Privacy issue: no function to clean the history

[Slavic]

Some people using TC at job sometimes work with non-public data, e.g. files stored on removable drives etc. TC allows to control the saving of history (which it saved by default) in Configuration, Operation, Save on exit.

Unfortunately, there is no function to clean already stored history data, saved in wincmd.ini. User desiring to clean his/her tracks from TC history (folders list, command lines, search patterns etc) has to remove the matched lines from ini file manually. It's uncomfortable, unconventional, and also poses some risk to damage this file.

Could it be possible to create the cleaning function, similarly to web browsers, where history and cookies cleaning is a quite simple task? If adding a new button in Configuration is undesired now, user can add this function manually to menu or toolbar.

[Lefteous]

There are several ways to achieve this.

1) Download the Ultra editors package. The History editor can be used to clean history entries.

2) In TC 7 you can redirect the sections to delete into another file. Then you could delete the History.ini file from time to time.

to be continued...

[Slavic]

Sorry, didn't see the redirection of History in interface. Where it can be added?

[byblo]

You have to edit manually the main ini file, as instance :

[RightHistory]
RedirectSection=tchistory.ini

[LeftHistory]
RedirectSection=tchistory.ini

[MkDirHistory]
RedirectSection=tchistory.ini

[Slavic]

Thanks, byblo! Something like this:

[MkDirHistory]
RedirectSection=tchistory.ini
[Selection]
RedirectSection=tchistory.ini
[SearchName]
RedirectSection=tchistory.ini
[SearchIn]
RedirectSection=tchistory.ini
[RightHistory]
RedirectSection=tchistory.ini
[LeftHistory]
RedirectSection=tchistory.ini

It's almost all history data that I have found.
Well, this has solved my problem, but the way to simplify this process for common users is still in question.

[petermad]

2Slavic

It's almost all history data that I have found.

Well, I personally have a little more in my history.ini:

[Selection]
RedirectSection=history.ini
[SearchName]
RedirectSection=history.ini
[SearchIn]
RedirectSection=history.ini
[SearchText]
RedirectSection=history.ini
[RenameTemplates]
RedirectSection=history.ini
[RenameSearchFind]
RedirectSection=history.ini
[RenameSearchReplace]
RedirectSection=history.ini
[left]
RedirectSection=history.ini
[right]
RedirectSection=history.ini
[lefttabs]
RedirectSection=history.ini
[righttabs]
RedirectSection=history.ini
[Command line history]
RedirectSection=history.ini
[RightHistory]
RedirectSection=history.ini
[LeftHistory]
RedirectSection=history.ini
[MkDirHistory]
RedirectSection=history.ini

I am even considering:
[attrplugin]
RedirectSection=history.ini
[rename]
RedirectSection=history.ini
[SyncOptions]
RedirectSection=history.ini

[sas2000]

 
If you don't want to save any history information, and you redirect all sections to Tchistory.ini and make it readonly what will happen ?.

I'll prefer not to use History Editor.exe, but i'm not sure if redirecting to a readonly Tchistory.ini file will cause problems to Tc.

Thanks.
 

[Stance]

If you don't want to save any history information, and you redirect all sections to Tchistory.ini and make it readonly what will happen ?.

About readonly attribute for tchistory.ini:
http://www.ghisler.ch/board/viewtopic.php?p=112396#112396

[sas2000]

2Stance

That's what i wanted to know, thanks.

[Slavic]

Thanks, petermad, very helpful list!
I copied it to my config (except strings [left] and [right]: I prefer to see at start the root on the left panel and document on right, let it be stored in main ini). And I think, this method and example with some explanations could be placed for other users somewhere in FAQ or TC wiki

[jb]

2) In TC 7 you can redirect the sections ...

That's good news for me. The section redirection mechanism is simple and compatible, but nevertheless quite powerful. To a great extent it helps to solve some of the issues that I stated here (4 years ago).

[m^2]

I agree, it's a great thing. It made my configs much cleaner.

[Clo]

2Lefteous

Hello Christian !

• Still tricks and workarounds…

- The most programmes which record historical lists have (a) button(s) in the Options as Purge¦Clear the list(s)…
- This can be set also as an entry on each list …
… but why not TC ?

• Sorry, I don't sing with the choir and would prefer (a) button(s)|List entr¦y¦ies, definitely !

 V.G.
Claude
Clo

[jb]

• Still tricks and workarounds…

- The most programmes which record historical lists have (a) button(s) in the Options as Purge¦Clear the list(s)…
- This can be set also as an entry on each list …
… but why not TC ?

• Sorry, I don't sing with the choir and would prefer (a) button(s)|List entr¦y¦ies, definitely !

To Clo:
These are good points, but I'm not sure whether you are aware of the whole story.
Section redirection is a general mechanism that can be used to achieve various goals.
Separating history data for easier deletion is only one them.
Making some sections read-only is another one.
The more homogeneous a section is regarding a desired criterion the more suitable it is for redirection.
EXAMPLE: If you want to separate history data then section redirection does not really help with sections containing a mixture of history data and other data.

Personally I would like to separate three kinds of ini-data:

1. General settings. They are independent of local drives, the LAN and special programs. It should be easy to synchronize them on all computers I'm working with.
2. Environment-specific settings. They depend on local drives, the LAN and special programs. Usually they must not be synchronized and they should not impede the synchronization of (1).
3. History data (largely a subset of 2). It should be easy to delete them.
   Unfortunately "history data" is not a cleary defined term.
   EXAMPLE:
   Unlike petermad I don't consider [Selection] as history data but as user-defined filters similar to [searches].

Section redirection is not perfect to achieve my goals, but it helps a lot.

[Stance]

Clo is just asking for a single command/Button/item.
And for the reason of Data privacy, I agree.