Unindexed apps

[antoine2711]

Configuration

mas ▁▁▁▁ 6.0.1
slice ▁▁ x86_64
slices ▁ x86_64
dist ▁▁▁ homebrew/core/mas
origin ▁ https://github.com/mas-cli/mas.git
rev ▁▁▁▁ 535562b304eb110700eb57f289317f7b5c41cb2d
swift ▁▁ 6.2.4 (swift-6.2.4-RELEASE)
driver ▁ unknown
store ▁▁ CA
region ▁ CA
macos ▁▁ 14.7.6 (23H626)
mac ▁▁▁▁ Macmini8,1
cpu ▁▁▁▁ Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-8700B CPU @ 3.20GHz
arch ▁▁▁ x86_64

Bug description

$ mas update
Warning: Found a likely App Store app that is not indexed in Spotlight in /Applications/QR Capture.app
         Indexing now, which will not complete until sometime after mas exits
         Disable auto-indexing via: export MAS_NO_AUTO_INDEX=1
Warning: Found a likely App Store app that is not indexed in Spotlight in /Applications/Windows App.app
         Indexing now, which will not complete until sometime after mas exits
         Disable auto-indexing via: export MAS_NO_AUTO_INDEX=1
Warning: Found a likely App Store app that is not indexed in Spotlight in /Applications/DirEqual.app
         Indexing now, which will not complete until sometime after mas exits
         Disable auto-indexing via: export MAS_NO_AUTO_INDEX=1
Warning: Found a likely App Store app that is not indexed in Spotlight in /Applications/HP.app
         Indexing now, which will not complete until sometime after mas exits
         Disable auto-indexing via: export MAS NO AUTO INDEX=1

Steps to reproduce

mas upgrade

[rgoldberg]

Thanks for reporting this.

These warnings are output for each *.app folder underneath either of your Applications folders that isn't indexed in Spotlight as an App Store app, yet contains a file named Contents/_MASReceipt/receipt.

Can you tell me the file size for each Contents/_MASReceipt/receipt for each of the listed apps?

Do you know if these apps were indeed installed from the App Store? If so, did you use mas, the App Store, or something else to update and/or install them?

Can you open the page for each in the App Store, and let me know the state of the Get / Purchase (indicated by price) / Download (indicated by a cloud & down arrow icon) / Update / Open button?

I assume that the URLs to the apps' App Store pages are the following, but please let me know whether they're correct (you can get the URL for each app page from Copy in its Share Sheet, in the top right corner):

• DirEqual: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/direqual/id1435575700?mt=12
• HP: Print and Support: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/hp-print-and-support/id1474276998?mt=12
• QR Capture: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/qr-capture/id1369524274?mt=12
• Windows App: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/windows-app/id1295203466?mt=12

Approximately when was the last time / what was the last mas version that update (aka upgrade) worked without outputting these warnings?

PS: Do you mind if I copy the text from your screenshot, paste it into a console block in your comment, and delete the screenshot?

I use dark mode, and your screenshot is blinding me. Also, text is more easily searchable by GitHub search & web crawlers.

[antoine2711]

Thanks for reporting this.

You’re welcome. Keeping you informed is my (little) way to contribute.

These warnings are output for each *.app folder underneath either of your Applications folders that isn't indexed in Spotlight as an App Store app, yet contains a file named Contents/_MASReceipt/receipt.

I don’t know why they wouldn’t be indexed. I have those apps on my Mac since more than a year, and made a few upgrade thru mas.

Can you tell me the file size for each Contents/_MASReceipt/receipt for each of the listed apps?

Is this what you want?

ls -la {DirEqual.app,QR\ Capture.app,Windows\ App.app,HP.app}/Contents/_MASReceipt/receipt
-rw-r--r--  1 root  wheel  4873 26 avr 20:16 DirEqual.app/Contents/_MASReceipt/receipt
-rw-r--r--  1 root  wheel  4875 26 avr 20:14 HP.app/Contents/_MASReceipt/receipt
-rw-r--r--  1 root  wheel  4854 26 avr 20:17 QR Capture.app/Contents/_MASReceipt/receipt
-rw-r--r--  1 root  wheel  4881 26 avr 20:14 Windows App.app/Contents/_MASReceipt/receipt

Do you know if these apps were indeed installed from the App Store? If so, did you use mas, the App Store, or something else to update and/or install them?

