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Tim Ardoin

Vectorworks, Inc Employee
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  1. Tim Ardoin
    Thanks for the @cberg . I was able to see the process blocking update ( Vectorworks 2025.app/Contents/Frameworks/Vectorworks Web Helper (GPU).app/Contents/MacOS/vectorworks_error_handler ). I'm asking around to see why this was stuck running. For now, the updater was working as designed, but depending on what I find out, I can have it ignore that one or maybe provide a button that lets the user attempt to kill the processes it finds. And as mentioned, have it show what it found is running. A reboot is a good remedy for now if this shows up again.
  2. Tim Ardoin
    NOTE: This article is intended for IT professionals with an understanding of the command line/terminal interface. This article is not intended for all users and is not a required procedure for updating Vectorworks in a standard work environment. Do not use these steps unless you are specifically attempting to initiate a silent update of Vectorworks in a network environment or are specifically instructed to do so by Vectorworks Technical Support. The Vectorworks Install Manager (VWIM) provides a command line interface for driving a silent or command line update from the command prompt or terminal. The CLI is accessed through calling a script file instead of the main exe/app of the VWIM: Windows: We will use a temporary folder at C:\tmp (as an example) to store the necessary files. We recommend using 7-zip for Windows to extract the necessary files. You may need an LDF file from the Customer Portal. Copy this file to C:\tmp. Download a copy of the Windows Vectorworks Install Manager from the Customer Portal into C:\tmp. This is an exe file, but it's a self-extracting archive and can be treated as a .zip file. This exe will be named something like "Vectorworks 2025 Install Manager XXXXXX.exe". Right click the exe file and choose 7-Zip-> Extract to <name>, and extract the archive to a folder. This will create a folder such as Vectorworks 2025 Install Manager 776367. Rename this folder to "VWIM" to follow the rest of this example. Start an administrator command prompt and type the following commands depending on what you want to do: cd c:\tmp\VWIM\resources This puts you in the resources folder where the command line scripts are found. To get information about the available commands: cli.bat To get information about a specific command: cli.bat <command> --help Specific example: cli.bat download --help To see the list of potential updates/targets: cli.bat download --ls To download a .vwupdate file: cli.bat download --dest c:\tmp --target <target> Specific example: cli.bat download --dest c:\tmp --target Update0 This will download a file Update0.vwim into c:\tmp that can later be used to do an offline update or full install. Note that alternately you can use the Install Manager GUI to easily download a .vwim file. To perform an update from online sources: cli.bat update --installdir "C:\Program Files\Vectorworks 2025" --serial "ELXXXX-XXXXXX-XXXXXX-XXXXXX" To perform an update from offline (local) sources: cli.bat update --installdir "C:\Program Files\Vectorworks 2025" --serial "ELXXXX-XXXXXX-XXXXXX-XXXXXX" -i "C:\tmp\Update2.vwim" --ldf C:\tmp\XX-XXXXXX.ldf This uses the previously downloaded vwim file Update0.vwim. This uses the previously download ldf file XX-XXXXXX.ldf (from the Customer Portal) MacOS: For this example we will use the folder /tmp/vwim. You can create and change to this folder by opening a terminal and typing: cd /tmp && mkdir vwim && cd vwim Download the latest Mac Vectorworks Install Manager.zip from the Customer Portal. This will be named similar to: Vectorworks 2025 Install Manager-30.0.776374-mac.zip For this example, we will rename this zip file to vwim.zip and copy it to /tmp/vwim. If you're performing an offline update: Download a LDF file from the Customer Portal. Copy this into /tmp/vwim, for example /tmp/vwim/XX-XXXXXX.ldf Extract the VWIM.zip: unzip vwim.zip This creates "Vectorworks 2025 Install Manager.app" inside /tmp/vwim. Enter the resources folder (a simplification for this example) cd "Vectorworks 2025 Install Manager.app/Contents/Resources" On macOS, we must switch to the user under which Vectorworks was previously installed. sudo su <username> For example if you installed under user "user1" then you would do: sudo su user1 (or just su user1 if you have their password). We are now ready to issue commands to the command line interface. To get information about the available commands: ./cli.sh To get information about a specific command: ./cli.sh <command> --help Specific example: ./cli.sh download --help To see the list of potential updates/targets: ./cli.sh download --ls To download a .vwupdate file: ./cli.sh download --dest <path> --target <target> Specific example: ./csdli.sh download --dest /tmp/vwim --target Update2 This will download a file Update2.vwim into /tmp that can later be used to do an offline update or full install. Note that alternately you can use the Install Manager GUI to easily download a .vwim file. To perform an update from online sources: ./cli.sh update --installdir "/Applications/Vectorworks 2025" --serial "ELXXXX-XXXXXX-XXXXXX-XXXXXX" The updated source files and ldf file will be retrieved online automatically during update. To perform an install from offline (local) sources: ./cli.sh install --installdir "/Applications/Vectorworks 2025" --serial "ELXXXX-XXXXXX-XXXXXX-XXXXXX" -i "/tmp/vwim/Update2.vwim" --ldf /tmp/vwim/XX-XXXXXX.ldf This uses the previously downloaded vwim file Update2.vwim. This uses the previously download ldf file XX-XXXXXX.ldf (from the Customer Portal). We recommend letting VWIM look up the LDF file if it's able to (ie, if there is internet access).
