Downloads and installs the latest available VLC software directly on the client. This avoids having to manually download and store an up-to-date installer on a distribution server. Includes an optional checksum for added security.

Download and Install VLC.zsh

#!/bin/zsh

:<<ABOUT_THIS_SCRIPT
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Written by:William Smith
	Professional Services Engineer
	Jamf
	bill@talkingmoose.net
	https://gist.github.com/84cbe002aca35c73032bccd230d8988a
	
	Originally posted: February 21, 2020
	Updated: June 1, 2021

	Purpose: Checks version of latest available version of VLC online and
	compares with locally installed version. Downloads and installs if
	installed version is older or doesn't exist.
	
	Instructions:
	
	1. Set the optional sha256Checksum variable below for stronger
	security and the preferred architecture of the app.
	
	2. If using Jamf Pro, add the script to the Scripts area and set parameter
	label 4 to "Checksum".
	
	3. Add the script to a policy. Optionally, enter the checksum in the
	Checkum paramter field.
	
	4. Enable the policy for Login with a frequency of Once Per Week or other
	periodic check.
	
	5. Enable inventory update, scope and deploy.

	Except where otherwise noted, this work is licensed under
	http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

	"Deliberate practice by nature, must be hard."
	
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ABOUT_THIS_SCRIPT


# enter the SHA 256 checksum for the download file (DMG)
# download the package and run '/usr/bin/shasum -a 256 /path/to/file.dmg'
# this will change with each version
# leave blank to to skip the checksum verification (less secure) or if using a $4 script parameter with Jamf Pro

sha256Checksum="" # e.g. "67b1e8e036c575782b1c9188dd48fa94d9eabcb81947c8632fd4acac7b01644b"

if [ "$4" != "" ] && [ "$sha256Checksum" = "" ]
then
    sha256Checksum=$4
fi

# choose the most compatible architecture for your environment
architecture="universal" # or "arm64" or "intel64"


# FILE_LOCATIONS --------------------------------------------------------------


# path to this script
currentDirectory=$( /usr/bin/dirname "$0" )

# name of this script
currentScript=$( /usr/bin/basename -s .bash "$0" )

# create log file in same directory as script
log="/Library/Logs/$currentScript.log"


# FUNCTIONS -------------------------------------------------------------------


function logcomment()	{
	/bin/date "+%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S	$1" >> "$log"
	echo "$1"
}


function logresult()	{
	if [ $? = 0 ] ; then
	  /bin/date "+%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S	$1" >> "$log"
	else
	  /bin/date "+%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S	$2" >> "$log"
	fi
}


# BEGIN SCRIPT ----------------------------------------------------------------


# define app name and name of DMG after downloading
dmgFile="VLC.dmg"
appName="VLC.app"

# define download url
downloadURL="https://download.videolan.org/pub/videolan/vlc/last/macosx/"

# get the latest version of software available from website
downloadFileName=$( /usr/bin/curl --silent "$downloadURL" | /usr/bin/grep "$architecture" | /usr/bin/awk -F "(>|<)" '/.*.dmg</{ print $3 }' )
logcomment "Latest available download: $downloadFileName"

latestVersion=$( /usr/bin/sed -e 's/vlc-//g' -e "s/-$architecture.dmg//g" <<< "$downloadFileName" )
logcomment "Latest version of $appName: $latestVersion"


# Get the version number of the currently-installed VLC, if any.
if [ -e "/Applications/VLC.app" ]; then
	installedVersion=$( /usr/bin/defaults read "/Applications/VLC.app/Contents/Info.plist" CFBundleShortVersionString )
	echo "Installed version of VLC: $installedVersion"
	if [ ${latestVersion} = ${installedVersion} ]; then
		logcomment "VLC is current. Exiting."
		exit 0
	fi
else
	logcomment "VLC is either not installed or not up to date."
fi


# create temporary working directory
workDirectory=$( /usr/bin/basename $0 )
tempDirectory=$( /usr/bin/mktemp -d "/private/tmp/$workDirectory.XXXXXX" )
echo "Creating working directory '$tempDirectory'"

# change directory to temporary working directory
echo "Changing directory to working directory '$tempDirectory'"
cd "$tempDirectory"

# downloading software
logcomment "Downloading DMG..."
/usr/bin/curl --silent --output "$tempDirectory/$dmgFile" "${downloadURL}${downloadFileName}"
logresult "Downloaded DMG." "Failed to download DMG."

