This article also describes two methods to uninstall the Soda PDF Desktop via GPO.
Method 1 removes all the MSIs at once using a script.
Method 2 will explain how to remove each MSI, one by one.
Please note that the screenshots in this article may be out of date.
GPO Package & Activation
Make sure to download the correct GPO installation that matches the version of the Soda PDF you want to install.
You can download the Soda PDF 14 installation package here.
You can download the Soda PDF 12 installation package here.
You will create an administrative image for future installation over the network. The Soda PDF Desktop GPO package contains a variety of MSIs. These will be installed individually based on your need. Using them all will install the whole application, but in moments where bandwidth is a concern, you can choose to install only what is necessary.
To create an administrative installation point, you need to use an “/a” parameter. You’ll have to set the target destination for the server image that will be created.
NOTE: You will be able to use the same server image for future deployment.
We recommend creating a script to make things faster. You can also create your package by manually entering each MSI command line.
- Open Notepad and type the command lines described below:
Always start with the “Startup” MSI.
To activate Soda PDF with a license key you will need to add it as a parameter to the startup MSI.
You’ll use this parameter. There are other parameters you can use during the installation that will also be attached to the startup MSI.
PRODKEY=”XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX” /quiet
Here is a list of each MSI. You can see which module the MSI represents listed before the version number.
msiexec.exe /a “soda-desktop14-startup-14.0.20.19644-x86.msi” TARGETDIR=”C:\Deployment\” /quiet
msiexec.exe /a “soda-desktop14-ocr-tess-module-14.0.20.19644-x86.msi” TARGETDIR=”C:\Deployment\” /quiet
msiexec.exe /a “soda-desktop14-ocr-module-14.0.20.19644-x86.msi” TARGETDIR=”C:\Deployment\” /quiet
msiexec.exe /a “soda-desktop14-edit-module-14.0.20.19644-x86.msi” TARGETDIR=”C:\Deployment\” /quiet
- It’s time to add your custom parameters. Each will be applied to the Startup MSI. See the sample below:
msiexec.exe /a “soda-desktop14-startup-14.0.20.19644-x86.msi” TARGETDIR=”C:\Deployment\”
PRODKEY=”XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX”
ENABLE_AUTOMATIC_UPDATES=1
CREATE_QUICK_LAUNCH_SHORTCUT=1
SET_AS_DEFAULT_APPLICATION=0
APPLICATION_LANGUAGE=fr
ENABLE_SHAREPOINT_DRIVE=1 /quiet
Most parameters are set by using 1 for Yes and 0 for No, these commands are:
CREATE_DESKTOP_SHORTCUT
CREATE_QUICK_LAUNCH_SHORTCUT
ENABLE_AUTOMATIC_UPDATES
SET_AS_DEFAULT_APPLICATION
Disabling any of the options below will prevent end users from accessing these features while using Soda PDF (set it to =0):
ENABLE_ONE_DRIVE
ENABLE_ONE_DRIVE_BUSINESS
ENABLE_DROPBOX_DRIVE
ENABLE_DROPBOX_BUSINESS_DRIVE
ENABLE_GOOGLE_DRIVE
ENABLE_BOX_DRIVE W
ENABLE_SHAREPOINT_DRIVE
ENABLE_SEND_FILE
ENABLE_DRIVES
The APPLICATION_LANGUAGE parameter is set by adding the language code matching the one you want to use when installing Soda PDF. The available codes are:
| Language | Code |
|---|---|
| English | en |
| French | fr |
| German | de |
| Spanish | es |
| Italian | it |
| Japanese | ja |
| Russian | ru |
| Portuguese | pt |
The following command line parameters can also be set within the Soda PDF Desktop installation process:
| Command line parameter | Result |
| CREATE_DESKTOP_SHORTCUT | Creates a shortcut for the application on the desktop. (All Users) |
| CREATE_QUICK_LAUNCH_SHORTCUT | Creates a shortcut for the application in the current user’s QuickLaunch directory. (All Users) |
| ENABLE_AUTOMATIC_UPDATES | Enables automatic updates of the application (All Users) |
| SET_AS_DEFAULT_APPLICATION | Sets the application as the default application to open .pdf files. (Current User) |
| APPLICATION_LANGUAGE | Specifies the application languages that will be installed (All Users) |
| ENABLE_BUSINESS | Installs the B2B version |
| ENABLE_ONE_DRIVE | Enables OneDrive (Software\Soda PDF Desktop 11\Drives\onedrive) |
| ENABLE_ONE_DRIVE_BUSINESS | Enables OneDrive for Business (Software\Soda PDF Desktop 11\Drives\onedrive-business) |
| ENABLE_DROPBOX_DRIVE | Enables Dropbox (Software\Soda PDF Desktop 11\Drives\dropbox) |
| ENABLE_DROPBOX_BUSINESS_DRIVE | Enables Dropbox for Business (Software\Soda PDF Desktop 11\Drives\dropbox-business) |
| ENABLE_GOOGLE_DRIVE | Enables Google Drive (Software\Soda PDF Desktop 11\Drives\googledrive) |
| ENABLE_BOX_DRIVE | Enables Box (Software\Soda PDF Desktop 11\Drives\box) |
| ENABLE_SHAREPOINT_DRIVE | Enables SharePoint (Software\Soda PDF Desktop 11\Drives\sharepoint) |
| ENABLE_SEND_FILE | Enables Send feature (Software\Soda PDF Desktop 11\Drives\send) |
| ENABLE_DRIVES | Enables all drives (Software\Soda PDF Desktop 11\Drives\drives) |
- Once you have copied all your MSI command lines and parameter amendments to your Notepad file, save your file to the same folder with the MSIs.
