Package installs successfully, but no application appears - macOS Monterey 12.0.1

[skythrock]

I'm running into an issue where an application is nowhere to be found on my machine (running 12.0.1) after installing a package that I uploaded into self service. The log from the policy shows no errors (i.e. the line says the package successfully installed), but the application is nowhere to be found. I ran the same policy on a machine running 11.6 and it worked as expected. Anyone else experiencing this? (Screenshot of log details below, exact same log for both attempts)

[tomt]

Does the machine's inventory show that the application exists where it is supposed to?

[skythrock]

No 🙁 unless you're referring to something other than the inventory that the machine reports to Jamf?

[mainelysteve]

I'm assuming when the package is run locally on a Monterery machine it installs successfully?

[skythrock]

Unfortunately, I can't verify this one way or the other. I wasn't the person who uploaded this package to Jamf, so it isn't stored locally on my machine, and there doesn't seem to be a way to redownload a package from Jamf once it's uploaded (which is odd).

[mainelysteve]

If you're working from an enrolled machine you can always create a policy scoped to your machine that caches the package. You'll have to use some terminal fu to get the package out of the Downloads directory, but that's not too difficult.

[skythrock]

Can you elaborate on what that terminal fu would be, or shoot me a link to where I can learn more? Thanks in advance!

[mainelysteve]

Before going further another easier method is to look at the policy log for a machine that recently ran it and find the download url. Copy and paste into your address bar and download away.

[skythrock]

Okay that worked! I was able to download the package that way. I had to approve it in SysPref -> Security & Privacy, but the Installer seemed to work just fine. However, the application still does not appear in the Applications directory.

So to answer your initial question, no, the package does not install successfully. It appears to (like it does when installed from the Self Service app), but the application does not appear in the Applications folder.

[tomt]

Use something like Suspicious Package to see exactly where things are being installed.

[skythrock]

Downoaded Suspicious Package at your suggestion. Unless I'm missing something, it's showing that the application was installed (using /usr/sbin/installer) into the Applications folder. There is a warning on the package that it isn't signed, but that shouldn't have any bearing on this issue, should it?

[mainelysteve]

What is your Gatekeeper setting set at? App Store, App Store and identified developers or Anywhere? If it's not signed and you stated earlier you had to approve it in one instance then there is your issue. 

Located in System Preferences > Security & Privacy

[skythrock]

Gatekeeper is set to "App Store and identified developers". However, it's also set to that on a machine running 11.6, and the app installs as expected on that machine.

[jonguy1000]

Do you have a copy of the app stored somewhere other than the apps folder?  If the package is relocatable and you already have a copy of the app say in your downloads folder then it will overwrite that app rather than install it in the apps folder. If not then I would suggest looking in the install.log file to see what’s going on. 

[skythrock]

As best as I can tell, the application is not installed anywhere else on this machine. I tried reading the install.log file, but the only obvious error/warning I see is that the package isn't signed. (It's very possible I don't know what I'm looking at/for.)

[tomt]

Just a shot in the dark here, is there any chance it is being installed as a hidden file? COMMAND-SHIFT-PERIOD will quickly toggle file visibility to check. You could also look at the folder contents via Terminal.

[skythrock]

If it is being hidden, it's not in the Applications directory 😕

[perryd84]

Hi @skythrock 

I'm seeing the same issues on Monterrey devices did you ever find a fix for this?

[skythrock]

Yes I was able to get this figured out eventually, but I am having trouble recalling the precise solution. I'm sorry, I should have notified this board when I solved it!

IIRC, the app was successfully installing, but it was landing somewhere other than the Applications folder. I seem to recall that reading the install log file (at /var/log/install.log) was useful in the process. I'm sorry I can't be more helpful than this!

[perryd84]

@skythrock I managed to get it working by pushing a config profile out which told gatekeeper to allow all downloaded packages. Seems to have fixed it for now.

I'll check out the install log as well see if theres anything of note in there. Thanks.