  3. Tim Ardoin
    Hi @cberg, Can you PM me the log from ~/Library/Logs? It should reveal what's blocking it. I'll actually make a note to have it report exactly what process it's finding in the future. Thanks for linking the above thread @rDesign . That fix should be live, so I'm wondering if there's something else running. Best regards, Tim
  4. Tim Ardoin
    @ghendrickx and all, I've implemented and deployed a fix for US/English. For US/English, upon launch of the updater, a self-update will happen and the problem should be fixed. Updaters after rev 786640 have the fix. Other distributors and languages will get the fix when they rebuild their updaters. However I think it's likely you're using a different flavor. For you or others that come across this, a workaround to get up and running with the current updater, assuming the problem is the issue I fixed, when the Updater complains about closing Vectorworks (and Vectorworks is already closed), run the following command: killall -9 QLPreviewExtension && killall -9 QLThumbnailExtension This closes the processes that the Updater is finding. You can use this command to query for these: ps aux | grep Vectorworks | grep QL After you kill the processes, switch back to the Updater and tell it to retry. There's a small chance that process could relaunch itself after being killed. This is more likely if you have a finder open with .vwx files in it, but it seems to take my system awhile and/or have to be prodded (for example, doing "Get Info" on a vwx or switching to icon view) to automatically relaunch the QL processes. Anyway, once you get past the Close Vectorworks problem, the update should proceed as normal. Please let me know if you have questions or issues. Thanks!
  5. Tim Ardoin
    I'm working on a fix. Stand by.
  6. Tim Ardoin
    @MaScMVGM Command line install of Viewer will be supported in the next update of VWIM (it looks like you're ComputerWorks) - so Update 2 at the latest but possibly earlier. Any VWIM with revision >= 785641. Sorry for the oversight. I'm updating the document in the original post, but essentially just use "VIEWER" as the serial (and don't supply an LDF) I also made a few QoL fixes/changes earlier - so for example the most noticeable would be that it now shows downloading file progress.
  7. Tim Ardoin
    @RMPSL Thanks - excellent info on MSI and I'll look at that ASAP although I'm surprised it's not in P&F as I remember seeing it there after installing. Regarding the black screen, that could be related to the time of install, where the original VWIM installed Update 1 in a state where launching the embedded VWIM showed this issue. We implemented a workaround to fix this (as of Oct 30) that allows it to self-update. I also have yet to have it launch in "uninstall mode", that's on the table hopefully for Update 2. I'll think about this speed difference. I doubt MSI packages unpack much faster than a zip, but there could be overhead for .vwim in general we could optimize out. I do have a question though. Our current thinking is that MSI puts you on the "MSI" path where to update you just install the new MSI, rather than a hybrid of installing with MSI and then using the updater. Do you think that's ok? Internally MSI works very differently from how the VWIM/Updater work as far as tracking installed files so I worry about some cases like uninstall after an update. That's why there's no updater (VWIM now) after installing from MSI. @MaScMVGM Unsupported currently. Should be easy to interface so stand by for that.
