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command and output formatting
Andy Griffiths
Andy Griffiths
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defaults delete is not working

I've made a bit of a mess with my Mac (macOS Ventura 13.5) whose shell is zsh. The problems started when I used python syntax to run commands, as it's a requirement apart of the project I'm doing to implement CIS benchmarks on my computer.

  • I never had AutomaticCheckEnabled on this Mac, so I was trying to make that change first with:
command = f"sudo defaults write {self.path} \"^{self.key}\" -int {target}"

Which in the terminal is:

sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.SoftwareUpdate "^AutomaticCheckEnabled" -int 1

That incorrect formatting made the field exactly as "^AutomaticCheckEnabled", because I thought I had to do it similar to bash with python.

I tried to use delete the field I accidentally made, with the command

defaults delete /Library/Preferences/com.apple.SoftwareUpdate "^AutomaticCheckEnabled"

It didn't work and in which errors to:

Domain (/Library/Preferences/com.apple.SoftwareUpdate) not found. Defaults have not been changed.

So, I'm trying to figure out the best way to resolve this.

I eventually added the field with the right format, as you can see below here in the output of defaults read /Library/Preferences/com.apple.SoftwareUpdate. The old, incorrectly formatted field is at the bottom that I accidentally added, needing to be removed.

{
    AutomaticCheckEnabled = 1;
    LastAttemptBuildVersion = "13.4.1 (22F82)";
    LastAttemptSystemVersion = "13.4.1 (22F82)";
    LastBackgroundSuccessfulDate = "2023-07-24 13:19:33 +0000";
    LastFullSuccessfulDate = "2023-07-24 13:39:11 +0000";
    LastRecommendedMajorOSBundleIdentifier = "";
    LastRecommendedUpdatesAvailable = 1;
    LastResultCode = 2;
    LastSessionSuccessful = 1;
    LastSuccessfulDate = "2023-07-24 13:39:11 +0000";
    LastUpdatesAvailable = 1;
    PrimaryLanguages =     (
        "en-US",
        en
    );
    RecommendedUpdates =     (
                {
            "Display Name" = "macOS Security Response 13.4.1 (c)";
            "Display Version" = "13.4.1 (c)";
            Identifier = "MSU_UPDATE_22F770820d_patch_13.4.1_rsr";
            MobileSoftwareUpdate = 1;
            "Product Key" = "MSU_UPDATE_22F770820d_patch_13.4.1_rsr";
        }
    );
    SplatProductVersion = "macOS Security Response 13.4.1 (c) 13.4.1";
    TimeOfSemiSplatCompletion = "2023-07-24 13:22:41 +0000";
    "^AutomaticCheckEnabled" = 1;
}

I'm looking for guidance on how to fix the

Domain (/Library/Preferences/com.apple.SoftwareUpdate) not found. Defaults have not been changed.

error from running the command

defaults delete /Library/Preferences/com.apple.SoftwareUpdate "^AutomaticCheckEnabled"
Anagonye
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