November 2012 - Installer-dev

Re: programmatically access pkgutil
by Stephane Sudre 14 Nov '12

14 Nov '12

As the receipts data base is a SQLite file, you can open it and read it. But it's just easier to use the pkgutil command line tool and parse the output if you do not forget to use the "-plist" flavor version of the options. On Wed, Nov 14, 2012 at 5:00 PM, hagen <noise(a)dynax.at> wrote: > Thanks Julian, > or maybe the question is more if there is an API to access the install > receipts? I would like to know which version of my software is/was > installed on a certain system. > > it has changed to /var/db/receipts on 10.6... > > Cheers, > Hagen. > > > On Wed, Nov 14, 2012 at 4:54 PM, Julian Devlin <juliand(a)sassafras.com> wrote: >> At a basic level, on newer OS's, the info displayed by pkgutil --pkg-info is just certain data from the plist in /var/db/receipts... >> >> It's possible I suppose that pkgutil has special cases that may not be obvious though... >> >> -Julian >> >> >> On Nov 14, 2012, at 10:28 AM, hagen wrote: >> >>> Thanks Vikram, >>> thats what I wanted to avoid though, hence the question here... Seems >>> more like a workaround than a solution to me... >>> >>> But thanks for the suggestion, >>> cheers, >>> Hagen. >>> >>> >>> On Wed, Nov 14, 2012 at 4:01 PM, Vikram Singh <vikram731(a)gmail.com> wrote: >>>> If your program is in Objective-C, use NSTask to execute the command and >>>> parse the result which is returned. Otherwise, in C,C++, use popen to >>>> execute the command, get the handle to the output and parse it. >>>> >>>> >>>> On Wed, Nov 14, 2012 at 8:27 PM, hagen <noise(a)dynax.at> wrote: >>>>> >>>>> Hi, >>>>> is there an API (or something) to access pkgutil from my Application? >>>>> I am especially interested in accessing the info provided by pkgutil: >>>>> >>>>> pkgutil --pkg-info [pkgid] >>>>> >>>>> Thanks & cheers, >>>>> Hagen. >>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>> Do not post admin requests to the list. They will be ignored. >>>>> Installer-dev mailing list (Installer-dev(a)lists.apple.com) >>>>> Help/Unsubscribe/Update your Subscription: >>>>> >>>>> https://lists.apple.com/mailman/options/installer-dev/vikram731%40gmail.com >>>>> >>>>> This email sent to vikram731(a)gmail.com >>>> >>>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Do not post admin requests to the list. They will be ignored. >>> Installer-dev mailing list (Installer-dev(a)lists.apple.com) >>> Help/Unsubscribe/Update your Subscription: >>> https://lists.apple.com/mailman/options/installer-dev/juliand%40sassafras.c… >>> >>> This email sent to juliand(a)sassafras.com >> > _______________________________________________ > Do not post admin requests to the list. They will be ignored. > Installer-dev mailing list (Installer-dev(a)lists.apple.com) > Help/Unsubscribe/Update your Subscription: > https://lists.apple.com/mailman/options/installer-dev/dev.iceberg%40gmail.c… > > This email sent to dev.iceberg(a)gmail.com -- Packaging Resources - http://s.sudre.free.fr/Packaging.html _______________________________________________ Do not post admin requests to the list. They will be ignored. Installer-dev mailing list (Installer-dev(a)lists.apple.com) Help/Unsubscribe/Update your Subscription: https://lists.apple.com/mailman/options/installer-dev/site_archiver%40lists… This email sent to site_archiver(a)lists.apple.com