  8. Tim Ardoin
    Hi all, a few answers/etc: First, sorry I didn't realize you were both ComputerWorks customers. The changes I made for command line uninstall will be available for ComputerWorks in Update 2 (this is mostly due to the need for localization of the new strings that were added). If that's a problem let me know and I'll see what can be done. S I confirmed the self-update is broken due to the vwim/vwim issue, which should be fixed tomorrow morning. The other thing regarding ComputerWorks is that there's already a MSI available for it. So maybe look into that - their support can direct you to it (sorry, I don't really have that information). But I was told it is linked with the download link and there's even a tutorial there so that might help as well. So to summarize: Self-updating for CW is broken but will be fixed tomorrow morning (nice find on the vwim/vwim thing). Once self-update works, a new VWIM (either from self-update or downloading again) will: Not yet have the CLI uninstall option Will be present in Update 2. Talk to me if this is unacceptable. Will fix Windows lack of programs & features entry Look into that MSI if you're interested in that. Let me know here if you need anything else and I'll do my best. Best regards, Tim
  9. Tim Ardoin
    Hi all, The lack of silent/CLI uninstall was indeed an oversight. However it is now supported (in VWIM > 784348). The lack of creating an entry in "Programs/Features" (the older version) or "Apps & features" (the more modern version that doesn't work as well) is now fixed (that bug existed in GUI and CLI). Uninstalling starts the embedded VWIM app, currently you have to pick "Uninstall" from the menu but I'm looking at starting it with uninstall open to save that step. I will look into the lack of desktop shortcut for CLI installs. I think I know why it does this, and how to fix it. MSI could be an option, not that it saves you at this point @RMPSL (sorry) but moving forward. The problem is it's currently somewhat limited and isn't going to work well with "updates" but that might not be a concern if you just make it uninstall and reinstall the new version. Also @RMPSL you mentioned other solutions, can you give an example (in our industry) and summarize what it does well? I do admit we should be stronger for sites and deployment and am committed to improvement there where possible. Thanks! (Edit - uninstall CLI usage follows): cli.bat/sh uninstall --help Usage: Vectorworks 2025 Updater uninstall [options] Uninstall the application and all of its related files. Options: -d, --dryrun Only show what would be done during uninstall without making any changes. -u, --uid <uid> Uninstall using supplied uid (Mac only) -g, --gid <gid> Uninstall using supplied gid (Mac only) -h, --help display help for command Additional edit: CLI does indeed create a .log file, or should, in the Windows temp folder at %USERPROFILE%/AppData/Local/Temp. Let me know if that's not the case in your environment and I'll look into it.
  10. Tim Ardoin
    Normally, the Vectorworks Install Manager, and Vectorworks itself, automatically downloads the LDF file from our servers and you don't need to worry about it. For an offline install, since it can't be downloaded, it is supplied directly by downloading it from the user portal (on a machine with internet access of course), and supplied during installation. This was also the case for Vectorworks 2024. Offline installation isn't too common, but we still support it.
  11. Tim Ardoin
    This is fixed now (you'll want to re-download the installer to get the latest version). Sorry about that. There was a bug that only showed up when there is just one update (the code wanted at least 2 updates -- which was the case in testing).
  12. Tim Ardoin
    Not a DMG but you can do this without much trouble: Download the vwim file (with Vectorworks Install Manager). Make a folder with the Install Manager, and the .vwim file, and optionally an LDF if you want that, and really anything else you want to store in the dmg. Open Disk Utility and in the menu select File -> New Image -> Image From Folder Select the folder with the vwim file and install manager app If you're used to working with .dmg files, that should get you something familiar. I'd recommend just saving the .vwim files themselves though, as you can point the install manager to one (with Select Source) and install from it later, but I understand if you want the .dmg as a way to bundle things together. I was thinking of adding some code to have the Install Manager auto-use a .vwim file if it's next to it on launch -- some technical issues on Windows (it's a self-extracting zip and I have to dig into the code for that to get the original file path) have delayed that, but it's still in the plans in a future update. Best regards, Tim
  13. Tim Ardoin
    Hi all, Silent/Command-Line/Offline installation of Vectorworks 2025 exists and is not too different from that of Vectorworks 2024. Here is an article that gives the basic instructions of how to do it. Informally here, in 2024, you downloaded the full installer, extracted the "inner" installer, and use a command line to launch and install it. For 2025, you download the Install Manager, optionally use it (command line or GUI) to download a .vwim file (which is the installer payload) and then use a command line to install it. I'm happy to work with you here or offline (DM me if you want) and help you get things going, and ideally I can also learn a few things about your processes to support any future improvements. Best regards, Tim
  14. Tim Ardoin
