Endpoint Services, Munki, MunkiAdmin
Overview
MunkiAdmin is a graphical user interface for managing Munki repositories and viewing/modifying available software. This application provides IT Pros with a way to browse and edit pkginfo and manifest files easily.
Note: do NOT attempt to use Apple's TextEdit to modify manifests or pkginfo files in your unit's Multi-Tenant Munki repository.
TextEdit is known to cause problems as it attempts to auto-save open files to the mounted WebDAV Munki repo.
If you opt to directly edit repo content with a text editor instead of MunkiAdmin, please use BBEdit.
Systems
- Computers running macOS 10.13 or higher and utilizing the Munki Mac Endpoint Management system
Affected Customers
- University of Illinois IT Pros leveraging Technology Services Endpoint Services' Munki Mac Endpoint Management
Actions
- Application Requirements
- Installing and Launching MunkiAdmin
- Navigating MunkiAdmin
- Editing Pkginfo Files
- Editing Catalogs
- Editing Manifest Files
Application Requirements
- macOS 10.13 (El Capitan) or greater
- Munki installed
Installing and Launching MunkiAdmin
Please see our Accessing Your Repository article for instructions on installing and launching MunkiAdmin.
Navigating MunkiAdmin
Once MunkiAdmin has completed scanning and creating a local snapshot of a repository, the buttons on the navigation bar in the top-right corner should become available.
From left to right they are:
| Button: | Button Function: |
|---|---|
| Packages | Changes MunkiAdmin to the packages view. |
| Catalogs | Changes MunkiAdmin to the catalogs view. |
| Manifests | Changes MunkiAdmin to the manifests view. |
| Open | Opens a repository to be scanned and loaded in MunkiAdmin. |
| Save | Writes changes made to pkgsinfo and manifest files to the Munki server. Also runs the makecatalogs command. |
| Reload | Reloads the repository that is currently mounted. Discards any unsaved changes. |
| Properties | Opens the currently selected file for editing. |
| Search | For the packages and catalogs views, this moves the cursor to the search bar. For the manifest view, a query builder appears, allowing users to filter manifests by building queries. |
Editing Pkginfo Files
MunkiAdmin allows for IT pros to easily modify pkginfo files in the packages view. Pkginfo files contain metadata and settings for installers located in the pkgs directory of a Munki repository. To open a pkginfo file for editing, either double-click the file in MunkiAdmin or select the file and click the Properties button. IT Pros will not be able to save changes to any pkginfo files that are from upstream repositories (global, UofI, UIUC, etc.). To make changes to these pkginfo files, IT Pros will need to create a copy of the provided pkginfo file in their unit's repository, prefixed with their repository's name, and then modify the copied file. You should always save your changes after modifying pkginfo files so that the changes are properly reflected in the catalog files.
*Note: IT Pros can overwrite each other's changes if using MunkiAdmin with the same repository simultaneously.
Additional information on pkginfo files and supported keys can be found on the Munki Wiki.
Editing Catalogs
MunkiAdmin allows for IT pros to easily modify catalog files in the catalogs view. Catalogs group software into "channels", allowing IT Pros to deploy certain software installations and updates to one group of computers, while denying those same installs and updates to another group. They are located in the catalogs directory of a Munki repository. Catalog files should never be edited directly but instead are set on the pkginfo and computer manifest files. After making changes, the Save button in MunkiAdmin then rebuilds the catalog files.
Within MunkiAdmin, the catalogs view allows IT Pros to modify the catalogs that an application is found in (the changes are actually saved to the pkginfo file for each item). To change the catalogs for an installer, select the catalog you want to add/remove applications to and then check the boxes for the installers you wish to have located within that catalog. IT Pros will not be able to save changes to files that are from upstream repositories (global, UofI, UIUC, etc.). To make changes to the catalogs for these pkginfo files, IT Pros will need to create a copy of the provided pkginfo file in their unit's repository. The EPS team recommends that units prefix their catalogs with their repository prefix (e.g. MYUNITREPO_production; MYUNITREPO_testing, etc.).
Additional information on catalogs can be found on the Munki Wiki.
Editing Manifest Files
MunkiAdmin allows for IT pros to easily modify manifest files in the manifests view. Manifest files contain the information of what packages a particular computer should get. To open a manifest file for editing, either double-click the file in MunkiAdmin or select the file and click the Properties button. IT Pros will not be able to save changes to any manifests files that are from upstream repositories (global, UofI, UIUC, etc.). Some additional fields that can be modified here are the display name, username and notes fields. They only serve as additional computer identifiers and to provide additional information within MunkiAdmin. They do not have any effect on clients in other areas of Multi-Tenant Munki.
Additional information on manifest files can be found in our manifests article and on the Munki Wiki.
