MacAppStore/installer.app overzealous in finding old binaries to update

Originator:rarichter
Number:rdar://10231612 Date Originated:10/4/2011
Status:Closed Resolved:Unresolved
Product:MacAppStore Product Version:10.7/10.8
Classification:Serious Usability Issue Reproducible:YES
 
04-Oct-2011 01:15 PM Rudy Richter:
Summary:
In our specific case we needed to maintain usage of the same bundle identifier for Growl as it had previously used as a Faceless background application inside of a prefPane for 1.2.2 and earlier.  Unfortunately when we transitioned to the MacAppStore for distribution the result was that MAS/Installer proceeded to install the contents of Growl.app from the pkg into the GrowlHelperApp.app binary sitting inside the prefPane.  This obviously is a completely undesirable result as it installs it in a location that the user can't find and is additionally a problem when the user runs the "old growl uninstaller" that we direct them to via our startup sequence.  Since Growl 1.3 is installed inside the prefPane it will then be deleted by our uninstall script. The end result being that they now have to go back to the store to install Growl.

Steps to Reproduce:
Download Growl 1.2.2 from http://growl.info/downloads.php
Install Growl 1.2.2
Go to the MacAppStore and purchase Growl 1.3, allow it to install
Navigate to /Applications and notice that Growl.app isn't there
Navigate to /Library/PreferencePanes/Growl.prefPane/Contents/Resources/GrowlHelperApp.app/ and witness all the data files for Growl 1.3 being inside the bundle.

Expected Results:
It would install Growl.app to /Applications

Actual Results:
it for some reason thinks it should install the files into GrowlHelperApp.app, additionally hiding the binary from the user.

Regression:

Notes:

Comments


Please note: Reports posted here will not necessarily be seen by Apple. All problems should be submitted at bugreport.apple.com before they are posted here. Please only post information for Radars that you have filed yourself, and please do not include Apple confidential information in your posts. Thank you!