Revision as of 17:12, 26 September 2011

Foxit Reader is a free PDF viewer distinguished from Adobe Reader by being smaller, more secure and easier to update.

The installer here assumes you're using the MSI version of the installer rather than the regular .exe installer. It is strongly encouraged to use the MSI and not the .exe installer, because the latter is aimed at end users and includes addons like the ask.com toolbar, which you generally don't want to roll out in your organisation. The EXE version is licensed for personal use only, if you are deploying Foxit Reader, you must sign up for the free enterprise version that comes as an MSI.

These installers assume that Windows is localised in English. For Windows localised for other languages you will need to make changes accordingly.

At http://languages.foxitsoftware.com you can download language files for Foxit Reader and copy them in the same directory where Foxit Reader is installed. However the translations are usually in such a bad shape, that even a non-native English speaker is better off with the English version.

Downloading MSI installer

Foxit is trying to push users to use the EXE installer, so the MSI version may not be easily found on their site. You can request the MSI installer from http://www.foxitsoftware.com/pdf/reader/enterprise_reg.php.

You may be able to download the MSI installer via a direct URL:

• MSI installer for 3.3.1: http://cdn01.foxitsoftware.com/pub/foxit/reader/desktop/win/3.x/3.3/enu/FoxitReader331_enu.msi
• MSI instalelr for 4.0: http://cdn01.foxitsoftware.com/pub/foxit/reader/desktop/win/4.x/4.0/enu/FoxitReader40_enu.msi
• MSI installer for 4.1: http://cdn01.foxitsoftware.com/pub/foxit/reader/desktop/win/4.x/4.1/enu/FoxitReader41_enu.msi
• MSI installer for 4.1.1: http://cdn01.foxitsoftware.com/pub/foxit/reader/desktop/win/4.x/4.1/enu/FoxitReader411_enu.msi
• MSI installer for 4.2: http://cdn01.foxitsoftware.com/pub/foxit/reader/desktop/win/4.x/4.2/enu/FoxitReader42_enu.msi
• MSI installer for 4.3: http://cdn01.foxitsoftware.com/pub/foxit/reader/desktop/win/4.x/4.3/enu/FoxitReader43_enu.msi
• MSI installer for 4.3.1: http://cdn01.foxitsoftware.com/pub/foxit/reader/desktop/win/4.x/4.3/enu/FoxitReader431_enu.msi
• MSI installer for 5.0.1.0523: http://cdn01.foxitsoftware.com/pub/foxit/reader/desktop/win/5.x/5.0/enu/FoxitReader501.0523_enu.msi
• MSI installer for 5.0.2.718: http://cdn01.foxitsoftware.com/pub/foxit/reader/desktop/win/5.x/5.0/enu/FoxitReader502.0718_enu.msi
• MSI installer for 5.0.3.726: http://cdn01.foxitsoftware.com/pub/foxit/reader/desktop/win/5.x/5.0/enu/EnterpriseFoxitReader503.0726_enu.msi

etc...

Alternatively, you can use a search engine to search for the file name of the installer file to find another place to download the MSI installer (but this isn't advised for security reasons).

Alternatively, if you have access to an old version of the MSI installer:

• Grab the most recent EXE installer from the Foxit website
• Run the EXE installer without actually installing the software
• Browse to your local %TEMP% folder, search for "Foxit Reader.exe" and copy it somewhere else
• Cancel the EXE installer
• Create your WPKG install script that first installs Foxit Reader with the help of the old MSI installer and then overwrites "Foxit Reader.exe" in the installation directory with the copy that you acquired above.
• Since Foxit Reader consists only of one executable, this procedure is equivalent to running the MSI installer of the most recent version (except that the uninstall GUID will be different)

WPKG Packages

Foxit Reader 5.0 Series (English)

<package 
id="foxitreader" 
name="Foxit Reader" 
revision="%version%"
reboot="false" 
priority="5">

	<variable name="version" value="5.0.3.726" />
		
	<check type="logical" condition="or">
		<check type='file' condition='versiongreaterorequal' path='%PROGRAMFILES%\Foxit Software\Foxit Reader\Foxit Reader.exe' value='%version%' />
		<check type='file' condition='versiongreaterorequal' path='%PROGRAMFILES(x86)%\Foxit Software\Foxit Reader\Foxit Reader.exe' value='%version%' />
	</check>
			
