Create a Custom Detection Script for Mendeley Desktop (PowerShell)

Microsoft Endpoint Manager Configuration Manager (MEMCM / SCCM) and Microsoft Intune use Detection Rules to determine the presence of Applications & Win32 Apps. The detection rules ensure that application installations only begin to run if the application is not already installed on the device. This article will serve as an informative guide and give you a clear understanding of how to create an updated custom detection script for each new version of Mendeley Desktop using PowerShell.

How to Create a Custom Detection Script for Mendeley Desktop

Mendeley Desktop (File Detection Method)

• Install the version of Mendeley Desktop you want to deploy on a test box or VM
  • Check out the following posts for further details
    • Mendeley Desktop Silent Install (How-To Guide)
    • Mendeley Desktop Install and Uninstall (PowerShell)
• Open Windows PowerShell ISE by Right-Clicking on Windows PowerShell ISE and selecting Run as Administrator
• Copy the following code into the Windows PowerShell ISE

## Check for Mendeley Desktop (File Detection Method)
$MendeleyExe = (Get-ChildItem -Path "C:\Program Files\Mendeley Desktop\MendeleyDesktop.exe","C:\Program Files (x86)\Mendeley Desktop\MendeleyDesktop.exe" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue)
$MendeleyExe.FullName
$MendeleyPath = $($MendeleyExe.FullName).Replace("C:\Program Files\","").Replace("C:\Program Files (x86)\","")
$FileVersion = (Get-Item -Path "$($MendeleyExe.FullName)" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue).VersionInfo.FileVersion

## Create Text File with Mendeley Desktop File Detection Method
$FilePath = "C:\Windows\Temp\Mendeley_Desktop_Detection_Method.txt"
New-Item -Path "$FilePath" -Force
Set-Content -Path "$FilePath" -Value "If([String](Get-Item -Path `"`$Env:ProgramFiles\$MendeleyPath`",`"`${Env:ProgramFiles(x86)}\$MendeleyPath`" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue).VersionInfo.FileVersion -ge `"$FileVersion`"){"
Add-Content -Path "$FilePath" -Value "Write-Host `"Installed`""
Add-Content -Path "$FilePath" -Value "Exit 0"
Add-Content -Path "$FilePath" -Value "}"
Add-Content -Path "$FilePath" -Value "else {"
Add-Content -Path "$FilePath" -Value "Exit 1"
Add-Content -Path "$FilePath" -Value "}"
Invoke-Item $FilePath

• Click Run Script (F5)
• A text file will open with the Mendeley Desktop Detection Method script required to detect the current version of Mendeley Desktop that is installed on the device you are running the script from.

Example:

If([String](Get-Item -Path "$Env:ProgramFiles\Mendeley Desktop\MendeleyDesktop.exe","${Env:ProgramFiles(x86)}\Mendeley Desktop\MendeleyDesktop.exe" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue).VersionInfo.FileVersion -ge "1.19.8"){
Write-Host "Installed"
Exit 0
}
else {
Exit 1
}

• Copy the Mendeley Desktop Detection Method script content into the Custom Detection Rules (Script)
• Microsoft Endpoint Manager Configuration Manager (MEMCM / SCCM)
  • https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/mem/configmgr/apps/deploy-use/create-applications#bkmk_detect-script
• Microsoft Intune
  • https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/mem/intune/apps/apps-win32-add

---

Mendeley Desktop (Registry Detection Method)

• Install the version of Mendeley Desktop you want to deploy on a test box or VM
  • Check out the following posts for further details
    • Mendeley Desktop Silent Install (How-To Guide)
    • Mendeley Desktop Install and Uninstall (PowerShell)
• Open Windows PowerShell ISE by Right-Clicking on Windows PowerShell ISE and selecting Run as Administrator
• Copy the following code into the Windows PowerShell ISE

## Check for Mendeley Desktop (Registry Detection Method)
$Mendeley = Get-ChildItem -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall","HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall" | Get-ItemProperty | Where-Object {$_.DisplayName -match 'Mendeley Desktop' } | Select-Object -Property DisplayName, DisplayVersion, PSChildName
$Mendeley.DisplayVersion
$Mendeley.PSChildName

## Create Text File with Mendeley Desktop Registry Detection Method
$FilePath = "C:\Windows\Temp\Mendeley_Desktop_Detection_Method.txt"
New-Item -Path "$FilePath" -Force
Set-Content -Path "$FilePath" -Value "If([Version](Get-ItemPropertyValue -Path 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\$($Mendeley.PSChildName)','HKLM:\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\$($Mendeley.PSChildName)' -Name DisplayVersion -ea SilentlyContinue) -ge '$($Mendeley.DisplayVersion)') {"
Add-Content -Path "$FilePath" -Value "Write-Host `"Installed`""
Add-Content -Path "$FilePath" -Value "Exit 0"
Add-Content -Path "$FilePath" -Value "}"
Add-Content -Path "$FilePath" -Value "else {"
Add-Content -Path "$FilePath" -Value "Exit 1"
Add-Content -Path "$FilePath" -Value "}"
Invoke-Item $FilePath

• Click Run Script (F5)
• A text file will open with the Mendeley Desktop Detection Method script required to detect the current version of Mendeley Desktop that is installed on the device you are running the script from.

Example:

If([Version](Get-ItemPropertyValue -Path 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\Mendeley Desktop','HKLM:\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\Mendeley Desktop' -Name DisplayVersion -ea SilentlyContinue) -ge '1.19.8') {
Write-Host "Installed"
Exit 0
}
else {
Exit 1
}

• Copy the Mendeley Desktop Detection Method script content into the Custom Detection Rules (Script)
• Microsoft Endpoint Manager Configuration Manager (MEMCM / SCCM)
  • https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/mem/configmgr/apps/deploy-use/create-applications#bkmk_detect-script
• Microsoft Intune
  • https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/mem/intune/apps/apps-win32-add

Always make sure to test everything in a development environment prior to implementing anything into production. The information in this article is provided “As Is” without warranty of any kind.