Hello! I have a trial version of Sketchup 2024. I am writing code to install it through SCCM using PowerShell.
I need a command that will disable automatic update checks. Update checks pop-up automatically and severely annoy our users. I already know there is a way to disable them through the “Preferences” panel, but we need a way to disable them during SCCM deployment so that we don’t have to go through “Preferences” to do it.
Thanks.
I don’t think there is a command line option to do this via the installer or as SketchUp launches. But you can disable the check in the SharedPreferences.json file after installation. Look for “CheckForUpdates”: true, in the json and change it to false.
Thanks for the hint. However, the file SharedPreferences.json is associated with specific users. I am looking for a way to configure the Automatic Updates as disabled for all users before the software is even opened.
I’ve been looking for something that might serve as a config file but haven’t found anything yet.
You can write a script that updates that for each user - it’s in the same location for each one.
or simply create the json before installation with just that key pair value in it - pretty simple stuff in powershell or another CLI
Can you be more specific? Since the software will be deployed through SCCM the “user” will be a SYSTEM account, not an individual user’s account.
Which .json file needs to be created before installation and where does it need to be placed?
Thanks.
It’s not a system preference, it’s a user setting - the shared SharedPreferences.json file as described above.
The file is created stored and read by default from the user’s appdata folder when SketchUp is run. But if there is already the file with the key in it, then that will not be overwritten
It’s in there with the user settings for how their toolbars are setup etc , it’s the flag the user can set in the SketchUp UI
If it’s really a severe annoyance they can untick it and enjoy a less performant, less secure sketchup 
Thanks. But the goal here is to disable the automatic updates for all users before they open the application. That means disabling automatic updates as part of the installation process. I was hoping this could be done through PowerShell as the installation is going to be through SCCM.
Setting up the json as described via a script would achieve that - you just need to have the JSON with the check for updates value set to false.
Literally just this in sharedpreferences.json would change the setting for a user.
{
"Shared for All Computers": {
"Preferences": {
"CheckForUpdates": false
}
},
}
Again, thanks. But I do not think you understand. The goal is to have the updates disabled during the installation of the software so that they are disabled before the user opens the Sketchup software. That cannot be done through those SharedPreferences.json files. Here’s why:
Those files are created after the user opens the software. Opening Sketchup will create the following filepath:
C:\Users\(username)\AppData\Roaming\SketchUp\SketchUp 2024\SketchUp
The SharedPreferences.json files are in there.
What is needed is a way to disable the automatic updates during installation and before the user first opens the software. In other words, a config file in the following filepath:
C:\Program Files\SketchUp\SketchUp 2024
If it can’t be done, we need to know.
As i previously mentioned further up
- if you create the file before installation - via a script and with the content pre-written , in that location provided then it is turned off for the users before it is installed.
The JSON above is what your fresh file would contain .
So yes , it’s possible , I tested it yesterday when I explained what was needed.
The only difficulty is that this needs to be inserted into the local app data - but if you are installing this whilst not signed in as a user, then you may not be writing that - so some additional deployment mechanism may be needed - I think this is the problem if you are installing to a machine where no user exists yet.
If the user already has a folder under c:/ users/ then could run at installation as you describe as part of something in SCCM - otherwise I’m sure there are ways to deploy that small json. Is that not what the default user account is used for in Windows?
What you write makes sense, as SketchUp can’t know what users need those folders and files before they open SketchUp. So, the installer would either have to set them up individually for every user or wait until launch.
I think the SketchUp developers will have to chime in on this one. I have no idea where or how the info to create these settings files is embedded in the SketchUp app.
This is just the same as transferring the preferences from once installation to another.
SketchUp looks for the preference file in that fixed location, if one isn’t present one is created.
If one is already present, then it is read and any additional preferences are written around that.
So in the example here, you can create a preference file in advance where the only thing you are specifying is that updates are turned off - When sketchup is run - SketchUp sees this and respects it and then goes on to create the reset of the preference data that is not yet present in the file.
Two crucial questions for the OP:
The answers affect where the tweaked preferences file(s) will need to be copied. It could also be that the installer will need to create the required folders if the SketchUp installer hasn’t already done so. I’m on a Mac, so I can’t tell when the Windows installer does what…
The software is to be deployed to multiple machines via SCCM (or Microsoft Configuration Manager if you prefer that term). Each machine potentially has multiple users. Sketchup should be available to all users. As noted in my first message, I am deploying Sketchup 2024.
Unrelated to the updating issue - why 2024?
That is what the client wants.