No more Mac App Store Update History?

Since the last upgrades following macOS 10.12.1, the Mac App Store does not list the updates any more that were installed in the last (30?) days. Is it a temporary glitch? Is it on my Macs only, or is it happening everywhere?

I found the Mac App Store settings in the system preferences, and the settings are (automatically?) set to automatically download and install applications. In this case I am very interested to see which apps were updated recently (and with which intended improvements) – just as I can do in the iOS App Store.

Any way to get the update history list back?

MacBook Pro (13-inch Mid 2012), macOS Sierra (10.12.1)

Posted on Oct 28, 2016 2:54 PM

38 replies

Nov 11, 2016 10:14 AM in response to Kurt J. Meyer

Problem appears to be unexpected data in the ~/Library/Application Support/App Store/updatejournal.plist item for Numbers version 4.5 artwork-urls. Quick workaround is to remove the entry for Numbers or fix the artwork-urls item them refresh AppStore->Updates and 30 day history magically reappears.

Nov 11, 2016 9:52 AM in response to davidc98012

I can confirm that deleting the entry for Numbers worked for me also. Thank you.

Nov 11, 2016 10:34 AM in response to davidc98012

Wow! I don't know how you discovered this fix, but it does work. Thanks!

Nov 11, 2016 12:00 PM in response to davidc98012

Can you tell me the exact steps to fix this please. Thanks.

Nov 11, 2016 7:19 PM in response to ricmsmith

How did you delete the entry for numbers?

Nov 11, 2016 7:34 PM in response to Mitchell Rothenberg

If you have Xcode installed on your Mac, it is quite simple. You open the file ~/Library/Application Support/App Store/updatejournal.plist in Xcode. The updated apps appear there as root > auto installedUpdates > item# . Locate the item# of Numbers and delete this item#. Save. Done.

Nov 11, 2016 7:57 PM in response to Mitchell Rothenberg

Yes, Xcode will work as the other poster suggested. PlistPro is another app that can edit .plist files and this is also a good choice. You open the subject .plist file with it, find the iWork Numbers entry and delete it.

You can open and edit .plist files with the native macOS app Text Edit, but the editing a little more difficult as the entries display in a less well formatted way. Like PlistPro, you have to find the Numbers entry and delete it. I'm traveling right now and don't have my laptop handy. Perhaps another poster can post a few screenshots to illustrate the file contents.

Dah•veed

Level 9

66,505 points

Nov 11, 2016 8:19 PM in response to Kurt J. Meyer

Here's a screenshot from the plist in TextWrangler. It goes beyond the bottom of the page.

Late 2012 Mac mini, macOS 10.12.1;  Watch, 38 mm silver AL, Watch OS 3.1; iPad Air 2 & iPhone 6+, iOS 10.1;  Airport Express

Nov 12, 2016 5:08 AM in response to Kurt J. Meyer

If you are not fussy, and can live with the list rebuilding over the next 30 days, just delete the updatejournal.plist file.

Make sure the App Store app is not running.

My recent update list now shows 2 updates completed yesterday, finally..yay

Davidc98012...thanks for the tip to get this glitch cured!!

Nov 12, 2016 8:48 AM in response to Kurt J. Meyer

It worked!

Nov 12, 2016 10:27 AM in response to Kurt J. Meyer

I worked perfectly. It's like magic. Compliments. I have no idea how did you figure this out.

anc77

Level 1

57 points

Nov 15, 2016 5:31 PM in response to ricmsmith

I found the item in the plist but not sure what to delete. Thanks.

Nov 16, 2016 12:11 AM in response to anc77

It is much easier to use PrefSetter, PlistEdit Pro, Xcode or some other property list editor to locate and remove one numbered item from the list; it is very unclear in the text editor and possibly more messy.

But as someone else said before, you can simply delete the complete .plist file and see how it is recreated and filled in the next 30 days.

ramjet73

Level 1

4 points

Nov 16, 2016 8:58 AM in response to Kurt J. Meyer

As someone else pointed out, deleting the .plist file does not delete the main software update history, which is available in the System Information app using the following procedure:

"To find your app installation history in OS X, head to the System Information window (f.k.a. System Profiler). You can get there by clicking on the Apple icon in the Menu Bar, holding the Option key, and selecting System Information, or you can launch the System Information app located in Macintosh HD/Applications/Utilities/.

In the list of categories on the left of the System Information window, find Installations under the Software section. This window displays a complete list of all software currently installed on your Mac, including any updates."

This procedure was extracted from here.

Once in the Installations section of Software they can be sorted in date order by click the column heading.

pja2536

Level 1

29 points

Nov 17, 2016 6:30 PM in response to Kurt J. Meyer

Hi! And thanks for all the help by those above.

Based on the recommendation to remove the "Numbers" entry from the "updatejournal.plist" file I downloaded Plist Editor from the App Store AUD4.95 or there about.

I deleted the "Numbers" entry and all is good again.

Regards,

Peter

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No more Mac App Store Update History?