SoftwareCentral Plus ! is the source of the packages in your subscription. You see them on the SoftwareCentral Plus ! tab of the Download Packages page, and you import them from there.
1 What SoftwareCentral Plus ! gives you
SoftwareCentral gets the list of packages from SoftwareCentral Plus ! and downloads the packages you choose. The first tab of the Download Packages page, SoftwareCentral Plus, lists the packages of your subscription. Select the ones you want and import them as packages, as applications, or to Intune.
Packages can also be imported through the Auto Update Plus download rules, which download new versions of an application automatically.
2 Internet access
This functionality requires internet access from the server hosting your SoftwareCentral site.
The server must reach the SoftwareCentral update service at https://softwarecentralupdate.com/ (the default address). If you use a proxy server, it must allow that traffic. The proxy is set in Settings, in the Proxy Server and Proxy Server Port fields.
The FAQ covers the common causes when no packages show up, including the proxy and firewall settings.
3 The settings panel
On the Settings page, the panel item SoftwareCentral Plus ! holds the settings for up to two external FTP drives. The Download Packages page can show these drives as extra tabs. Each drive needs a Name (the name users see) and an Address (the FTP address of the folder that holds the packages), and the user name and password for that drive.
4 Where to go next
| If you want to | Read |
|---|---|
| Find, select and import packages | Download Packages |
| Import new versions of an application automatically | Auto Update Plus |
| Fix a package list that is empty, or a download that fails | FAQ |
5 Best practice
- Check the internet access first. Packages cannot be listed or downloaded if the server cannot reach the update service. Test from the server before you look for the cause in SoftwareCentral.
- Set the proxy once, in Settings. SoftwareCentral uses the proxy for the package service. Do not set a second proxy on the server for the same traffic.
- Keep the FTP drive settings complete. The Custom FTP tab appears only when the address, user name and password are all filled in.
- Read the log when a package does not appear. Each failed package request is written to the Log with the reason.
6 Troubleshooting
| Symptom | Cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| The log says Failed to retrieve packages from SoftwareCentral Plus. | SoftwareCentral could not get the package list. The log entry holds the reason. | Check the proxy and internet access, then read the reason in the log entry. The FAQ describes the common causes. |
| The log says Failed to retrieve packages from SoftwareCentral Plus. Make sure that no proxy server is blocking the remote connection. | The update service refused the request (HTTP 403). This is usually a proxy or firewall. | Allow softwarecentralupdate.com through the proxy or firewall. |
| The log says Failed to retrieve packages in product family from SoftwareCentral Plus. | SoftwareCentral could not get the packages of one product family. | Check the internet access and the proxy, then read the reason in the log entry. |
| The log entry Failed to retrieve packages from SoftwareCentral Plus. shows the exception Invalid client certificate. | The client certificate that SoftwareCentral uses to sign in to the package service is missing. | Check the SoftwareCentral License in Settings on the SoftwareCentral Update tab, as described in the FAQ. |
See also: Download Packages · Auto Update Plus · FAQ