Ability to clear all remembered items on exit

[Mesh]

It's a common security vulnerability to be able to go into an application and see what has been done with it through it's various history functions.

It would be nice if XY had the ability to start with a clean slate every time (or more specifically, to clear remembered items on exit).


By that, I mean that XY would not remember anything (except the last folder used - although I suppose users should have the option to forget this as well). This would include things such as the Find history, Rename history, the last file that had focus (it was really weird to discover that XY remembered that), etc... Essentially, every place where you could ordinarly expand a drop box to see what has been done in the past.

I suppose the most thorough way to do this would be a list with checkboxes so that users could customize exactly what gets cleared and what doesn't (I'd happily settle for the equivalent in the INI file). But I would be perfectly content with an option to simply clear everything. Personally, the only thing I want remembered is the last folder used - but there should be an option for that one, at least, as there would be a lot of variation here in people's workflow.

[j_c_hallgren]

Personally, the only thing I want remembered is the last folder used - but there should be an option for that one, at least, as there would be a lot of variation here in people's workflow.

While I do understand your situation, I also suspect that you may be one of the rarer folks who'd need/want to use this...

I personally like how much XY retains, and I wish it remembered more things actually.. Like history per tab, etc.

[admin]

Simply uncheck "Save settings on Exit". And there are some other options on Configuration | startup & exit.

[Mesh]

Simply uncheck "Save settings on Exit". And there are some other options on Configuration | startup & exit.

Well, I do want program changes to be automatically saved - it's just history based items that I would like to be cleared.

[Mesh]

While I do understand your situation, I also suspect that you may be one of the rarer folks who'd need/want to use this...

Features like this one are common in many apps - internet browsers are a shining example. Closing this type of security hole is becomming more and more popular - especially in light of international travel.

I personally like how much XY retains, and I wish it remembered more things actually.. Like history per tab, etc.

Oh, don't get me wrong - I'm not talking about changing how XY works at the core. I'm only talking about adding the option to clear histories for people who choose to engage it.

[admin]

Simply uncheck "Save settings on Exit". And there are some other options on Configuration | startup & exit.

Well, I do want program changes to be automatically saved - it's just history based items that I would like to be cleared.

So something like "Don't save MRU lists"?

[Mesh]

So something like "Don't save MRU lists"?

Exactly!

[admin]

So something like "Don't save MRU lists"?

Exactly!

Would that include all the lists you see in List Management?

[Mesh]

Would that include all the lists you see in List Management?

That's a tough one to answer generically. For me, personally at this moment, if I could pick and choose, I would clear most of the lists in List Management because most of them are history lists. However, some of them are not, such as Portable File Associations, Favorite Folders, etc... Those, I would leave alone.

But each person's needs vary, and it would also vary from one period of time to another, whether it was business or home, as well as whether they were using XY on a desktop machine or from a flash drive.


If I had to choose a fixed list, I would choose to clear everything in List Management except for:

Portable File Associations
Favorite Folders
Favorite Files
Highlighted Folders
Boxed Branches
Color Filters



I chose the above items as exceptions because they are the most likely items that would be used for long term management/projects. But there is so much variety in workflow, the best thing here would really be to give people the choice.

If you chose to make this part of the UI, then it should probably get it's own tab in the Configuration menu. That way, every item could get it's own checkbox in addition to "Check All" and "Clear All" buttons.

[admin]

Would that include all the lists you see in List Management?

That's a tough one to answer generically. For me, personally at this moment, if I could pick and choose, I would clear most of the lists in List Management because most of them are history lists. However, some of them are not, such as Portable File Associations, Favorite Folders, etc... Those, I would leave alone.

But each person's needs vary, and it would also vary from one period of time to another, whether it was business or home, as well as whether they were using XY on a desktop machine or from a flash drive.


