iOS Receipt not found - ios

Question

I am implementing in-app purchases in a Swift 3.0 app so I need to grab the app receipt to verify it against the iTunes store. Here is how I am getting the receipt:
func getReceipt() -> Data? {
if Bundle.main.appStoreReceiptURL != nil {
print("app receipt: \(Bundle.main.appStoreReceiptURL)")
do {
let receiptData = try Data(contentsOf: Bundle.main.appStoreReceiptURL!)
print(receiptData)
return receiptData
} catch {
print("error converting receipt to Data: \(error.localizedDescription)")
}
}
return nil
}
my console output for the receipt URL is:
app receipt: Optional(file:///Users/dustinspengler/Library/Developer/XCPGDevices/433E8E8F-B781-4ADC-A92D-5CABC28E94D6/data/Containers/Data/Application/C25BE9B6-FB64-4D49-9CF2-9DA371060A7B/StoreKit/receipt)
It then failed to convert the receipt to Data and the catch statement prints:
error converting receipt to Data: The file “receipt” couldn’t be opened because there is no such file.
I get the exact same output when running this in a playground, simulator, and real devices so does this mean that no receipt exists for the app considering the fact that the user has not made an in-app purchase yet? When reading through Apple's documentation I got the impression that they are always created created regardless of prior purchases.

Answer 1

This answer is based off the context that the app is being run on your local machine. If the app is live in the app store, a receipt will be in place the moment you download the app even if its free.
Answered by #Paulw11:
There is no receipt until the user makes a purchase. For an app downloaded from the App Store (even a free one). This is a purchase, so there will be a receipt. For a debug build from Xcode there is no receipt until an in-app purchase is made.