Mac HD Receipts Folder?

Hi Folks,
I'd like to know if I can delete all of the 500 some megabytes of receipt packages in my Mac HD Library/Receipts folder from application installs, etc., without causing any harm to my system. I run Time Machine, so they are all backed up on it since last June.
Thanks for any suggestions.

I'd like to know if I can delete all of the 500 some megabytes of receipt packages in my Mac HD Library/Receipts folder from application installs, etc., without causing any harm to my system. I run Time Machine, so they are all backed up on it since last June.
Time Machine is not an archival backup solution. What that means is that when you delete something from your hard drive, Time Machine will eventually delete those items from the backup when it needs space. If you are doing this with important files, you should stop and recover what you can.
If you want to archive those files, then burn them to a CD or DVD or use some other backup solution.

Similar Messages

Overwrite files BUG! Save PDF to Web Receipts Folder

In Safari, I will often want to save receipts of bank transactions. So I hit Command-P to print, then in the PDF menu button, I'll choose "Save PDF to Web Receipts Folder."
When I look in my Web Receipts folder, it has saved the file, but if there was already a file there with that file's name, the old one is replaced by the new one. I found this out the hard way, as my bank's page title is always "National Bank," and Safari uses the page title as the file name. So instead of accumulating receipt PDFs there, I merely had the most recent one.
This is certainly a bug: the Mac shouldn't be overwriting files without telling me. If it's going to save PDFs in the Web Receipts folder, then I should have the option to choose a name or approve the name that it generates from the HTML title.

Yes I agree this is an intentional bug.
Other things you can do to get around this issue:
1) Disable the "Save PDF to Web Receipts.workflow" located at /Library/PDF Services. This is at the root level of your disk and you will need Admistrator level authority to accomplish this task.
2) After you disable the workflow you could build your own without the: "with replacing" (save file) option enabled in the script. However, I believe this will not work, as you are already in a dialog box (printer), and the script will generate an error, and prompt a dialog box for you to enter a new name. I am not sure if this is the conduct, as I do not use this workflow or "feature."
3) After you disable (or just plain not use) the above workflow: Instead create a folder in your Home Directory called "Online Receipts" or whatever memorable name you like. You can place this folder anywhere.
Next, navigate to ~/Library/PDF Services (that is the folder in your Home folder, not at the root level as in (1) above. If this folder is not there, create it.
Next create and drag an alias of your "Online Receipts" folder into this PDF Services folder.
The next time you pull up a print dialog, and hit the PDF button, you will see this newly created folder in the menu. Just select it to save a PDF of your document to it. Files with identical names will be handled by the Finder's naming convention: (eg. file.pdf, file 2.pdf, file 3.pdf, etc.) and no files will be overwritten.
I hope this helps,
Zac
PBG4, iMacs & 99-44/100 wireless Mac OS X (10.4.3)

Save PDF to Web Receipts Folder

I have performed an archive and install of Mac OS X Leopard and have upgraded to v. 10.5.1. The PDF drop-down menu appears in the Print Dialog. When I click on Save PDF to Web Receipts Folder, the command executes, but no PDF appears in my Web Receipts Folder. This function worked in Tiger v. 10.4.11. Any solutions?

Well, I think I figured out my issue for now.
The page I was trying to print had a ridiculously long title. Including spaces a total of 528 characters.
It seems that HFS+ (Which is what OS X Extended is) has a limit of 255 characters. I was not aware of this limitation, but it seems that this is common to Unix systems.
I'm not quite sure why the website I wanted to print a receipt from had such a long title, but it did.
It would be nice of there was a way to rename the file when you do a "Save As PDF" or "Mail as PDF". You can do this when Saving as a PDF from the Print Menu. If I knew more, there is probably a way to modify the workflow process that is happening to include that option.
For me, problem solved - hope this helps someone else out!

About /Library/Receipts folder

I noticed that for every updates that I downloaded and installed, Mac keeps a copy of the package file in /Library/Receipts folder. Just wondering if it's safe to delete the files in this folder, as I believe over a period of time the older installer packages might not be needed any longer?

You definitely do NOT want to delete anything in that folder. They're not the full package, so they don't take up nearly as much space as you'd think. And Disk Utility usess them to repair your permissions. Software Update also uses them as part of the process of figuring out what to download and install. The only time you'd ever want to delete one is for a specific reason, like you need to re-apply an update and the presences of its receipt is blocking you from doing that.
charlie

What is "InputManager" and why has"Receipts" folder changed?