Can’t remember, it’s been too long.

Can you open the page for each in the App Store, and let me know the state of the Get / Purchase (indicated by price) / Download (indicated by a cloud & down arrow icon) / Update / Open button?

I’ve updated 2 of them manually in the App Store, (DirEqual & HP I think), as for the rest, they all seam up to date now.

I don’t undestand precisely what you mean, but I can open all of them from the App Store.

I assume that the URLs to the apps' App Store pages are the following, but please let me know whether they're correct (you can get the URL for each app page from Copy in its Share Sheet, in the top right corner):

• DirEqual: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/direqual/id1435575700?mt=12
• HP: Print and Support: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/hp-print-and-support/id1474276998?mt=12
• QR Capture: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/qr-capture/id1369524274?mt=12
• Windows App: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/windows-app/id1295203466?mt=12

Correct. Thoses are all my problematic apps.

Approximately when was the last time / what was the last mas version that update (aka upgrade) worked without outputting these warnings?

Probably 2 months ago, give or take 1 month.

PS: Do you mind if I copy the text from your screenshot, paste it into a console block in your comment, and delete the screenshot?

I use dark mode, and your screenshot is blinding me. Also, text is more easily searchable by GitHub search & web crawlers.

I don’t mind at all. Do what you want. The ball is in your camp. In the future, @rgoldberg, I will do text copies.

Thanks for providing mas to the community. If I can help, tell me what to do.

Regards, Antoine

[rgoldberg]

Thanks for all the info.

The button I was asking about is blue & in the Open (Ouvrir) state in your screenshot.

Given that you said that you can open each app from the App Store, I assume that the button state is Open (Ouvrir) for each of the 4 apps in question.

$ ls -la {DirEqual.app,QR\ Capture.app,Windows\ App.app,HP.app}/Contents/_MASReceipt/receipt
-rw-r--r--  1 root  wheel  4873 26 avr 20:16 DirEqual.app/Contents/_MASReceipt/receipt
-rw-r--r--  1 root  wheel  4875 26 avr 20:14 HP.app/Contents/_MASReceipt/receipt
-rw-r--r--  1 root  wheel  4854 26 avr 20:17 QR Capture.app/Contents/_MASReceipt/receipt
-rw-r--r--  1 root  wheel  4881 26 avr 20:14 Windows App.app/Contents/_MASReceipt/receipt

That is useful, because the receipts are not empty, and they were all modified around the same time on the 26th.

I’ve updated 2 of them manually in the App Store, (DirEqual & HP I think), as for the rest, they all seam up to date now.

Does mas update still output the original warnings? Some of them? None of them?

If warnings are still output, can you reply with the output to the following command for each app folder path that has a warning?

e.g., if you get a warning for /Applications/QR Capture.app, run:

mdls '/Applications/QR Capture.app'

[antoine2711]

Thanks for all the info.

You’re welcome, @rgoldberg.

The button I was asking about is blue & in the Open (Ouvrir) state in your screenshot.

Given that you said that you can open each app from the App Store, I assume that the button state is Open (Ouvrir) for each of the 4 apps in question.

Yes, this is what I meant.

Does mas update still output the original warnings? Some of them? None of them?

If warnings are still output, can you reply with the output to the following command for each app folder path that has a warning?

Nope. Neither mas update nor mas outdated return any value.
From what I see, the problem is fixed or bypassed.

Regards, Antoine

[rgoldberg]

Did those warnings appear only once, or multiple times? If only once, that's expected.

I thought when you said that update didn't work that it meant that it continually output those warnings.

[antoine2711]

Did those warnings appear only once, or multiple times? If only once, that's expected.

I can’t say @rgoldberg. I kind of only tried once.