1 0

Re: uninstalling kext
by Stephane Sudre 14 Nov '12

14 Nov '12

On Wed, Nov 14, 2012 at 4:25 PM, hagen <noise(a)dynax.at> wrote: > Thanks Stuart, > for this really quick response! > > So far I have an Uninstall installer package. Which is also a bit > confusing to the user, as there are a lot of places indicating > "install", "upgrade" (or similar) which I didn't find a way yet (with > packages) to change. > > Anyway in one of those scripts I unloading my kext with kextunload, > but the issue is that usually some components are using it. I.e. if > its an audio device, network etc. So you almost always end up being > told by kextunload that there are still references to it and either > nothing happens or the kext is unusable anymore. Both is nuts, as now > the user will have to reboot. Actually I have only seen kextunload to > work for devices the are attached to a bus the OS thinks its PNP (i.e > firewire or USB). However it works when the kext (test-wise) was > installed to /tmp. The real issue with that is that there is zero > documentation. Nothing. Not even very limited documentation like for > most parts for kernel development. Calling kextunload can indeed fail (and should fail) if some resources are still using the extension (e.g. opened sockets attached to a Network Kernel Extension socket filter). The usual solution is to try again later (in a loop for instance) until the kextunload call succeeds. The issue is that even when it succeeds, you can end up with a kernel panic depending on the type of extension (e.g. NKE with a socket filter). _______________________________________________ Do not post admin requests to the list. They will be ignored. Installer-dev mailing list (Installer-dev(a)lists.apple.com) Help/Unsubscribe/Update your Subscription: https://lists.apple.com/mailman/options/installer-dev/site_archiver%40lists… This email sent to site_archiver(a)lists.apple.com

1 0

Re: programmatically access pkgutil
by hagen 14 Nov '12

14 Nov '12

Thanks Julian, or maybe the question is more if there is an API to access the install receipts? I would like to know which version of my software is/was installed on a certain system. it has changed to /var/db/receipts on 10.6... Cheers, Hagen. On Wed, Nov 14, 2012 at 4:54 PM, Julian Devlin <juliand(a)sassafras.com> wrote: > At a basic level, on newer OS's, the info displayed by pkgutil --pkg-info is just certain data from the plist in /var/db/receipts... > > It's possible I suppose that pkgutil has special cases that may not be obvious though... > > -Julian > > > On Nov 14, 2012, at 10:28 AM, hagen wrote: > >> Thanks Vikram, >> thats what I wanted to avoid though, hence the question here... Seems >> more like a workaround than a solution to me... >> >> But thanks for the suggestion, >> cheers, >> Hagen. >> >> >> On Wed, Nov 14, 2012 at 4:01 PM, Vikram Singh <vikram731(a)gmail.com> wrote: >>> If your program is in Objective-C, use NSTask to execute the command and >>> parse the result which is returned. Otherwise, in C,C++, use popen to >>> execute the command, get the handle to the output and parse it. >>> >>> >>> On Wed, Nov 14, 2012 at 8:27 PM, hagen <noise(a)dynax.at> wrote: >>>> >>>> Hi, >>>> is there an API (or something) to access pkgutil from my Application? >>>> I am especially interested in accessing the info provided by pkgutil: >>>> >>>> pkgutil --pkg-info [pkgid] >>>> >>>> Thanks & cheers, >>>> Hagen. >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> Do not post admin requests to the list. They will be ignored. >>>> Installer-dev mailing list (Installer-dev(a)lists.apple.com) >>>> Help/Unsubscribe/Update your Subscription: >>>> >>>> https://lists.apple.com/mailman/options/installer-dev/vikram731%40gmail.com >>>> >>>> This email sent to vikram731(a)gmail.com >>> >>> >> _______________________________________________ >> Do not post admin requests to the list. They will be ignored. >> Installer-dev mailing list (Installer-dev(a)lists.apple.com) >> Help/Unsubscribe/Update your Subscription: >> https://lists.apple.com/mailman/options/installer-dev/juliand%40sassafras.c… >> >> This email sent to juliand(a)sassafras.com > _______________________________________________ Do not post admin requests to the list. They will be ignored. Installer-dev mailing list (Installer-dev(a)lists.apple.com) Help/Unsubscribe/Update your Subscription: https://lists.apple.com/mailman/options/installer-dev/site_archiver%40lists… This email sent to site_archiver(a)lists.apple.com

