macOS ventura: Redownload Unavailable with This Apple ID

[paulz]

Your Environment

• mas version: 1.8.6
• macOS version (system_profiler SPSoftwareDataType -detailLevel mini): macOS 13.3 (22E252)

mas Install Method

• brew install mas (homebrew-core)
• [] mas-cli/tap
• [] .pkg installer from releases
• [] Built from source
  • Fork/branch: ? (e.g. mas-cli/main)
  • Xcode version: 10.?

Describe the Bug

mas lucky seashore results in

No downloads
Error: No downloads began

and AppStore alert, see screenshot below

To Reproduce

Steps to reproduce the behavior:

1. Login to AppStore
2. Download Seashore app
3. Delete /Applications/Seashore.app
4. run mas lucky seashore
5. see error

Expected Behavior

Successful download

Actual Behavior

Error and Alert

Screenshots, Terminal Output

$ mas lucky seashore
No downloads
Error: No downloads began

Additional Context

This redownload is not available for this Apple ID either because it was bought by a different user or the item was refunded or cancelled.

Used to work in macOS Monterey macOS 12.6

Installing app by ID works:

mas install 1448648921                               
==> Downloading Seashore
==> Installed Seashore

and subsequent attempts produce correct warning:

mas install 1448648921
Warning: Seashore is already installed

[geekobiloba]

Any update on this bug?

[rgoldberg]

mas lucky <term> installs the first result from the Mac App Store from mas search <term>.

The first result for mas search seashore is 897446215 Canva: Design, Art & AI Editor, which is not 1448648921 Seashore.

$ mas search seashore
   897446215  Canva: Design, Art & AI Editor              (4.126.0)
   944665061  ProKnockOut-Cut Paste Photos                (7.39)
  1448648921  Seashore                                    (3.37)
…

You're dealing with 2 different apps here.

Can we close this?

[rgoldberg]

@paulz mas install 1448648921 is always working for you, right?

mas lucky <term> installs the first result from the Mac App Store from mas search <term>.

The first result for mas search seashore is 897446215 Canva: Design, Art & AI Editor, which is not 1448648921 Seashore.

$ mas search seashore
   897446215  Canva: Design, Art & AI Editor              (4.126.0)
   944665061  ProKnockOut-Cut Paste Photos                (7.39)
  1448648921  Seashore                                    (3.37)
…

What happens if you run mas install 897446215? That will help us determine if the problem is with mas lucky or with installing 897446215 from any mas command.

@geekobiloba If you're having a similar problem for a different app, can you provide the app ID? If the same problem for the same app, can you run the above?

[rgoldberg]

mas install is poorly named. It can only install apps that have been previously "purchased" or "gotten" by your Apple ID. To be in that situation, you must either have never installed the app on your current machine, or you must have uninstalled the app from your current machine.

mas purchase is also poorly named. It will "get" (aka "purchase") free apps that you haven't yet "gotten" / "purchased" with your Apple ID. It does not yet work with non-free apps.

The messaging in the dialog is cryptic since it's from Apple, which doesn't expect the circumstances from this issue.

Will close this issue because this is known behavior, and because there are numerous mas issues regarding fixing various aspects of this issue. See:

• install should automatically "purchase" unpurchased free apps #557
• Purchase non-free apps #558
• 💬 Better messaging when an app hasn't been purchased #218
• install: display unpurchased error via stderr instead of via dialog (generalize to all errors for all commands) #146