If I had to choose a fixed list, I would choose to clear everything in List Management except for:

Portable File Associations
Favorite Folders
Favorite Files
Highlighted Folders
Boxed Branches
Color Filters



I chose the above items as exceptions because they are the most likely items that would be used for long term management/projects. But there is so much variety in workflow, the best thing here would really be to give people the choice.

If you chose to make this part of the UI, then it should probably get it's own tab in the Configuration menu. That way, every item could get it's own checkbox in addition to "Check All" and "Clear All" buttons.

There goes what could have been a simple feature. I understand your reasoning completely. It's the way to do it. But for XYplorer, this is a touch too much. I'm trying to keep the app slim, even to make it slimmer than it is now.

[Mesh]

There goes what could have been a simple feature. I understand your reasoning completely. It's the way to do it. But for XYplorer, this is a touch too much. I'm trying to keep the app slim, even to make it slimmer than it is now.

Well, for what it's worth, I have no problems with XY growing. Not being slim is not the same thing as being bloatware - if XY's features continue to be well thought out and useful, than I personally don't mind if it triples in size. Heck, as it is, it's only 3 MB!

So, let me just put in my two cents here - while it's great that XY is such a lean app, I wouldn't want it to stay that way if it meant sacrificing legitimate features and function.

If you wanted to put in a word processor and DVD player, I'd object. But features that make sense for a file manager? Such as this one, or a Size Manager (that displayes bar graphs for every file/folder in a tree, so that you can easily see where all the space is being taken up), or any number of other features... I'd say let it grow!



That aside, if you're willing to implement this suggestion in a simple form, then I would humbly request that you add a single option (INI file is fine) that would clear all the List Management lists except for the ones I indicated earlier.

For people who want history items to remain, they can just leave it off - and for people who would otherwise want more items cleared, it gives them far fewer lists to have to clear manually every time they use XY. (as it is, I sometimes spend more time clearing lists then I do actually working in XY! Especially since each list is a seperate item, as opposed to the Configurations menu, where it's one box with multiple tabs)

[admin]

I was not so much thinking of app size in MB, but of interface complexity and user stress. Ever since I'm doing this forum I try to communicate the idea that options have an important downside: They force you to make a decision, to get informed in order to make the right one, to take the responsibility, and live with the consequences. They also crowd the screen and strain the eye, hence cost space, time, and energy.

That aside, if you're willing to implement this suggestion in a simple form, then I would humbly request that you add a single option (INI file is fine) that would clear all the List Management lists except for the ones I indicated earlier.

An ini tweak would be ok for me, but I would like to have some others' opinions on this.

[graham]

Could this be solved by using a script?
If there were a close file script command then a script could be to close all selected files and open base files (empty) and then renam id required.

This approach keeps XY slim but offers the total flexabilty a user might need but of course requires the user to create a simple script,

[j_c_hallgren]

An ini tweak would be ok for me, but I would like to have some others' opinions on this.

Given that, for the moment, this seems to be a somewhat unique request (compared to some), having it as INI tweak makes sense, and if/when it becomes more popular and people can't find it, then 'promote' it to the Config, as has been done in past, as I recall.

[Mesh]

I was not so much thinking of app size in MB, but of interface complexity and user stress. Ever since I'm doing this forum I try to communicate the idea that options have an important downside: They force you to make a decision, to get informed in order to make the right one, to take the responsibility, and live with the consequences. They also crowd the screen and strain the eye, hence cost space, time, and energy.

Now I understand. Personally, I prefer choices - as long as the UI is well thought out, and there is a good Help system that fully explains everything, I don't find that there is much of a problem.

However, many programs have addressed the same concerns by adding a seperate "Advanced Configuration" menu. That leaves the primary Configuration menu uncluttered and simple for the average user, but power users still have the options they need as well.

If you want to talk about wasting time and energy, that's what people inevitably get when they try to protect people from themselves, cater to the lowest common denominator, and try to not require people to think. It's a horrific fad that is in place at the moment - especially in the U.S.

An ini tweak would be ok for me, but I would like to have some others' opinions on this.

Thank you!