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editing the system information/installation plist
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This isn't the answer you want I expect but the best thing is just to leave it alone. Clearing it up is just going to make it look tidy nothing else. There's nothing about having old entries there that will stop something working or stop something installing, the amount of memory it uses is tiny but on the other hand the possibility of messing something up by playing with it is rather large. It's just a kind of report
The only reason you have for even looking at it is if you have an installation issue that you think is caused by an old entry and then you can use pkgutil --forget for the specific problem.
But really, you shouldn't be poking your nose in things like that which work perfectly well just being left alone.
The only reason you have for even looking at it is if you have an installation issue that you think is caused by an old entry and then you can use pkgutil --forget for the specific problem.
But really, you shouldn't be poking your nose in things like that which work perfectly well just being left alone.
Where is systeminfo.plist ? I could not find it with
sudo find /Library -iname "*systeminfo*" or sudo find /System/Library -iname "*systeminfo*"I suspected that was the case. Just make it easier if the sys info/installations reflected reality.
Having a conflict issue with, I suspect, an audio plugin for Pro Tools and the launcher I use as my right hand, QuickSilver.
But, yea, I get it.
Is pkgutil a Terminal command or part of Xcode?
Having a conflict issue with, I suspect, an audio plugin for Pro Tools and the launcher I use as my right hand, QuickSilver.
But, yea, I get it.
Is pkgutil a Terminal command or part of Xcode?
Are you talking about the list of packages included in the output of "pkgutil --pkgs"?
Perhaps you could enlighten us with the exact path to the file in question as several people on here don't seem to have the same file you are referencing. However you referenced "current installs" which are normally managed by pkgutil/etc (which are not great but...).
Also what is your definition of "safely"? As I assume you already know based on your question about editing a .plist file, you can use "plutil" to convert a binary .plist file to one in XML format, which of course can then be edited with TextEdit. Manually editing an XML file isn't usually considered "safe", but it isn't usually catastrophic (e.g. related program just errors out). There are XML editors that can ensure conformance though that would be outside of TextEdit.
The "defaults" command can be used to change the entries in preferences-related plist files relatively safely but not sure if the file you mention falls under that category.
Otherwise the only "officially supported" or "safe" way to edit a plist file is by using the program that created it but of course I am sure you wouldn't be asking about editing a plist file with TextEdit if that option worked for you.
UninstallPKG https://www.corecode.io/uninstallpkg/
"PKG uninstaller made on a zsh shell script" https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/pkg-uninstaller-made-on-a-zsh-shell-script.2423127/
"PKG uninstaller made on a zsh shell script" https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/pkg-uninstaller-made-on-a-zsh-shell-script.2423127/
I can't, I just assume that it exists (coz there's a plist for everything in the OS), and I'd like to edit it to reflect reality.
What is plutil? Is that part of Xcode? Or is it for use in Terminal? And for XML editor, perhaps BBEdit?
True.
Just to clarify, this is what I'd like to edit, if possible.
Attachments
Thanks for this link. There is an app that is specific for uninstalling audio plugs that I use.
If I have to go further on uninstalls, I mi's'well nuke and pave and go back to Monty, which I may yet do.
without getting into long winded explanation.
I use Pro Tools in work. I use QuickSilver as my Launcher, which is my right hand in many ways.
Nothing comes close, Alfred, LaunchBar, that I've tried.
There is a conflict with an audio plug (I think) that I recently installed (many in the same day, bad idea. But I never had an issue like this in previous OS and/or versions of PT), after updating (nuke & pave) to Seq from Monty.
As I uninstall suspects, if I get to a conclusion (no conflicts), then I'd like that list to reflect what is installed.
I suppose that I could just copy the list from the Plugs subfolder and disregard the Sys info/Software/Installations.
I use Pro Tools in work. I use QuickSilver as my Launcher, which is my right hand in many ways.
Nothing comes close, Alfred, LaunchBar, that I've tried.
There is a conflict with an audio plug (I think) that I recently installed (many in the same day, bad idea. But I never had an issue like this in previous OS and/or versions of PT), after updating (nuke & pave) to Seq from Monty.
As I uninstall suspects, if I get to a conclusion (no conflicts), then I'd like that list to reflect what is installed.
I suppose that I could just copy the list from the Plugs subfolder and disregard the Sys info/Software/Installations.
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There is a plist: /Library/Receipts/InstallHistory.plist
And a log: /private/var/log/install.log
“Find the Package Installer Log details on macOS” by @startergo https://gist.github.com/startergo/f61992a61749d754462e2f63eca145fb
There is often a plist for everything -- though sometimes Apple uses sqlite databases. And some services now seem to use client/service model even if everything is local. macOS is starting to resemble other OS more than traditional UNIX or even MacOS X...
plutil is a command-line utility for converting a binary plist into an XML plist. You can then edit the plist with a text editor (or to be safer, something that ensures compliance with XML structures). I believe it comes with the base macOS but you have to access it from Terminal (or similar). As a general rule, editing plists outside of the standard interfaces (e.g. System Preferences) requires going to the command-line or installing a 3rd party tool.