I thought when you said that update didn't work that it meant that it continually output those warnings.

No, it meant that I went to the App Store.
Here’s the complete step in the order that it happend:

1. I did mas outdate to see if there was apps to upgrade:

12:26:36 antoine@Mac.local:/
mas outdated
1435575700  DirEqual     (7.4.2  -> 7.6)
1474276998  HP           (26.0   -> 26.1.0)
1369524274  QR Capture   (2.6.10 -> 2.7)
1295203466  Windows App  (11.3.3 -> 11.3.5)

2. Then I did mas upgrade:

20:13:15 antoine@Mac.local:/
mas upgrade
Password:
==> Downloading DirEqual (7.6)
==> Downloaded DirEqual (7.6)
==> updating DirEqual (7.6)
==> Updated DirEqual (7.6)
==> Downloading HP : impression et support (26.1.2)
==> Downloaded HP : impression et support (26.1.2)
==> updating HP : impression et support (26.1.2)
==> Updated HP : impression et support (26.1.2)
==> Downloading QR Capture (2.7)
==> Downloaded QR Capture (2.7)
==> updating QR Capture (2.7)
==> Updated QR Capture (2.7)
==> Downloading Windows App (11.3.5)
==> Downloaded Windows App (11.3.5)
==> updating Windows App (11.3.5)
############################################################ 100% updatedWarning: Failed to read contents of download folder '/var/folders/y4/bm172kx52jx728kq7p0xpdn00000gn/C/com.apple.appstore/1295203466' for Windows App (11.3.5)
Error Domain=NSCocoaErrorDomain Code=260 "The file “1295203466” couldn’t be opened because there is no such file." UserInfo={NSURL=file:///private/var/folders/y4/bm172kx52jx728kq7p0xpdn00000gn/C/com.apple.AppStore/1295203466, NSFilePath=/private/var/folders/y4/bm172kx52jx728kq7p0xpdn00000gn/C/com.apple.AppStore/1295203466, NSUnderlyingError=0x600002a240c0 {Error Domain=NSPOSIXErrorDomain Code=2 "No such file or directory"}}
==> Updated Windows App (11.3.5)

3. Then I did mas upgrade again:

20:14:17 antoine@Mac.local:/ 
mas upgrade
Warning: Found a likely App Store app that is not indexed in Spotlight in /Applications/QR Capture.app

         Indexing now, which will not complete until sometime after mas exits

         Disable auto-indexing via: export MAS_NO_AUTO_INDEX=1
Warning: Found a likely App Store app that is not indexed in Spotlight in /Applications/Windows App.app

         Indexing now, which will not complete until sometime after mas exits

         Disable auto-indexing via: export MAS_NO_AUTO_INDEX=1
Warning: Found a likely App Store app that is not indexed in Spotlight in /Applications/DirEqual.app

         Indexing now, which will not complete until sometime after mas exits

         Disable auto-indexing via: export MAS_NO_AUTO_INDEX=1
Warning: Found a likely App Store app that is not indexed in Spotlight in /Applications/HP.app

         Indexing now, which will not complete until sometime after mas exits

         Disable auto-indexing via: export MAS_NO_AUTO_INDEX=1

4. Then I tried mas update (silly, since it’s the same command…):

20:16:23 antoine@Mac.local:/
mas update
Warning: Found a likely App Store app that is not indexed in Spotlight in /Applications/QR Capture.app

         Indexing now, which will not complete until sometime after mas exits

         Disable auto-indexing via: export MAS_NO_AUTO_INDEX=1
Warning: Found a likely App Store app that is not indexed in Spotlight in /Applications/Windows App.app

         Indexing now, which will not complete until sometime after mas exits

         Disable auto-indexing via: export MAS_NO_AUTO_INDEX=1
Warning: Found a likely App Store app that is not indexed in Spotlight in /Applications/DirEqual.app

         Indexing now, which will not complete until sometime after mas exits

         Disable auto-indexing via: export MAS_NO_AUTO_INDEX=1
Warning: Found a likely App Store app that is not indexed in Spotlight in /Applications/HP.app

         Indexing now, which will not complete until sometime after mas exits

         Disable auto-indexing via: export MAS_NO_AUTO_INDEX=1

5. Then I went to the App Store, and upgrade 2 apps (I only saw thoses 2).

After that, both mas outdated and mas upgrade returned nothing. Like if everything was up to date.