	<install cmd='msiexec /i "%SOFTWARE%\foxitreader\EnterpriseFoxitReader503.0726_enu.msi" DESKTOP_SHORTCUT="0" MAKEDEFAULT="1" VIEWINBROWSER="0" /passive /norestart /qn' />
 
	<upgrade cmd='msiexec /i "%SOFTWARE%\foxitreader\EnterpriseFoxitReader503.0726_enu.msi" DESKTOP_SHORTCUT="0" MAKEDEFAULT="1" VIEWINBROWSER="0" /passive /norestart /qn' />
 
	<remove cmd='msiexec /x {E6C1B140-AF5D-4956-BAC7-F5C84B7C90AE} /passive /norestart /qn' />
	
</package>

Note:

• Installer options have been set to not create a desktop shortcut, not embed Foxit Reader in the browser window, and sets itself as the default PDF viewer. You can find the different installer options in the Foxit Reader forum in the FAQ
• Tested with Windows XP 32 Bit and Windows 7 64 Bit.
• Upgrades have been tested to work OK with versions 3.3 and 4.2.

Foxit Reader 4.3 Series (English)

<package id="foxitreader" name="Foxit Reader" revision="4.3.1.323" reboot="false" priority="0">
	<check type="uninstall" condition="exists" path="Foxit Reader" />
	<check type='file' condition='versiongreaterorequal' path='%PROGRAMFILES%\Foxit Reader\Foxit Reader.exe' value='4.3.1.323' />
	<install cmd='msiexec /i "%SOFTWARE%\foxitreader\FoxitReader43_enu.msi" DESKTOP_SHORTCUT=0 VIEWINBROWSER=0 DISPLAYINBROWSER=0 /passive /norestart' />

	<!-- Multiple versions of Foxit Reader were released under the same version number 4.3.1, hence the MSI upgrade procedure doesn't work and you have to uninstall the old version before installing the new one -->
	<remove cmd='msiexec /x{BEE120D0-AAA0-4835-8EDA-925F82CEB673} /passive /norestart' />
	<upgrade cmd='msiexec /i "%SOFTWARE%\foxitreader\FoxitReader43_enu.msi" DESKTOP_SHORTCUT=0 VIEWINBROWSER=0 DISPLAYINBROWSER=0 /passive /norestart' />

	<remove cmd='msiexec /x{0C441730-85C7-4667-895B-6F7327D278EF} /passive /norestart' />
</package>

Please note that VIEWINBROWSER does not affect Internet Explorer integration. To disable that you have to uncheck "Internet -> Display PDF in Browser" through the Foxit Reader GUI or use the script below.

Foxit Reader 4.3 introduced a new feature called "HTML embedded PDF support". It allows webdesigners to embed Foxit Reader into a website like for example Adobe Flash. If you don't want this, set the property DISPLAYINBROWSER to 0.

Foxit Reader automatically makes itself the default PDF reader, hence the '-register' command-line switch used with earlier versions isn't used here. If you don't want this you can set the property MAKEDEFAULT=0 during installation.

Please note that VIEWINBROWSER does not affect Internet Explorer integration. To disable that you have to uncheck "Internet -> Display PDF in Browser" through the Foxit Reader GUI or use the script below.

Command-line Switches

-register - make Foxit Reader the default PDF reader

Uninstall Strings

• 3.3.1.0518: 648AF8B5-9F79-4ABA-8D59-83998F7E3E3F
• 3.3.0.0430: 4FEC0D0D-1279-4C46-B6F8-B73C5247A6A9
• 3.1.4.1125: 4FEC0D0D-1279-4C46-B6F8-B73C5247A6A9
• 3.1.1.0901: A9355F41-AE6C-487C-A6A9-BC348D836F43
• 3.1.?: 81EC4B5E-E735-43D2-985A-C675003BFBB6
• 4.1.1: 139D9AF8-5562-47BD-AA85-F3AD63681EDB
• 4.2: 549197A2-8484-426C-814F-81A6535A24D6
• 4.3: 35E93AC6-D7E0-4F32-BEF3-FFBA011B0861
• 4.3.1: BEE120D0-AAA0-4835-8EDA-925F82CEB673 and D60F533D-0CBF-475F-8300-8B13799775D0 and 0C441730-85C7-4667-895B-6F7327D278EF (someone at Foxit thinks it's a good idea to repeatedly release multiple versions under the same version number)
• 5.0.1: 98E780FC-920D-4CC0-B780-5A272C4915FE
• 5.0.1.523: C5307DF8-9370-4646-9034-C28E2B44992C
• 5.0.3.726: E6C1B140-AF5D-4956-BAC7-F5C84B7C90AE