- Change its extension to bat format.
Installing Soda PDF Using GPO – Custom Script
Applying your script :
- Open the Group Policy Management snap in
- Right-click on the relevant organization unit folder.
- Select Create a GPO in this domain, and link it here…
The New GPO window will open.
- Enter a Name
- Click OK to create the new GPO
- Right-click on the item.
- Click Edit:
- Navigate to Computer Configuration -> Policies -> Windows Settings -> Scripts (Startup/Shutdown) folder
- Right-click on your object
- Select Properties
- In the Startup Properties dialog box, click Add…,
- The Add a Script box will open.
- Click Browse.
- Go to the folder with the Soda PDF Desktop 10 MSIs.
- Select the script file you created.
- Click Open.
- The Script Name field will now display the script path.
- Click OK.
- In the Startup Properties box, click Apply then OK.
Soda PDF will be installed automatically when the end user next logs in to their account.
Installing Soda PDF Using GPO – Standard Installation
You can install the software without additional parameters (refer to the first section to get the MSI package and command lines to create your package).
- Open the Group Policy Management snap in.
- Right-click the necessary organization unit folder.
- Select Create a GPO in this domain, and link it here….
The New GPO window will open.
- Provide a Name field
- Click OK to create the new GPO.
- Right-click to open the menu.
- Click Edit.
- In the Group Policy Management Editor, navigate to Computer Configuration -> Policies -> Software Settings -> Software Installation.
- Right-click in the area on the right.
- Select New -> Package.
NOTE: Computer Configuration block allows you to apply changes to all users. If you want to define the appropriate settings for one individual user, navigate to the User Configuration block.
- Find the folder with the Soda PDF Desktop MSIs.
- Select the startup MSI.
- Click Open.
The Deploy Software dialog box will open.
- Select Assigned
- Click OK:
NOTE: The Advanced option enables you to define the additional parameters (for more information, see page 8-10 in the source document: https://sdmsoftware.com/dl/Deploying_Software_With_Group_Policy.pdf)
- Repeat the same actions for each MSI you want to install.
Soda PDF will be installed at the next login.
Uninstalling Soda PDF Via GPO
Method 1 – Using a Script
You can create a script that can be used to remove all MSIs for Soda PDF at once.
Step 1: Creating the Script
- Write the necessary script in PowerShell as it`s indicated below:
- The part framed in red should not be changed.
- Use the textual format of the script to be able to create it independently:
$uninstall32 = gci “HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall” | foreach { gp $_.PSPath } | ? { $_ -match “Soda PDF Desktop 10” } | select UninstallString
$uninstall64 = gci “HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall” | foreach { gp $_.PSPath } | ? { $_ -match “Soda PDF Desktop 10” } | select UninstallString
if ($uninstall64) {
$uninstall64 = $uninstall64.UninstallString -Replace “msiexec.exe”,”” -Replace “/I”,”” -Replace “/X”,””
$uninstall64 = $uninstall64.Trim()
Write “Uninstalling…”
start-process “msiexec.exe” -arg “/X $uninstall64 /qb” -Wait}
if ($uninstall32) {
$uninstall32 = $uninstall32.UninstallString -Replace “msiexec.exe”,”” -Replace “/I”,”” -Replace “/X”,””
$uninstall32 = $uninstall32.Trim()
Write “Uninstalling…”
start-process “msiexec.exe” -arg “/X $uninstall32 /qb” -Wait}
Step 2. Apply the script to uninstall Soda PDF:
- Open the Group Policy Management snap in.
- Switch to the required organization unit folder.
- Select the Create a GPO in this domain, and link it here….
The New GPO window will appear.
- Enter a Name.
- Click OK to create the new GPO:
- Right-click to open the menu.
- Click Edit.
- In the Group Policy Management Editor snap in, navigate to Computer Configuration -> Policies -> Windows Settings -> Scripts (Startup/Shutdown) folder
- Right-click to open the menu.
- Select Properties in the context menu:
- In the Startup Properties box, click Add…
- The following Add a Script dialog box will appear, click Browse to upload the script.
- Navigate to the folder with the Soda PDF Desktop MSIs and select the script.
- Click Open.
- The Script Name field update with the path the file.
- Click OK to confirm.
- In the following Startup Properties window, click Apply, then OK.
Soda PDF will now be removed from your system.
Method 2 – MSI by MSI
You can also remove the installed software right from the installation folder.
- Open the Open the Group Policy Management Editor snap in.
- Head to the folder that is storing Soda PDF’s MSIs.
- Right-click the installed MSI.
- Choose All Tasks.
- Then click Remove….
- Choose the removal method you’d like to use.
- Click OK.
Repeat these steps for each MSI until all are removed.