    NOTE: This article is intended for IT professionals with an understanding of the command line/terminal interface. This article is not intended for all users and is not a required procedure for installing Vectorworks in a standard work environment. Do not use these steps unless you are specifically attempting to initiate a silent install of Vectorworks in a network environment or are specifically instructed to do so by Vectorworks Technical Support. The Vectorworks installer provides a command line interface for driving a silent installation from the command line. Windows: We will use a temporary folder at C:\tmp (as an example) to store the necessary files. We recommend using 7-zip for Windows to extract the necessary files. If your installation is also offline, you will need an LDF file from the Customer Portal. Copy this file to C:\tmp. Download a copy of the Windows Vectorworks Install Manager from the Customer Portal into C:\tmp. This is an exe file, but it's a self-extracting archive and can be treated as a .zip file. This exe will be named something like "Vectorworks 2025 Install Manager XXXXXX.exe". Right click the exe file and choose 7-Zip-> Extract to <name>, and extract the archive to a folder. This will create a folder such as Vectorworks 2025 Install Manager 776367. Rename this folder to "VWIM" to follow the rest of this example. Start an administrator command prompt and type the following commands depending on what you want to do: cd c:\tmp\VWIM\resources This puts you in the resources folder where the command line scripts are found. To get information about the available commands: cli.bat To get information about a specific command: cli.bat <command> --help Specific example: cli.bat download --help To see the list of potential updates/targets: cli.bat download --ls To download a .vwupdate file: cli.bat download --dest c:\tmp --target <target> Specific example: cli.bat download --dest c:\tmp --target Update0 This will download a file Update0.vwim into c:\tmp that can later be used to do an offline update or full install. Note that alternately you can use the Install Manager GUI to easily download a .vwim file. To perform an install from online sources: cli.bat install --installdir "C:\Program Files\Vectorworks 2025" --serial "ELXXXX-XXXXXX-XXXXXX-XXXXXX" To perform an install from offline (local) sources: cli.bat install --installdir "C:\Program Files\Vectorworks 2025" --serial "ELXXXX-XXXXXX-XXXXXX-XXXXXX" -i "C:\tmp\Update0.vwim" --ldf C:\tmp\XX-XXXXXX.ldf This uses the previously downloaded vwim file Update0.vwim. This uses the previously download ldf file XX-XXXXXX.ldf (from the Customer Portal). To install the viewer: Use "VIEWER" as your serial number Don't supply an LDF. cli.bat install --installdir "C:\Program Files\Vectorworks 2025 Viewer" --serial "VIEWER" MacOS: For this example we will use the folder /tmp/vwim. You can create and change to this folder by opening a terminal and typing: cd /tmp && mkdir vwim && cd vwim Download the latest Mac Vectorworks Install Manager.zip from the Customer Portal. This will be named similar to: Vectorworks 2025 Install Manager-30.0.776374-mac.zip For this example, we will rename this zip file to vwim.zip and copy it to /tmp/vwim. If you're performing an offline installation: Download a LDF file from the Customer Portal. Copy this into /tmp/vwim, for example /tmp/vwim/XX-XXXXXX.ldf Extract the VWIM.zip: unzip vwim.zip This creates "Vectorworks 2025 Install Manager.app" inside /tmp/vwim. Enter the resources folder (a simplification for this example) cd "Vectorworks 2025 Install Manager.app/Contents/Resources" On MacOS, we will use the "sudo" command to gain administrator access. Because of how sudo and users work, we need to gather information about the user account that will be the owner/main user of Vectorworks. Specifically we need the uid (user ID) and gid (group ID) of the user. In this example we will use commands to put the user and group ids into variables and also print them out. export myUid=$(id -u) && echo "User $USER id: $myUid stored in variable myUid" export myGid=$(id -g) && echo "User $USER gid: $myGid stored in variable myGid" Now we have the variables $myUid and $myGid ready to use in subsequent commands below. We are now ready to issue commands to the command line interface. To get information about the available commands: ./cli.sh To get information about a specific command: ./cli.sh <command> --help Specific example: ./cli.sh download --help To see the list of potential updates/targets: ./cli.sh download --ls To download a .vwupdate file: ./cli.sh download --dest <path> --target <target> Specific example: ./cli.sh download --dest /tmp/vwim --target Update0 This will download a file Update0.vwim into /tmp that can later be used to do an offline update or full install. Note that alternately you can use the Install Manager GUI to easily download a .vwim file. To perform an install from online sources: sudo ./cli.sh install --installdir "/Applications/Vectorworks 2025" --serial "ELXXXX-XXXXXX-XXXXXX-XXXXXX" --uid $myUid --gid $myGid Note we're using the uid and gid variables we stored earlier in this guide. This will install Vectorworks and give ownership and access to the specified user. The source files and ldf file will be retrieved online automatically during installation. To perform an install from offline (local) sources: sudo ./cli.sh install --installdir "/Applications/Vectorworks 2025" --serial "ELXXXX-XXXXXX-XXXXXX-XXXXXX" -i "/tmp/vwim/Update0.vwim" --ldf /tmp/vwim/XX-XXXXXX.ldf --uid $myUid --gid $myGid This uses the previously downloaded vwim file Update0.vwim. This uses the previously download ldf file XX-XXXXXX.ldf (from the Customer Portal). To install the viewer: Use "VIEWER" as your serial number Don't supply an LDF. sudo ./cli.sh install --installdir "/Applications/Vectorworks 2025 Viewer" --serial "VIEWER" --uid $myUid --gid $myGid
  15. Tim Ardoin
    Hey everyone - good news. We were able to reproduce the problem locally, and a fix to the updater is now live. The problem was during cleanup, and other than having to force the Updater app to close, should have no other adverse side effects (the update will have completed successfully, and no large files should be left behind). Thank you very much for the reports and sorry for the inconvenience!
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