1 0

Re: programmatically access pkgutil
by Julian Devlin 14 Nov '12

14 Nov '12

At a basic level, on newer OS's, the info displayed by pkgutil --pkg-info is just certain data from the plist in /var/db/receipts... It's possible I suppose that pkgutil has special cases that may not be obvious though... -Julian On Nov 14, 2012, at 10:28 AM, hagen wrote: > Thanks Vikram, > thats what I wanted to avoid though, hence the question here... Seems > more like a workaround than a solution to me... > > But thanks for the suggestion, > cheers, > Hagen. > > > On Wed, Nov 14, 2012 at 4:01 PM, Vikram Singh <vikram731(a)gmail.com> wrote: >> If your program is in Objective-C, use NSTask to execute the command and >> parse the result which is returned. Otherwise, in C,C++, use popen to >> execute the command, get the handle to the output and parse it. >> >> >> On Wed, Nov 14, 2012 at 8:27 PM, hagen <noise(a)dynax.at> wrote: >>> >>> Hi, >>> is there an API (or something) to access pkgutil from my Application? >>> I am especially interested in accessing the info provided by pkgutil: >>> >>> pkgutil --pkg-info [pkgid] >>> >>> Thanks & cheers, >>> Hagen. >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Do not post admin requests to the list. They will be ignored. >>> Installer-dev mailing list (Installer-dev(a)lists.apple.com) >>> Help/Unsubscribe/Update your Subscription: >>> >>> https://lists.apple.com/mailman/options/installer-dev/vikram731%40gmail.com >>> >>> This email sent to vikram731(a)gmail.com >> >> > _______________________________________________ > Do not post admin requests to the list. They will be ignored. > Installer-dev mailing list (Installer-dev(a)lists.apple.com) > Help/Unsubscribe/Update your Subscription: > https://lists.apple.com/mailman/options/installer-dev/juliand%40sassafras.c… > > This email sent to juliand(a)sassafras.com _______________________________________________ Do not post admin requests to the list. They will be ignored. Installer-dev mailing list (Installer-dev(a)lists.apple.com) Help/Unsubscribe/Update your Subscription: https://lists.apple.com/mailman/options/installer-dev/site_archiver%40lists… This email sent to site_archiver(a)lists.apple.com

1 0

Re: programmatically access pkgutil
by hagen 14 Nov '12

14 Nov '12

Thanks Vikram, thats what I wanted to avoid though, hence the question here... Seems more like a workaround than a solution to me... But thanks for the suggestion, cheers, Hagen. On Wed, Nov 14, 2012 at 4:01 PM, Vikram Singh <vikram731(a)gmail.com> wrote: > If your program is in Objective-C, use NSTask to execute the command and > parse the result which is returned. Otherwise, in C,C++, use popen to > execute the command, get the handle to the output and parse it. > > > On Wed, Nov 14, 2012 at 8:27 PM, hagen <noise(a)dynax.at> wrote: >> >> Hi, >> is there an API (or something) to access pkgutil from my Application? >> I am especially interested in accessing the info provided by pkgutil: >> >> pkgutil --pkg-info [pkgid] >> >> Thanks & cheers, >> Hagen. >> _______________________________________________ >> Do not post admin requests to the list. They will be ignored. >> Installer-dev mailing list (Installer-dev(a)lists.apple.com) >> Help/Unsubscribe/Update your Subscription: >> >> https://lists.apple.com/mailman/options/installer-dev/vikram731%40gmail.com >> >> This email sent to vikram731(a)gmail.com > > _______________________________________________ Do not post admin requests to the list. They will be ignored. Installer-dev mailing list (Installer-dev(a)lists.apple.com) Help/Unsubscribe/Update your Subscription: https://lists.apple.com/mailman/options/installer-dev/site_archiver%40lists… This email sent to site_archiver(a)lists.apple.com

1 0

Re: uninstalling kext
by hagen 14 Nov '12

14 Nov '12

Thanks Stuart, for this really quick response! So far I have an Uninstall installer package. Which is also a bit confusing to the user, as there are a lot of places indicating "install", "upgrade" (or similar) which I didn't find a way yet (with packages) to change. Anyway in one of those scripts I unloading my kext with kextunload, but the issue is that usually some components are using it. I.e. if its an audio device, network etc. So you almost always end up being told by kextunload that there are still references to it and either nothing happens or the kext is unusable anymore. Both is nuts, as now the user will have to reboot. Actually I have only seen kextunload to work for devices the are attached to a bus the OS thinks its PNP (i.e firewire or USB). However it works when the kext (test-wise) was installed to /tmp. The real issue with that is that there is zero documentation. Nothing. Not even very limited documentation like for most parts for kernel development. Cheers, Hagen. On Wed, Nov 14, 2012 at 4:03 PM, Stuart Ramdeen <stuart(a)toucancomputing.co.uk> wrote: > As far as I understand it, yes, you have to create your own uninstall method. The most common practice for installs that install files in locations other than /Applications is to create an uninstaller installer package (not confusing at all) that deletes the necessary files and then removes the package receipt using pkgutil. > > As for unloading your kext, this from the kextunload man page: > >> kextunload is a formal interface for unloading kexts in the Darwin OS and in Mac OS X. Software >> and installers can rely on its presence and invoke it in order to unload kexts. Note that long >> options are present as of Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard). > > That any help? > > Regards > > Stuart > > > On 14 Nov 2012, at 14:49, hagen <noise(a)dynax.at> wrote: > >> Hi, >> (unfortunately since years the search function of apples list archives >> is not working), I hope this hasn't been discussed before: >> >> Am I wrong or is there no real "uninstall" advice? >> Looks like everybody must in one or the other way provide uninstall >> functionality while there is no help from the OS/docu/Apple. >> >> Especially I am concerning uninstalling kext: >> Please point me to the resource where this is documented. (Joke). >> >> But: how can I reliably unload a kext, especially to make sure that >> references from other components are removed. >> >> Thanks and cheers, >> Hagen. > _______________________________________________ Do not post admin requests to the list. They will be ignored. Installer-dev mailing list (Installer-dev(a)lists.apple.com) Help/Unsubscribe/Update your Subscription: https://lists.apple.com/mailman/options/installer-dev/site_archiver%40lists… This email sent to site_archiver(a)lists.apple.com