This article by Howard Hoakley may provide some helpful context:
How can you tell what Apple software has been installed/updated?
Introducing a new version of SystHist which lets you see everything that Apple, the App Store, and silent updates install, for El Capitan, Sierra, and High Sierra.
eclecticlight.co
Note things have moved since the links in that article so scroll down on this may be helpful if you want that tool:
SilentKnight, Skint, SystHist, silnite, LockRattler & Scrub
Skint – a watchful eye on security settings Updated! Checks key security settings and features including SIP, SSV, Gatekeeper, XProtect, XProtect Remediator and macOS security updates. Runs a…
eclecticlight.co
Then the list of current installed packages is maintained by the "pkgutil" I mentioned. From Terminal, "pkgutil --pkgs" to get a list of everything it knows about (System Information/Installation may show things that were installed and then officially removed since it is more of a history/log than an active list).
Stepping back, unfortunately macOS's package management is relatively weak (compared to even Windows which I don't love either). It's half-done and your situation is an example of what should be easier for anyone.
In any case, if you want to remove macOS's knowledge of an installation, you can do:
pkgutil --forget PackageName (where PackageName is something like 'com.apple.pkg.XProtectPlistConfigData_10_15.16U4385')
This however won't remove the files. It just removes the entry in the installation database. It also probably won't erase the entry from Installation log from System Information/Installations. I believe that is a running log of everything installed even if it is removed. However, I don't believe most tools use the Installation log to find say plugins or other files so it can be ignored.
The first response ( by @Ruggy ) hit the target.
ss64.com
apple.stackexchange.com
apple.stackexchange.com
It’s a CLI tool (i.e., Terminal).
pkgutil Man Page - macOS - SS64.com
How can I get System Information's "Installations" and such to correctly reflect the software I currently have?
I installed a bunch of software. Then I removed most of it. I used a variety of methods. AppCleaner for some things, mdfind -name 'Adobe Flash' |parallel rm -rf {} for others. I removed app
How to remove packages listed by pkgutil
I've removed everything that can be removed, however this still appears: pkgutil --packages | grep CLTools com.apple.pkg.CLTools_Executables com.apple.pkg.CLTools_SDK_macOS110 com.apple.pkg.
Can you actually state what the issue is, exactly? Your initial question is basically an XY problem: you're trying to find a solution for what you think is the problem, instead of just asking for help with the issue directly.
It is unlikely for third-party software to be using Apple's package installation receipts. My guess, based off the details you've provided, is that you're trying to launch an app through one of those tools, and it's not finding it. My guess, again, is that these tools use Spotlight's database to find the apps. In that case, you might want to see if there is an old/broken install of an older version of the app you're trying to launch, or try checking what Spotlight sees when you try to search for it. They may also use the Launch Services database.
as it turned out, my 1st nuke & pave appears to have been bad, I dunno why and I can't explain.
After trying to figure out what happened in the past for a few days, I did a n&p yesterday and things are running much better.
Even though I used the exact same methodology to do a total wipe and reinstall from a USB Sequoia installer, the 1st time was funky, the 2nd (knock silicon) appears to be OK. Other issues I was facing after the 1st shot, have not shown up on the 2nd try. There were issues with Mail forgetting Archived Mailboxes, QuickSilver & CopyLess 2, to name a few.
For further reading, the issue was QuickSilver launcher that I have used as a right hand for 20 years or so was crashing intermittently. I had thought that it might be a 3rd party audio plug in for Pro Tools or an out of date plug in that was causing the issue.
But it wasn't worth the backwards research, though the devs at QS were very helpful.
I knew that Seq was more or less stable for my use with Pro Tools as other pro users I know have said so.
I know the QS devs are very much on the ball.
So I decided another n&p would be the quickest fix/answer. So far so good.
All the main apps are in. Now I start loading the 3rd party audio plugs and hopefully all will stay that way.
The reason I wanted to edit the Install plist was to reflect what I had uninstalled in trying to backwards research the issue.
After trying to figure out what happened in the past for a few days, I did a n&p yesterday and things are running much better.
Even though I used the exact same methodology to do a total wipe and reinstall from a USB Sequoia installer, the 1st time was funky, the 2nd (knock silicon) appears to be OK. Other issues I was facing after the 1st shot, have not shown up on the 2nd try. There were issues with Mail forgetting Archived Mailboxes, QuickSilver & CopyLess 2, to name a few.
For further reading, the issue was QuickSilver launcher that I have used as a right hand for 20 years or so was crashing intermittently. I had thought that it might be a 3rd party audio plug in for Pro Tools or an out of date plug in that was causing the issue.
But it wasn't worth the backwards research, though the devs at QS were very helpful.
I knew that Seq was more or less stable for my use with Pro Tools as other pro users I know have said so.
I know the QS devs are very much on the ball.
So I decided another n&p would be the quickest fix/answer. So far so good.
All the main apps are in. Now I start loading the 3rd party audio plugs and hopefully all will stay that way.
The reason I wanted to edit the Install plist was to reflect what I had uninstalled in trying to backwards research the issue.