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Dreaming · Jan 4, 2003, 12:49 PM

Since Mac OS X apps. are installed as packages (unlike the classic OS, which installs an application folder, and places some files there and some in the system folder), if I want to trash or uninstall an OS X application, do I just move it to the trash? Is it really that simple?

Should I also do a Sherlock search of my home library and the main library and delete any files that were installed there by the application? Or would trashing the application itself handle this?

Thanks for the help.

JLL · Jan 4, 2003, 12:51 PM

Originally posted by Dreaming:
Since Mac OS X apps. are installed as packages (unlike the classic OS, which installs an application folder, and places some files there and some in the system folder), if I want to trash or uninstall an OS X application, do I just move it to the trash? Is it really that simple?

Yep! Some apps do install files in the Application Support folder though, and then there is the preference file.

Dreaming · Jan 4, 2003, 01:11 PM

Originally posted by JLL:
Yep! Some apps do install files in the Application Support folder though, and then there is the preference file.

Thank you, JLL. Your reply has led me to a couple more questions:

(1) By "Preference file," do you mean "Preference folder"? I see there is a Preference folder in my home library and another one in the main library.

(2) Should I examine the Application Support folder and the Preference folders for files installed by the trashed application (so I can then delete those files also)? I suppose before deleting anything I would have to be careful that such files were actually installed by the trashed application and aren't shared by other apps. Do you know of any feature or file in OS X that tells me what was placed where whenever I install new software?

Thanks again.

JLL · Jan 4, 2003, 01:18 PM

Originally posted by Dreaming:
(1) By "Preference file," do you mean "Preference folder"? I see there is a Preference folder in my home library and another one in the main library.

An app has the preference file placed in the Preference folder places in your home library.

Originally posted by Dreaming:
(2) Should I examine the Application Support folder and the Preference folders for files installed by the trashed application (so I can then delete those files also)? I suppose before deleting anything I would have to be careful that such files were actually installed by the trashed application and aren't shared by other apps. Do you know of any feature or file in OS X that tells me what was placed where whenever I install new software?

Only application that are installed using an installer might have placed files in the Application Support folder, and it should be placed in a folder named after the app or the publisher of the app.

Apps that are installed should also install a installation log file that tells you where they have installed things.

Some apps also have an uninstall feature that can be run by running the installer again and choosing Uninstall.

krove · Jan 4, 2003, 02:20 PM

Apple or someone else (CharlesS) should create an uninstall utility for applications installed via a package. After install, a receipt / record of the installation was made. It would be very easy, I would think, to undo what was done following the package receipt.

Ron Goodman · Jan 4, 2003, 04:47 PM

They already have. Look up DesInstaller on Versiontracker.

AKcrab · Jan 4, 2003, 05:02 PM

Originally posted by Ron Goodman:
They already have. Look up DesInstaller on Versiontracker.

It even works fairly well!

sandsl · Jan 4, 2003, 06:36 PM

Should I also do a Sherlock search of my home library...

Good luck trying to do that since Sherlock can no longer search hard drives as of Mac OS X 10.2

wataru · Jan 4, 2003, 07:09 PM

Originally posted by JLL:
Only application that are installed using an installer might have placed files in the Application Support folder, and it should be placed in a folder named after the app or the publisher of the app.

This is not true. Example: Chimera.

JLL · Jan 4, 2003, 07:16 PM

Originally posted by wataru:
This is not true. Example: Chimera.

Oh! My mistake.

Dreaming · Jan 4, 2003, 10:52 PM

Re: An uninstall utility for apps. installed via a package

Originally posted by Ron Goodman:
Look up DesInstaller on Versiontracker.

I checked out DesInstaller. Can someone clarify something for me? It is my understanding that all applications are really packages. (Ctrl-click on the app's icon, and an option to "show package contents" appears in the contextual menu.)

Now when I go into the main Library's Receipts folder, the "pkgs" I see there all seem to be for Apple items (Apple updates and Apple software, such as iTunes, etc.) This, I've read, is to keep a record of what's been installed so the "software update" feature will function accurately.

From what I have read about DesInstaller, it can only uninstall applications or software updates that were installed via Apple pkgs; i.e., only those that result in a "pkg" within Library/Receipts. Therefore, DesInstaller will not work as an uninstaller for 3rd party applications.

Is my grasp of the above correct? In other words, no 3rd party applications - not even big ones like Photoshop for X or Microsoft Office X - are represented in the Library/Receipts folder?

Thanks, anyone, for enlightening me.

Dreaming · Jan 4, 2003, 11:09 PM

Originally posted by krove:
Apple or someone else (CharlesS) should create an uninstall utility for applications installed via a package. After install, a receipt / record of the installation was made. It would be very easy, I would think, to undo what was done following the package receipt.

... But aren't package receipts only kept for Apple's own software? Do 3rd party applications even have a receipt? (On my own system, I only see Apple items within the main Library/Receipts folder. I read that this folder is used by Apple's "Software Update" to keep track of what's been installed.)

Since this is something I'm unsure about (see my previous post re: DesInstaller), I welcome anyone more knowledgable to put me on the right path.

Thanks everyone.

TheMosco · Jan 4, 2003, 11:19 PM

Originally posted by Dreaming:
... But aren't package receipts only kept for Apple's own software? Do 3rd party applications even have a receipt? (On my own system, I only see Apple items within the main Library/Receipts folder. I read that this folder is used by Apple's "Software Update" to keep track of what's been installed.)

Since this is something I'm unsure about (see my previous post re: DesInstaller), I welcome anyone more knowledgable to put me on the right path.

Thanks everyone.

i believe it is all software that uses the apple installers, not just apple software.

Adam Betts · Jan 4, 2003, 11:42 PM

Originally posted by TheMosco:
i believe it is all software that uses the apple installers, not just apple software.

That's correct.

DesInstaller should be called Unpacifist

Sven G · Jan 5, 2003, 05:21 AM

Another "famous" package uninstaller is OSXGNU's OSXPM ("OS X Package Manager", that is). The newest version is OSXPM 2.0 beta: personally, I haven't actually used it - so, if you find it interesting, try it with caution, like you should with any other uninstaller...