What's a receipts folder???

Quoting Apple:

"Many things you install in Mac OS X are installed from package files (whose filename extension is ".pkg"). Each time something is installed from a package file, a "Bill of Materials" file (whose filename extension is ".bom") is stored in the package's receipt file, which is kept in /Library/Receipts/ . If you look in the Receipts folder, for example, you should see all kinds of files that end with .pkg, including some that were created when Mac OS X was installed (for example, BaseSystem.pkg). Don't worry, these files don't take up much disk space and you shouldn't put them in the Trash."

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=25751

Victor,

Those receipts, and someone correct me if I'm wrong, are used by Software Update and other apps to keep track of which versions of which software you have on your computer.

Lets say that you delete iPhoto and want to reinstall. If you don't delete the iPhoto 5.0.4 receipt, it won't let you update to 5.0.4 because it thinks you already have it.

I don't know what will happen if you delete the older pkg's of the DVDplayer or whatever... but I would be hesitant to delete the most current one.

Hopefully someone who knows more will post.

bd

I'm pretty sure that deleting those files would be a bad idea... Your computer uses them both to keep track of what software you have installed (for the purposes of updating) as well as to keep track of where all the files installed by a set package are. In addition to whatever purposes they serve for the OS, you can also use DesInstaller to completely uninstall any packages based on the receipts. I wouldn't delete those files - if you're really starved for disk space, I'd recommend an external HD or something. Hth

- O

Well, I accidently (or should I say stupidly) deleted those receipts. I have an iMac so the essential ones (like BaseSystem.pkg) I was able to copy over but some applications were only installed on the PB. Should I reinstall everything?

Yeah, I'd recommend going through and at least reinstalling important things. (ie - Photoshop, iLife things, etc)

To be honest, you (probably) aren't going to have issues until it's time to update. Then it's going to start acting really weird and not letting you install things you should.

One more fact - some of the files in the Receipts folder are used by Disk Utility to keep track of "permissions". If you delete those particular files you can't repair permissions, which is sometimes necessary.

charlie

I've noticed that the ".pkg" files in the receipts folder act like regular installer packages to the extent they open with the Installer app if you double-click them. I assume they are not really the full installer packages (because they are so small) so I have not actually tried to install anything from them, & I am not suggesting anyone else should either.

However, if you just want to see what files each package contains, you can open them with Installer & use "Show Files" in its file menu to list the files without having to disturb the ".bom" file or ".pkg" directly. If you don't continue the installation past the welcome message, it seems like a safe, simple way to view the file names & where they are installed.

Excellent info! + to everyone.