Configuration

Turn Off Automatic Updates

Foxit Reader 4.3

Per-user configuration: HKCU\Software\Foxit Software\Foxit Reader\AutoUpdate Info\IsAutoUpdate = 0

GUI: Help → Check for updates now → Preferences → Updater → Automatically check for Foxit updates []

Foxit Reader 3.1

System-wide configuration: IsAutoUpdate=0 in %PROGRAMFILES%\Foxit Software\Foxit Reader\FoxitReader_Preferences.ini. I don't know the purpose of this file in version 3.1 as each user has their own configuration setting.

Per-user configuration: HKCU\Software\Foxit Software\Foxit Reader\AutoUpdate Info\IsAutoUpdate = 0

GUI: Help → Check for updates now → Preferences → Updater → Automatically check for Foxit updates []

Foxit Reader 3.0

System-wide configuration: IsAutoUpdate=0 in %PROGRAMFILES%\Foxit Software\Foxit Reader\FoxitReader_Preferences.ini. This setting isn't present unless the menu option has been run to turn it off. If you add an additional 'IsAutoUpdate' line to this file then only the first instance of it is adhered to.

GUI: Help → Check for updates now → Preferences → Updater → Automatically check for Foxit updates []

Configuration Scripts

Foxit Reader 4.3

Post-Install scripts:

• remove IE integration
• no auto update
• remove ads
• remove register dialog

File settings.bat:

REM remove IE integration
reg add HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\FoxitReader.Document /v EditFlags /t REG_DWORD /d 00000002 /f >> NUL:
reg delete HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{14E8BBD8-1D1C-4D56-A4DA-D20B75EB814E} /f >> NUL:

REM User settings STEP 1: set currently loaded registry user entries
	FOR /F %%G IN ('reg query HKEY_USERS^|find "HKEY_USERS\"^|find /V "_Classes"') DO (
		call usersettings.bat %%G
	)

REM User settings STEP 2: set currently unloaded registry user entries
REM This will fail to load registry entries for users that are currently logged in (those are already set by STEP 1)
FOR /D %%G in ("%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\..\*") DO IF NOT "%%G"=="%ALLUSERSPROFILE%" IF EXIST %%G\NTUSER.DAT (
	REG LOAD HKU\OneUser "%%G\NTUSER.DAT" >> NUL:
	call usersettings.bat HKEY_USERS\OneUser
	REG UNLOAD HKU\OneUser >> NUL:
)

REM Default user (for new users) - This one was probbably hidden from previous loop
REG LOAD HKU\OneUser "%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\..\Default User\NTUSER.DAT" >> NUL:
call usersettings.bat HKEY_USERS\OneUser
REG UNLOAD HKU\OneUser >> NUL:

File usersettings.bat (used by settings.bat):

REM %1 should be somethnig like HKEY_CURRENT_USER or HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-3xxxxxxxx-2xxxxxxx-3xxxxxxxx-1000

REM no auto update
reg add "%1\Software\Foxit Software\Foxit Reader\AutoUpdate Info" /v IsAutoUpdate /d 0 /f >> NUL:
reg add "%1\Software\Foxit Software\Foxit Reader\AutoUpdate Info" /v AutoUpdateCycle /d 0 /f >> NUL:
REM remove adds
reg add "%1\Software\Foxit Software\Foxit Reader\MainFrame" /v ShowAd /d 0 /f >> NUL:
reg add "%1\Software\Foxit Software\Foxit Reader\MainFrame" /v RemoveAskBtn /d 1 /f >> NUL:
reg add "%1\Software\Foxit Software\Foxit Reader\MainFrame" /v ShowRegisterDlg /d 0 /f >> NUL:
REM no FF and IE integration (just for Display in browser check box)
reg add "%1\Software\Foxit Software\Foxit Reader\MainFrame" /v DisplayInBrowser /t REG_DWORD /d 00000000 /f >> NUL: