topic Re: The "Privacy Settings" window should not appear on the first start of the application. in Installation & Licensing Forum

The "Privacy Settings" window should not appear on the first start of the application.

alexander_gall — Wed, 13 Apr 2022 15:31:40 GMT

After the first start, a dialog box “Privacy Settings” appears in which the user has the opportunity to select additional options.

It is important for us that this window does not appear at the first and subsequent starts of the software application.

Re: The "Privacy Settings" window should not appear on the first start of the application.

Simon_Weel — Thu, 21 Apr 2022 14:02:05 GMT

The knowledgebase article @mdavis22569 mentions is something different. In older versions of Autodesk software, there was the Desktop Analytics option witch you turn on / off from within the program or by changing the registry value for HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Autodesk\MC3\ADAOptIn - setting it to 0 disables Desktop Analytics. We use GPO to set this to 0.

In the 2023 version of the software (and maybe in 2022 as well?) the Desktop Analytics option has been replaced by Privacy Settings. These are NOT stored in the registry. I.e. no way to disable upfront.

According to this article, the privacy settings are stored in a file. I checked for that file and it isn't there. And if it was then it's still a bit tricky - the file is stored in the users Windows local profile folder. I.e. it doesn't roam, so if you log on to a different machine, then the question about privacy should pop up again.

And according to this article, you can set the privacy settings in your online Autodesk profile. That is - if you use 'name based' licenses. We don't - we use Network licenses.

So I wonder - has anybody has found a way to disable the privacy settings the 'easy' way?

Re: The "Privacy Settings" window should not appear on the first start of the application.

alexander_gall — Fri, 22 Apr 2022 11:26:34 GMT

Unfortunately it didn't help. It is important for us that this dialog does not appear at the first start of the application.

Re: The "Privacy Settings" window should not appear on the first start of the application.

m_latz — Fri, 22 Apr 2022 15:39:58 GMT

Just modify the xml file "UnNamed.json" in the folder %userprofile%\AppData\Roaming\Autodesk\ADPSDK\UserConsent

There update/modify the property ""userActionRequired" from "true" to false"

regards

Markus

Re: The "Privacy Settings" window should not appear on the first start of the application.

alexander_gall — Sun, 24 Apr 2022 20:49:51 GMT

Unfortunatelly this problem is not solved.
1. I installed the application MEP 2022 English
2. I changed "true" to "false" in the file UnNamed.json
3. I started MEP 2022 - English from Start Menu
4. Self repair start automatically and in the file UnNamed.json "false" again to "true" was rewriten.
5. "Privacy Settings" window is appear again.

Re: The "Privacy Settings" window should not appear on the first start of the application.

m_latz — Sun, 24 Apr 2022 22:03:24 GMT

Yes, that's normal behavior with "AutoCAD based" products. If a user starts AutoCAD the 1st time, the 2nd stage installer creates/installs the user environment. Or you call it a "self-repair".

To solve I normally modify the msi file (create a transformation) so that "false" is set as standard in the xml file "UnNamed.json" during the creation of the user environment.

What I explained in my previous post was only the file and value you have to modify, not how to add this modification to your existing install/deployment.

There are also other options to change the value in the "UnNamed.json" file.

regards

Markus

Re: The "Privacy Settings" window should not appear on the first start of the application.

alexander_gall — Sun, 24 Apr 2022 22:48:56 GMT

Thanks you very much Marcus for your answer.
But I think problem is on another.
1. I installed the application MEP 2022 English on the new test PC
2. I changed "true" to "false" in the file UnNamed.json
3. I removed ALL user rights for the file UnNamed.json
4. I started MEP 2022 - English from Start Menu
5. Self repair start automatically and in the file UnNamed.json "false" WAS NOT to "true" rewriten.
6. "Privacy Settings" window is appear again.

Re: The "Privacy Settings" window should not appear on the first start of the application.

m_latz — Sun, 24 Apr 2022 22:59:41 GMT

Hhm,

okay I tried only with Autodesk DWG TrueView 2023. But I will also try with MEP 2022 English.

I look at it and get back in touch ...

regards

Markus

Re: The "Privacy Settings" window should not appear on the first start of the application.

Simon_Weel — Tue, 26 Apr 2022 07:52:06 GMT

I did some testing with Revit 2023. If you modify the file C:\Users\<name>\AppData\Roaming\Autodesk\ADPSDK\UserConsent\UnNamed.json, you can fill in the different options and set userActionRequired to false. If you then pre-populate the user's Windows profile with this modified file, the privacy dialog won't pop up.

{ "lastUpdated": 1650959017679, "preferences": [ { "consentId": "ADSK_PUD_CONTRACTUAL_NECESSITY_DESKTOP", "optIn": false }, { "consentId": "ADSK_PUD_OPTIMIZATION_IMPROVEMENT_DESKTOP", "optIn": false }, { "consentId": "ADSK_PUD_GO_TO_MARKET_DESKTOP", "optIn": false } ], "userActionRequired": false, "userId": "UnNamed" }

BTW - disabling all settings doesn't seem to stop data collection...

