SDA -- install Choices needed

Markus_Leuthel · June 20, 2022, 8:41pm

I think that this is on-topic, or better: potentially related:

could you please forward a request to the development team of Steinberg Download Manager (SDA) that - in an upcoming version of SDA - users would be given the choice to only DOWNLOAD any software package, but to not have to instantly have to install some software packages (no choice given anymore)?

Also including the choice (1) to update OR (2) to not have the eLicenser Control Center updated (eLCC) while opening SDA, on days where it would be auto-updating parts (or all) of its environment?

Background:
on my main machine I use on older product with Soft eLicenser, everything else (including the Absolute Collection 5) is on the dongle, or is already within the new Steinberg Licensing environment.

It already happened twice that I’d opened SDA and eLCC got (semi) auto updated (and I hadn’t seen the install routine start, so I couldn’t “shoot” the installer in time). Problem: on this known machine (Win10, “known” to me), eLCC software containers sometimes get destroyed while updating eLCC. After the updates (versions were in the range of build 6.12.8.3006 to .3009, current: 6.12.8.3311) the soft eLicense container was gone, and I had to use the .2300 workaround installer, and then had to re-register the respective software eLicense, twice. This is very time consuming.

So, even for the time being (only ca. 1 1/2 years? left with the eLicenser sytem remaining functional), wouldn’t it perhaps be useful to NOT be in any danger of losing an eLicenser software container, and to be able to - at least - avoid auto-install of eLCC? Of course I’m aware of the fact that all soft eLicenses can also be transferred from the software eLCC to the USB dongle…

The other semi auto updates in SDA may not really be problematic, yet I sometimes simply don’t want to install a package right away, just store it locally - and then install it (them) later, like Cubase.

Best Regards,
Markus

steve · June 20, 2022, 8:55pm

Hi @Markus_Leuthel – For advanced users, there’s a “hack” – disable the Steinberg Install Helper and Steinberg Install Assistant by editing their names. It’s temporary, but the automatic installation will cease.

There are better people to ask than I, to get a message to the dev team… look for Steinberg staff here on the forum.

Markus_Leuthel · June 20, 2022, 10:21pm

Hi @steve,

thank you so much for that valuable info!
Done, works.

Just for the record, so that others (on Windows) can use that workaround, if need be:
both utilities - Steinberg Install Helper and Steinberg Install Asssistant - are in this path:
C:\Program Files\Steinberg\Install Assistant

Program versions (as of June 20, 2022):
Steinberg Install Asssistant.exe → v. 1.1.2.59
Steinberg Install Helper.exe → -> v. 1.1.2.59

–

Also, I’ll probably forward my text as a support ticket (in a shortened version).

Cheers,
Markus

Update: I thought “that was it”. Yet, when starting SDA, the “self aware” SDA went on to overide the deactivated executables and still tried to install the latest eLCC. Luckily, I was able to “shoot” the installer this time.

steve · June 20, 2022, 10:25pm

Glad it works for you. Note this is not supported, and if you file a support ticket about this, they will probably reply with something like, sorry that’s not supported, put it back!

Markus_Leuthel · June 20, 2022, 10:37pm

Hi @steve,

thanks again.

If I write that ticket, it will of course only revolve around my request to re-implement the once existing user choices, which certainly wouldn’t be too difficult to implement (small package menu in SDA: “Download”, “Download & Install”, “Open Download Path” - perhaps something like this).

As far as I remember: for each major software package (Cubase, Dorico, Wavelab, etc.) in SDA there was also a “Download (to path)” option, where - after clicking - a folder named WIN64 was created and everything was downloaded to its respective package folder, within that general download path folder (as is still the case for any software and content packs). The major software packages are still being downloaded to that path in the background, but the user has no choice to either “Download” OR “Download & Install”.
[edited for better readability: Sat., June 25, 2022, 23:15]

And all environmental program update installers should also explicitly ask the user: “Update this component now? [NO] [YES]”.
(as far as I’m concerned, since I’m on multiple machines, some of them rather old and slow)

Best,
Markus

Lombardic · June 22, 2022, 7:35pm

I remember this option was till cubase 10. It was then ‘Download’ instead of Install.

The fun thing is that if you keep the installer and run it, it asks you the installation path as it supposed to do.

I dont understand why they have changed this. This is unacceptable to go one step back.

So far the only customization that i found out is to install Steinberg Libary Manager and BEFORE installing any content, customise its path to your desired path. Its something at least and helps organize the huge content files to a different (even removable) drive.

KT66 · June 22, 2022, 8:55pm

Agree with this. None of my Steinberg stuff (Nuendo, Cubase, Wavelab, content) is installed on the C drive. Running an update to existing from the SDA will work because the install path is already established, but a fresh install of a new version of one of the products requires me to download the standalone installer to ensure the install goes where I want it to (which rather defeats the point of the SDA).
Make the download and installs seperate procedures within SDA and prompt for location when running an installation.

MrSoundman · June 23, 2022, 9:35pm

+1 that this needs to be fixed.

What I now do is attach a USB drive before I start SDA, have SDA pointed to a folder on that so I can save the installers. That way I can at least uninstall the forced installation, then run the installer again from the USB drive.

What a pain! I think they went too far with the idiot-proofing. We’re not idiots and don’t need this nonsense.

Markus_Leuthel · April 29, 2023, 10:14pm

Hi @MrSoundman,
@steve,
@KT66,
@Lombardic,

almost one year later, and I hadn’t seen that this thread was still there (while it’s the remainder of a split thread).

So, just for the record:

many many (belated) thanks to Steinberg for listening - even without a support ticket - and for having fixed that former SDA install menu options behavior which some of us (including me) had found quite bothersome. On the one hand and for a while now, SDA can be used (again) in the most flexible way, as far as user driven deviations from “install now!” and from default install path HERE for Steinberg Programs / standalone installers are concerned. On the other hand, most content files can be moved at will by using Library Manager after downloading and installing *.vstsound files, or after one of their version updates / upgrades took place, so this part was never really a problem.

Best wishes,
Markus

P.S.: although in this thread there hasn’t been given an exact solution to both initial questions from June 2022, I think that @MrSoundman’s nice workaround - in combination with Steinberg taking action - comes closest to the spiritual liberation of this topic, so I’ll be marking Post No. 8 as the solution (as related to the situation before Steinberg reprogrammed the menu functions some time after June 2022).