1 0

Re: uninstalling kext
by Stuart Ramdeen 14 Nov '12

14 Nov '12

As far as I understand it, yes, you have to create your own uninstall method. The most common practice for installs that install files in locations other than /Applications is to create an uninstaller installer package (not confusing at all) that deletes the necessary files and then removes the package receipt using pkgutil. As for unloading your kext, this from the kextunload man page: > kextunload is a formal interface for unloading kexts in the Darwin OS and in Mac OS X. Software > and installers can rely on its presence and invoke it in order to unload kexts. Note that long > options are present as of Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard). That any help? Regards Stuart On 14 Nov 2012, at 14:49, hagen <noise(a)dynax.at> wrote: > Hi, > (unfortunately since years the search function of apples list archives > is not working), I hope this hasn't been discussed before: > > Am I wrong or is there no real "uninstall" advice? > Looks like everybody must in one or the other way provide uninstall > functionality while there is no help from the OS/docu/Apple. > > Especially I am concerning uninstalling kext: > Please point me to the resource where this is documented. (Joke). > > But: how can I reliably unload a kext, especially to make sure that > references from other components are removed. > > Thanks and cheers, > Hagen. _______________________________________________ Do not post admin requests to the list. They will be ignored. Installer-dev mailing list (Installer-dev(a)lists.apple.com) Help/Unsubscribe/Update your Subscription: https://lists.apple.com/mailman/options/installer-dev/site_archiver%40lists… This email sent to site_archiver(a)lists.apple.com

1 0

Re: programmatically access pkgutil
by Vikram Singh 14 Nov '12

14 Nov '12

_______________________________________________ Do not post admin requests to the list. They will be ignored. Installer-dev mailing list (Installer-dev(a)lists.apple.com) Help/Unsubscribe/Update your Subscription: https://lists.apple.com/mailman/options/installer-dev/site_archiver%40lists… This email sent to site_archiver(a)lists.apple.com

1 0

programmatically access pkgutil
by hagen 14 Nov '12

14 Nov '12

Hi, is there an API (or something) to access pkgutil from my Application? I am especially interested in accessing the info provided by pkgutil: pkgutil --pkg-info [pkgid] Thanks & cheers, Hagen. _______________________________________________ Do not post admin requests to the list. They will be ignored. Installer-dev mailing list (Installer-dev(a)lists.apple.com) Help/Unsubscribe/Update your Subscription: https://lists.apple.com/mailman/options/installer-dev/site_archiver%40lists… This email sent to site_archiver(a)lists.apple.com

1 0

uninstalling kext
by hagen 14 Nov '12

14 Nov '12

Hi, (unfortunately since years the search function of apples list archives is not working), I hope this hasn't been discussed before: Am I wrong or is there no real "uninstall" advice? Looks like everybody must in one or the other way provide uninstall functionality while there is no help from the OS/docu/Apple. Especially I am concerning uninstalling kext: Please point me to the resource where this is documented. (Joke). But: how can I reliably unload a kext, especially to make sure that references from other components are removed. Thanks and cheers, Hagen. _______________________________________________ Do not post admin requests to the list. They will be ignored. Installer-dev mailing list (Installer-dev(a)lists.apple.com) Help/Unsubscribe/Update your Subscription: https://lists.apple.com/mailman/options/installer-dev/site_archiver%40lists… This email sent to site_archiver(a)lists.apple.com

1 0