Re: The "Privacy Settings" window should not appear on the first start of the application.

m_latz — Tue, 26 Apr 2022 09:19:46 GMT

Yes I can confirm this and also tried with a new MEP 2022 deployment with the same result.

But in the environment from @alexander_gall the behavior is different. At the moment no idea why. May be there are other Autodesk products installed ...

regards

Markus

Re: The "Privacy Settings" window should not appear on the first start of the application.

alexander_gall — Tue, 26 Apr 2022 09:31:55 GMT

No Macus, I'm using a test system. It only has Windows 10 installed and no other applications. And before each installation, for example, MEP 2022, the system is again brought to its original state in which only Windows is installed.

Re: The "Privacy Settings" window should not appear on the first start of the application.

alexander_gall — Tue, 26 Apr 2022 13:21:18 GMT

Thank you very much Simon, this is a perfect solution. The file can be easily edited and the "Settings" window no longer appears when you start the application for the first time.

Re: The "Privacy Settings" window should not appear on the first start of the application.

andre.baros — Wed, 26 Oct 2022 15:20:07 GMT

I don't know why, but I get this Privacy settings pop up EVERY time I open Revit. Every time.

This tread and the solutions are crazy. The solution to an annoying dialogue box popping up should not be editing a registry value, or an MSI, or .ini, it should be closing the box once and never seeing it again. This is unacceptable.

Re: The "Privacy Settings" window should not appear on the first start of the application.

jamieq — Tue, 21 Feb 2023 12:54:29 GMT

Modifying the UnNamed.json file does not work for AutoCAD 2023. Maybe it would if I had Admin rights on my work computer, but I don't, and it pops up every first time I open AutoCAD after a reboot. I'm not surprised a stupid little annoying thing like this exists. It's very typical of Autodesk products. After all, the "Keep signed in" box on their website has absolutely never worked in the past decade and a half.

I "solved" the issue by using Autohotkey, a scripting program for Windows. I already have a script that detects when certain windows pop up and then clicks close, or ok, etc. So I just added the Privacy Settings window to it. Doesn't excuse Autodesk for their crappy bugs, but at least I won't be bothered by it that much anymore.

Re: The "Privacy Settings" window should not appear on the first start of the application.

mdavis22569 — Tue, 21 Feb 2023 13:06:59 GMT

"After all, the "Keep signed in" box on their website has absolutely never worked in the past decade and a half. "

Actually that should be fixed now ...

Re: The "Privacy Settings" window should not appear on the first start of the application.

jamieq — Tue, 21 Feb 2023 13:09:27 GMT

"Should" is the operative word there. Alas, it isn't fixed now.

Re: The "Privacy Settings" window should not appear on the first start of the application.

mdavis22569 — Tue, 21 Feb 2023 13:13:20 GMT

then it's likely how your PC ( permissions is what I've been seeing as the issue now ) .. it's been working from what I'm been seeing and hearing for the last week or so.

They found the issue and resolved it. I can go from PC to PC and not be logged out. Been great. It was bad for a bit.

The issue now it, while you might be signed it, it doesn't show it. ..but I'm replying on this machine that shows this:

Re: The "Privacy Settings" window should not appear on the first start of the application.

jamieq — Tue, 21 Feb 2023 13:15:53 GMT

Yes, I've been getting the "Sign In" button even though a refresh shows I'm signed in. If they fixed it, then it's very recent, and I'll see if it works. But that box has been broken on every computer I've used for at least 15 years, including work computers at various jobs, several personal computers, and even a few iPhones.

Re: The "Privacy Settings" window should not appear on the first start of the application.

mdavis22569 — Tue, 21 Feb 2023 13:21:53 GMT

and it should be fixed as of last week. Might need to clean out some caches / temp files etc, but should be working now without having to get booted from the forums over and over ..

On a different PC and this one looks like this :

But I'm staying logged in.

Re: The "Privacy Settings" window should not appear on the first start of the application.

jochen.bardonner — Wed, 03 Jul 2024 12:28:38 GMT

Hi Guys,

long time ago you started that thread. I faced an issue with AutoCAD/Inventor Version 2024, where that syntax of JSON file is NOT working.

Comparing the json files UnNamee.json (see above) and the newly created user related json file in Folder UserConsent shows a slight change in their syntax:

Pre 2024 json file:

Syntax for AutoCAD/Inventor 2024:

{ "preferences": [ { "consentId": "ADSK_PUD_CONTRACTUAL_NECESSITY_DESKTOP", "lastUpdated": 1684195982000, "optIn": false }, { "consentId": "ADSK_PUD_OPTIMIZATION_IMPROVEMENT_DESKTOP", "lastUpdated": 1715753750000, "optIn": false }, { "consentId": "ADSK_PUD_GO_TO_MARKET_DESKTOP", "lastUpdated": 1715753750000, "optIn": false } ], "userActionRequired": false, "userId": "UnNamed"

Note the lines for "lastUpdated" are now inserted for every option.

Now its working for our Autodesk 2024 deployment.

Have a great day.

/Jochen