Regards, Antoine

[rgoldberg]

Thanks again for the info.

The warning from the first command is important.

If/when you report issues in the future, if you don't need to update your apps immediately, if you could send the first problem you see without using mas again & without doing anything with the relevant apps in the App Store, it would be helpful for diagnosing things. If you miss an earlier problem, or need to update your apps right away, no problem, but, if possible, stopping using mas & the App Store immediately after any apparent problem is the easiest way to understand what's happening.

I see 2 issues from the first running of mas upgrade from your extended logs, both visible in the end of the log:

==> updating Windows App (11.3.5)
############################################################ 100% updatedWarning: Failed to read contents of download folder '/var/folders/y4/bm172kx52jx728kq7p0xpdn00000gn/C/com.apple.appstore/1295203466' for Windows App (11.3.5)
Error Domain=NSCocoaErrorDomain Code=260 "The file “1295203466” couldn’t be opened because there is no such file." UserInfo={NSURL=file:///private/var/folders/y4/bm172kx52jx728kq7p0xpdn00000gn/C/com.apple.AppStore/1295203466, NSFilePath=/private/var/folders/y4/bm172kx52jx728kq7p0xpdn00000gn/C/com.apple.AppStore/1295203466, NSUnderlyingError=0x600002a240c0 {Error Domain=NSPOSIXErrorDomain Code=2 "No such file or directory"}}
==> Updated Windows App (11.3.5)

1. updating should be capitalized as Updating. It does that only for macOS versions 26.0.x, 15–15.7.1 & 14–14.8.1, & for all versions of 13, none of which I have available for testing. I already fixed that in main before you sent your log (I noticed it last week), so that won't be a problem in mas 7+.
2. Warning: Failed to read contents…: I think I might have already fixed this in main (merged around 2 weeks ago), too, by using a queue to process get/install/update events in exact order. I don't know for sure that the error was caused by 6.0.1 not using an event queue, but it's extremely likely.

I'm not 100% certain what caused the 4 apps to not be properly registered with Spotlight (which caused the Warning: Found a likely App Store app that is not indexed in Spotlight in … output).

I also don't know why the apps weren't properly indexed after the first round of those warnings; instead, the subsequent run of mas update repeated the warnings instead of updating your apps. It's possible that your system had a long Spotlight indexing queue, so the new indexing hadn't finished (or maybe even started) by the time you ran the subsequent mas update.

I can try to investigate, but the relevant code has been updated in main since 6.0.1, so it might be a lot of investigation for a problem that won't exist in the upcoming mas 7.0.0 (which I hope to release sometime in the next few weeks).

Given upcoming mas 7.0.0, do you mind if we close this issue, reopening it if & when you or anyone else experiences the same problem again?

If that's OK, I'll mark this as resolved by #1223, which introduced the get/install/update event queue (note that 6.0.2 wasn't released because I subsequently decided to merge changes that warrant a new major version bump).

[antoine2711]

if you could send the first problem you see without using mas again & without doing anything with the relevant apps in the App Store, it would be helpful for diagnosing things.

I will do that, @rgoldberg.

It's possible that your system had a long Spotlight indexing queue, so the new indexing hadn't finished (or maybe even started) by the time you ran the subsequent mas update.

Probably, I have a 2019 MacMini. The only thing that saves me is that I have 64 Gb of RAM…

Given upcoming mas 7.0.0, do you mind if we close this issue, reopening it if & when you or anyone else experiences the same problem again?

If that's OK, I'll mark this as resolved by #1223, which introduced the get/install/update event queue (note that 6.0.2 wasn't released because I subsequently decided to merge changes that warrant a new major version bump).

Let's do that.

Thanks and Best Regards to you, Antoine