Where is "Show Package Contents"

I downloaded an installer package (.pkg) that was not showing a right click package contents option. It turns out the contents were compressed. I didn't know about TextWrangler's Disk Browser utility but it didn't work in this case (the file didn't show up in the listing). Pacifist was able to revel the contents.

There's was a clue it was a compressed package. One of the right click > Open With options was for a file decompression utility I have installed (The Unarchiver).

If you double click the package to open it, it will open with the installer. Then go to the installer's menu bar, File -> Show Files.

I had the same issue when I just right-clicked on the app right in "applications".

You need to right click on the app and click "open in new tab" then right click on the app and you will get show contents.

I'm having the same issue. I right click on a .pkg installer, and there is no "Show Package Contents" in the contextual menu. The package installs just fine, so it's a proper Installer package.

My result is exactly the same as Dean Ahern's below except I'm looking at Soundflower.pkg. It's definitely an install package but there is no "Show Package Contents" option.

You need to select the installer app, not something else.

Applications (.app) have Package Contents. Package Archives (.pkg) do not. To get inside the latter and see what they contain, use Pacifist or TextWrangler's handy disk browser.

That's not an application, it's a folder. Just double-click it to open it and see its contents.

You should get the "Show Package Contents" for other items in your screen shot, such as "App Store" or "Chromium".

Hi Mr.BillP

I have the same problem of what you had, Couldn't find Show Package contents, and after I read this tread I have also tried using Pacific but wasn't able to find Contents, Can you please help me ow you did it with DW. I am not expert on mac have always used windows was much easier for me and now am in the middle of no where. Please Please please HELPPPP.

Thank you for your time.

Double click the icon since it is a folder. When you double click it will open the folder contents. Inside there's an app icon. Right click on that and you will find 'show packages' option. Hope this helps.

You can solve this problem without installing any additional software. Here's how...

I wasn't sure at first if my problem with .pkg files the ones described in this thread, but then after reading the whole thread I realized supto_o has exactly the same problem I have.

To clarify:

I have a .pkg file. When I right click there's no "Show Package Contents" in the pop-up menu.

Yet I can run and install the .pkg. I have no idea what files were installed or where they were installed. I need to see the contents of the .pkg file. My blood boils because it's incomprehensible to me why Apple would keep contents of a .pkg file from being inspected.

My solution:

On a lark I tested the file to see if it was just a tar file, and sure enough it is! So try this:

$ tar tzvf yourfile.pkg

If you do you'll see someoutput like:

$ tar tzvf base-crypto-1.10.0-x86_64.pkg

-rw-r--r-- 1 jan staff 44679 Nov 1 19:06 Bom

-rw-r--r-- 1 jan staff 2505614 Nov 1 19:06 Payload

-rw-r--r-- 1 jan staff 87 Nov 1 19:06 Scripts

-rwxrwxrwx 1 0 0 565 Nov 16 16:24 PackageInfo

great! So then extract that, because what you just was was a listing. So run the same command, replacing the "t" with an "x":

$ tar xzvf ../base-crypto-1.10.0-x86_64.pkg

x Bom

x Payload

x Scripts

x PackageInfo

Now you can peek at the file PackageInfo to see where the files are installed:

$ cat PackageInfo

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" standalone="no"?>

<pkg-info overwrite-permissions="true" relocatable="false" identifier="org.freedesktop.gstreamer.x86_64.base-crypto" postinstall-action="none" version="1.10.0" format-version="2" generator-version="InstallCmds-554 (15G1108)" install-location="/Library/Frameworks/GStreamer.framework/Versions/1.0" auth="root">

<payload numberOfFiles="63" installKBytes="5953"/>

<bundle-version/>

<upgrade-bundle/>

<update-bundle/>

<atomic-update-bundle/>

<strict-identifier/>

<relocate/>

Hope that helps.

Be sure you're right-clicking on a package

Not all installer packages can be opened with the Finder. Download and use the demo version of Pacifist to see inside those packages.

it's exactly in the same place it ever was. Be sure you're right-clicking on a package.