# checksum the download
downloadChecksum=$( /usr/bin/shasum -a 256 "$tempDirectory/$dmgFile" | /usr/bin/awk '{ print $1 }' )
echo "Checksum for downloaded file: $downloadChecksum"

# install the download if checksum validates
if [ "$sha256Checksum" = "$downloadChecksum" ] || [ "$sha256Checksum" = "" ]; then
	echo "Checksum verified. Installing software..."
	
	# mounting DMG
	logcomment "Mounting DMG..."
	appVolume=$( /usr/bin/hdiutil attach -nobrowse "$tempDirectory/$dmgFile" | /usr/bin/grep /Volumes | /usr/bin/sed -e 's/^.*\/Volumes\///g' )
	logresult "Mounted $appVolume DMG." "Failed to mount $appVolume DMG."
	
	# install software
	logcomment "Installing software..."
	/usr/bin/ditto -rsrc "/Volumes/$appVolume/$appName" "/Applications/$appName"
	logresult "Installed software." "Failed to install software."

	# unmount DMG
	logcomment "Unmounting DMG..."
	/sbin/umount "/Volumes/$appVolume"
	logresult "Unmounting $appVolume DMG." "Failed to unmount $appVolume DMG."

else
	echo "Checksum failed. Recalculate the SHA 256 checksum and try again. Or download may not be valid."
	exit 1
fi

# delete DMG
logcomment "Deleting DMG..."
/bin/rm -R "$tempDirectory"
logresult "Deleted DMG." "Failed to delete DMG."

# END SCRIPT ----------------------------------------------------------------

exit 0

Hey William, thank you so much for the script so it worked in my environment. I appreciate it.

Hey all, I've been trying to use this script to deploy vlc to our mac's via jamf using the universal .dmg, we have a mix of imac with intel and mac silicon.
trouble is it get's to the mounting DMG and i get a "failed to attach" message appear in the log.
script is verbatim aside the url for the file and the checksum, have i missed something simple or am i going crazy, this is the part of the log from jamf with the error
Script result: Latest available download:
Latest version of VLC Install.app:
VLC is either not installed or not up to date.
Creating working directory '/private/tmp/VLC Install.chyFa5'
Changing directory to working directory '/private/tmp/VLC Install.chyFa5'
Downloading DMG...
Checksum for downloaded file: 5e805ab4dfbb8733302a23309505b02af0ca2a11a59e36b459d672c938a631c0
Checksum verified. Installing software...
Mounting DMG...
hdiutil: attach failed - image not recognised
Installing software...
ditto: Cannot get the real path for source '/Volumes//VLC Install.app'
Unmounting DMG...
umount: /Volumes/: not currently mounted
Deleting DMG...
can anyone help with this please.
thanks

whole script i have here

#!/bin/zsh

:<<ABOUT_THIS_SCRIPT

Written by:William Smith
Professional Services Engineer
Jamf
bill@talkingmoose.net
https://gist.github.com/84cbe002aca35c73032bccd230d8988a

Originally posted: February 21, 2020
Updated: June 1, 2021

Purpose: Checks version of latest available version of VLC online and
compares with locally installed version. Downloads and installs if
installed version is older or doesn't exist.

Instructions:

1. Set the optional sha256Checksum variable below for stronger
security and the preferred architecture of the app.

2. If using Jamf Pro, add the script to the Scripts area and set parameter
label 4 to "Checksum".

3. Add the script to a policy. Optionally, enter the checksum in the
Checkum paramter field.

4. Enable the policy for Login with a frequency of Once Per Week or other
periodic check.

5. Enable inventory update, scope and deploy.

Except where otherwise noted, this work is licensed under
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

"Deliberate practice by nature, must be hard."

---

ABOUT_THIS_SCRIPT

enter the SHA 256 checksum for the download file (DMG)

download the package and run '/usr/bin/shasum -a 256 /path/to/file.dmg'

this will change with each version

leave blank to to skip the checksum verification (less secure) or if using a $4 script parameter with Jamf Pro

sha256Checksum="" # e.g. "67b1e8e036c575782b1c9188dd48fa94d9eabcb81947c8632fd4acac7b01644b"

if [ "$4" != "182125733ea1c4969927a79d7bee29b3907fd0107ca70294a58292f6847cef2f" ] && [ "$sha256Checksum" = "182125733ea1c4969927a79d7bee29b3907fd0107ca70294a58292f6847cef2f" ]
then
sha256Checksum=$4
fi

choose the most compatible architecture for your environment

architecture="universal" # or "arm64" or "intel64"