1st Topic: Current MacWorld article (May , pg 16-17) tells about the Leap-A trojan horse. However, it refers to a user Library folder named "InputManager" ... no such on my system...I wonder why not? I never use iChat.
Is the Virus connected only to the 'Buddy List' ?
2nd Topic: I seem to remember a rule to never delete the "Receipts" folder in System/Library/... /Receipts/... All 'Install' Icons were there to aid Update and other S/W. My Tiger (10.4.4) has no such folder.. I wonder what happened to it?
Was it renamed?
Everything works fine... updates, installs, etc etc... Just wondering...
Cheers, Jim B
G4 Graphite Mac OS X (10.4.4) 704 MB VPC 6.1.1-w/ Windows2000 DSL

#2: Receipts are kept in /Library/Receipts, not
/System/Library/
HTH
Thanx to Francine & baltwo for their reply.
I understand the InputManager answer.
baltwo: I remember now that indeed Receipts are in
~/Library/Receipts.
BUT, I have none in my Tiger Production Volume....
All that is in that folder are 3 folders from
previous Adobe installs... the install.log for
Acrobat Pro, Distiller & Reader...
Did Adobe do that to my Library/Receipts? It could
happen I guess however a FIND in each of the logs did
not have any reference,
I backup via SuperDuper! ... and I use the SANDBOX
feature.
GUESS WHAT?
I FOUND a SANDBOX Volume that has the correct
Receipts FOLDER! I have prepared the Production
Tiger Volume and will copy the Receipts to it. I
will
then backup the Prod Vol...
Then I am doing a backup of the User/HOME directory
out to CD.
Better to do that on a regular basis Huh? Cloning is
NOT always enough!
I updated to 10.4.4 with Achive and Restore but
somehow during the Safety Cloning the Receipts got
clobbered.... It's probably my fault...
Thanx again... Jim B
============================================
Fugitaboudit.... The above is an error on my part....
Receipts Folder: IT IS on all my Tiger Volumes: Production, Sandbox, Backup...
I was confused with the fact that <Users/jbabcock/Library /...> is NOT the same as <Root/Library/Receipts/....> where Root is my Computer's name: followed by its /Library/... etc.
So ALL my Volumes of Tiger DO have the Receipts folder... but NOT /Home/Library /.... Etc...
I have only myself as the user.
Sorry for all the mis-information...
Jim B
G4 Graphite Mac OS X (10.4.4) 704 MB, VPC 6.1.1w/Windows2000, DSL

Size and purpose of receipts folder

I have recently noticed that my /Library/Receipts/ folder is over a gigabyte in size, and cannot figure out the real value of having all that. What would I lose by excluding it from TM backups?
It seems to be holding on to every update I download and apply to my install. I understand (I think) that it uses this db to know what has been installed, and what not. but that seems an awful lot to keep to that end.
suggestions appreciated.

My folder contains 600MB, on a Mac that is four years old. 1GB is not unreasonable if one has a lot of software installed.
My advice is to leave that folder alone. With the size of today's hard drives, a single GB is not a significant difference. And if your free space is so low that 1GB is a significant difference, then it's time to get a bigger hard drive.

Erasing the receipts folder

This is a simple question, am i able to delete the receipts folder in the library without messing things up? The thing is that it is using a considerable amount of space in my mac and i want that space free.
Thanks in advance, Paco

You can if you wish but it will definitely mess things up quite a bit. You will no longer be able to repair permissions, Disk Utility may fail to repair drives, and Software Update will no longer work.
If you need disk space the better solution is to buy a bigger hard drive, not to start deleting files and folders not located in your Home folder.
Here's the simple rule of thumb: If you don't know it's safe to delete something, then it's not safe to delete it. Corollary One: If it's located in the /System/ or /Library/ folder, then it's off limit unless you know the consequences of deleting it. Corollary Two: You do so at your own risk.

Can I trash all or part of RECEIPTS folder to save 500 mb of HD Space?

I'm on a major campaign to free-up HD space on my 2006 MB (160 gb HD). I've found a folder in the RECEIPTS folder (Located here: /Library/Receipts ) and just wondering if these packages are still needed or whether I can trash all/some of them.
ALSO: I replaced my MB 120 gb HD about a year ago with a 160 gb - but are there reliable 250 gb or ??? Hard Drives that would fit my MacBook (May 2006 - Intel Core Duo) --???
Any other suggestions on files / folders that I can reduce in size or delete to free-up HD space?
Thanks!
Steve Schulte
Saturday 31 January 2009 at 10:54

Look at these links.
Where did my disk space go?
http://www.macfixitforums.com/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=Forum38&Number=770243
Download & use WhatSize described in this link or Disk Inventory X @ http://www.derlien.com/
Freeing space on your Mac OS X startup disk
http://www.thexlab.com/faqs/freeingspace.html
Amazing Disappearing Drive Space
http://www.pinkmutant.com/articles/TigerMisc.html
Increase HD Free Space
http://macosx.com/forums/howto-faqs/275191-how-easily-increase-hd-free-space-lap top.html
How to free up my disk space
http://www.macmaps.com/diskfull.html
 Cheers, Tom

How do I change the name of file from save in web receipts folder?

I use safari to do online banking and when I have paid a bill or transferred money and when it is complete I use save to web receipts folder to keep a record of the transaction.
The problem is that the page always has the same name so there is only the record of the last transaction for that service. Does anyone know a way to change the same of the file that is saved?

