDF Printer.

msiexec /i "Foxit PDF Editor.msi" ADDLOCAL=ALL, ADVERTISE="FX_CREATOR" /qn

Use the key code to activate the program.

msiexec /i "Foxit PDF Editor.msi" keycode="97000-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX"

Use the key code to activate the program silently after installation (Applicable for Version 9.x and later)

<The full path of Activation.exe> -cmdquietactive XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX

E.g. C:\Program Files (x86)\Foxit Software\Foxit PDF Editor\Activation.exe -cmdquietactive XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX

Force an installation to overwrite the same or higher version of Foxit PDF Editor:

msiexec /i "Foxit PDF Editor.msi" REMOVENEWVERSION="1"

Perform a Clean uninstall

msiexec /x "Foxit PDF Editor.msi" /quiet CLEAN="1"

Deploy the latest version (/i) of Foxit quietly (/qn) from a Shared Drive location to a user's computer with a set of transformations (TRANSFORMS=".mst") listed by your Customized Foxit File. Overwrite any existing registry keys and ensure any missing files are reinstalled (/f oedum). Automatically install new updates (AUTO_UPDATE="2"), and be sure to include all available plugins (ADDLOCAL=ALL). 

msiexec /f oedum /i "Z:\<path_to_file>.msi" MAKEDEFAULT="1" REMOVENEWVERSION="1" AUTO_UPDATE="2" ADDLOCAL=ALL TRANSFORMS="Z:\<path_to_file>.mst" /qn
Troubleshooting msiexec

When using msiexec, if you receive an “Incorrect command line parameters” error message, verify that:

  • Your syntax is correct.
  • There is a space before the log file name if you use the syntax for writing a log file.
  • You have not placed a /qn switch between the /i switch and the name of the MSI file.

Foxit does not troubleshoot "incorrect command line parameters" issues, please contact Microsoft directly.

Note: For more information about msiexec options, refer to https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc759262(WS.10).aspx#BKMK_Install.