FILE_LOCATIONS --------------------------------------------------------------

path to this script

currentDirectory=$( /usr/bin/dirname "$0" )

name of this script

currentScript=$( /usr/bin/basename -s .bash "$0" )

create log file in same directory as script

log="/Library/Logs/$currentScript.log"

FUNCTIONS -------------------------------------------------------------------

function logcomment() {
/bin/date "+%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S $1" >> "$log"
echo "$1"
}

function logresult() {
if [ $? = 0 ] ; then
/bin/date "+%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S $1" >> "$log"
else
/bin/date "+%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S $2" >> "$log"
fi
}

BEGIN SCRIPT ----------------------------------------------------------------

define app name and name of DMG after downloading

dmgFile="vlc-3.0.19-universal.dmg"
appName="VLC Install.app"

define download url

downloadURL="https://get.videolan.org/vlc/3.0.19/macosx/vlc-3.0.19-universal.dmg/"

get the latest version of software available from website

downloadFileName=$( /usr/bin/curl --silent "$downloadURL" | /usr/bin/grep "$architecture" | /usr/bin/awk -F "(>|<)" '/.*.dmg</{ print $3 }' )
logcomment "Latest available download: $downloadFileName"

latestVersion=$( /usr/bin/sed -e 's/vlc-//g' -e "s/-$architecture.dmg//g" <<< "$downloadFileName" )
logcomment "Latest version of $appName: $latestVersion"

Get the version number of the currently-installed VLC, if any.

if [ -e "/Applications/VLC.app" ]; then
installedVersion=$( /usr/bin/defaults read "/Applications/VLC.app/Contents/Info.plist" CFBundleShortVersionString )
echo "Installed version of VLC: $installedVersion"
if [ ${latestVersion} = ${installedVersion} ]; then
logcomment "VLC is current. Exiting."
exit 0
fi
else
logcomment "VLC is either not installed or not up to date."
fi

create temporary working directory

workDirectory=$( /usr/bin/basename $0 )
tempDirectory=$( /usr/bin/mktemp -d "/private/tmp/$workDirectory.XXXXXX" )
echo "Creating working directory '$tempDirectory'"

change directory to temporary working directory

echo "Changing directory to working directory '$tempDirectory'"
cd "$tempDirectory"

downloading software

logcomment "Downloading DMG..."
/usr/bin/curl --silent --output "$tempDirectory/$dmgFile" "${downloadURL}${downloadFileName}"
logresult "Downloaded DMG." "Failed to download DMG."

checksum the download

downloadChecksum=$( /usr/bin/shasum -a 256 "$tempDirectory/$dmgFile" | /usr/bin/awk '{ print $1 }' )
echo "Checksum for downloaded file: $downloadChecksum"

install the download if checksum validates

if [ "$sha256Checksum" = "$downloadChecksum" ] || [ "$sha256Checksum" = "" ]; then
echo "Checksum verified. Installing software..."

# mounting DMG
logcomment "Mounting DMG..."
appVolume=$( /usr/bin/hdiutil attach -nobrowse "$tempDirectory/$dmgFile" | /usr/bin/grep /Volumes | /usr/bin/sed -e 's/^.*\/Volumes\///g' )
logresult "Mounted $appVolume DMG." "Failed to mount $appVolume DMG."

# install software
logcomment "Installing software..."
/usr/bin/ditto -rsrc "/Volumes/$appVolume/$appName" "/Applications/$appName"
logresult "Installed software." "Failed to install software."

# unmount DMG
logcomment "Unmounting DMG..."
/sbin/umount "/Volumes/$appVolume"
logresult "Unmounting $appVolume DMG." "Failed to unmount $appVolume DMG."

else
echo "Checksum failed. Recalculate the SHA 256 checksum and try again. Or download may not be valid."
exit 1
fi

delete DMG

logcomment "Deleting DMG..."
/bin/rm -R "$tempDirectory"
logresult "Deleted DMG." "Failed to delete DMG."

END SCRIPT ----------------------------------------------------------------

exit 0

@bobna01 I would use Installomator and use the VLC label instead of this script. Installomator is still being actively developed and maintained, and has more logic built-in.

@bobna01 I would use Installomator and use the VLC label instead of this script. Installomator is still being actively developed and maintained, and has more logic built-in.

thanks, i will have a look in to Installomator, looks like something that could be very useful