Hi DPertovt,
After you download/save the file to your destination folder where you keep your records, only select the file ones an rename/chance the file name, date anything you like.
Good luck ...
Dimaxum

Mail 3.1; Save PDF to web receipts folder

When I am mailed passwords for downloaded software, I need to save such important information in a preferred place. The web receipts folder is a perfect place in this instance. However, I can't seem to get my Mail application to successfully complete the menu chore of, "Saving PDF to web receipts folder."
After repeated attempts to get my file saved as the menu item suggests, I still can't find where Mail might be saving my receipt. The program goes through the procedure as if it is working properly yet I can find no results anywhere on my computer. ( I don't get any finder warnings, given repeated attempts to save, about replacing an existing file, either.)
Now I know this is likely to be all my fault but... Can anyone shed some light on my problem here?
I was able to successfully open and view my Mail message as a PDF file. I did manage to print that PDF file (opened in Preview) to my web receipts folder. I assume from my experience that the menu item, "Save PDF to web receipts folder," has somehow been disabled.

Never got an answer!

Query regarding "Library/Receipts" Folder

Is it me, or is this just copies of installed .pkg files? How neccessary is it to keep these?
Just wondering...
Thanks in advance,

I understand the need to retain some receipt packages
and the comment about disk space. But I just would
like to ask why it is considered necessary [if indeed
it is] to retain all the earlier receipts for an
update. For example, I have in my Receipts folder the
Update packages for the Combo Updates for OS X 10.4.2
thru 10.4.10. Why would I need all of these? Would it
not be necessary to retain just the last one so that
the next combo update [in this hypothetical example,
don't get into any argument about whether there will
be a next one] has the current package to which to
refer?
Latter updates do not necessarily replace all files installed by previous updates. The 10.4.2 receipt probably has information for files that are not in the 10.4.10 receipt. If you do updates via Software Update, you need previous receipts. If you use the combos, it depends on how the combo updater works. If it just installs all its files without looking to see what updates have already been done, then the older receipts would not be needed. If it only installs what is needed, you would have to keep the old receipts. Of course, different combo updaters could use different methods, so it is safer to just keep them all.

What are all those .pkg files in the Receipts folder?

If I see files for several versions of the same, updated, program, can I delete the all but the latest file?

They're stubs of the original Install.pkgs, they're used for Software Update to tell what you have installed, & by Disk Utility to Repair Permissions.
I think it may be safe to remove older ones that have a newer version listed, but I haven't experimented much with that since 10.4.11, at which time it helped with Permission Repairs doubly changing permissions on some files.
For safety I'd comprees the whole Receipts folder as a backup, then remove the ones you think you don't need.

Save to Web Receipts Folder error

Whenever I try "Save to Web Receipts Folder", I get an AppleScript Error modal dialog saying, "Finder got an error: The operation could not be completed because there is already an error with that name."
I've tried deleting my Web Receipts folder, but that doesn't help. My awkward workaround is to print to PDF and save it in the folder myself.
Any tips?

I'm getting the same error on my system and on a coworker's system as well. I'm running 10.4.4, while she is running 10.4.3.
I talked to a friend that was at MacWorld about this and it worked fine on his system, which had been upgraded to 10.4.4.
One difference is the two systems that failed were upgraded from 10.3.x to 10.4.x using a normal upgrade process, where on the system that worked, I know the user uses the Archive & Install process. I wonder if the systems that get upgraded aren't able to use this function. Did everyone else that is having problems notice this on systems that were upgraded?
I'll have a test system tomorrow that I can run an Archive and Install as well as a Format and Install installation of 10.4.x so I might know a little more about that tomorrow. I'll post the results....

Flashing world icon, sad mac & question mark folder

Hi. Since installing 10.4.3 my system won't boot. I downloaded and installed the update then restarted the machine, the screen go's dull grey and then a square icon with the world inside it start to flash, a few seconds after that a sad mac/question mark folder flashes then the system appears to start. The disk spins up, the Apple logo appears then after a few more seconds the disk graudually grinds to a halt and the system shuts itself down. Why would this be happening, someone told me that it sounds like it's trying to netboot (whatever that may be) How can I resolve this issue and get my system back? Thanks.

Try holding down option (alt) at boot to get the open firmware boot selection screen then select your internal drive as the book disk. After start up completes (if it does) go to System Prefs/Startup Disk and reselect the internal disk, restart and it should be fine.

Receipts folder is 650MB...can I delete it?

Is the receipts folder on my MBP with all the pkg's files a 'must keep'? or can I make some room and delete it? Just trying to free up space and noticed that's a pretty big one. ARe these pkg files important? cheers..

Is the receipts folder on my MBP with all the pkg's files a 'must keep'?
Yes.
ARe these pkg files important?
Items in that folder should only be deleted if you're reinstalling or uninstalling the software associated with a specific receipt.
(39850)

Mac HD Receipts Folder?

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