[Google Chrome: Add option to purge Content Data]

My guess is the zoom history (or per-site preference) is stored in:

C:\Users\<myAccount>\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Preferences

Within that file, I found the following string (newlines added for clarity):

{"default_zoom_level":{"x":0},
  "per_host_zoom_levels":{"x":
    {"<siteURL>":{"last_modified":"13193563712019947","zoom_level":2.223901085741545}},...
    ...
}

which looks something like XML where the default zoom level (as an offset) is specified followed by records within that record for specific sites and their zoom levels.

That is a text file with no extension.  However, more than per-site settings, like zoom, are stored in that file.  It looks like a lot of other settings are stored in that file.  This file stores my preferences - all my preferences (aka settings) - not just the default and per-site zoom levels.  Deleting the file would result in effecting a reset of my Chrome profile, so I'd be starting from scratch again.

Yeah, I could have CCleaner delete the Preferences file but then I'd be back to the initial start of Chrome.  Since you are familiar with Firefox, that is the equivalent of using its Refresh button that gives you a new profile to let you start again from scratch.

While I was guessing the Preferences file stored a lot more than just the zoom history, I found a forensics article that mentions Chrome's configuration (not just zoom history and not content data) was stored in the Preferences file.  See:

http://www.forensicswiki.org/wiki/Google_Chrome

Also, apparently CCleaner has been the cause of corrupting that file.  Perhaps Piriform doesn't know the correct syntax of the XML-like records in that file or the definition of some of its records.  See:

https://techdows.com/2013/11/fix-chrome-your-preferences-file-is-corrupt-or-invalid.html
See the "Check if CCleaner is corrupting Chrome preferences file"

That's an old article but apparently users were encountering problems in the past when using CCleaner to clear Google Chrome.  That CCleaner is or used to corrupt the preferences file hints that Piriform is parsing the contents of that file to determine what to null out.  Well, if true, why aren't they also parsing out the zoom histories for per-site settings stored in the Preferences file?

Deleting the Preferences file is not an option to merely eliminate the per-site zoom history that in itself is tracking data (and why I was hoping CCleaner would clear it).  The effect would be to slam Chrome back to all its defaults for ALL settings, not just eradicate the history entries therein.
 

[Google Chrome: Add option to purge Content Data]

hazelnut, the rawinfopages article was already mentioned in my opening post.

As for an option within Chrome to purge the zoom history, I also included a link to a bug ticket asking for that feature to Chrome (which also linked to even older threads asking for the feature).  The feature was added; however, the bug ticket says to add "Site settings" to the items included under "Clear browsing data" but, in fact, it was the "Content settings" item that got added (or Site Settings was included under Content Settings) and under which zoom history got included.  Using Chrome's own "Clear browsing data" and including "Content settings" will include the erasing of zoom history.  So, I can do it using "Clear browsing data" (by adding "Content settings") within Chrome but not by using CCleaner which has no "Content settings", "Content data", or "Site preferences" item under Google Chrome in the Applications tab for CCleaner to purge that data from Chrome.

Extensions can purge Chrome's browsing data by using an API.  See:

https://developer.chrome.com/extensions/browsingData
However, none of the data types is clearly content data aka content settings aka site settings/preferences.

CCleaner is not a Chrome extension, so it has no access to this API within Chrome.  I remember trialing the Click&Clean extension a couple times but gave up both times due to it being nagware: when I specify a URL to visit in the command-line to Chrome, this extension interfered with my use of the web browser by instead showing a "What's New" page that I'd have to close, and later they added another nag when my instanced of Chrome is not at the latest version.  Too many nags to keep using this extension, but it did have a handy option to purge on Chrome's exit.  Actually, Google screwed that up so extensions could no clean on exit and instead they have to perform the cleanup when they load (and that's when you start Chrome).  If that extension were still installed, I could test if it included the site settings that CCleaner misses nor even has an option to include.

 

[Google Chrome: Add option to purge Content Data]

nukecad, nice stab at trying to determine the source of the problem but it assumes that CCleaner is purging the zoom history (part of Content Data) and that Chrome's sync is putting it back.  Nope, not true.

Disable Chrome's sync.  Visit a number of sites where you change the zoom away from the default, like using Ctrl+mousewheel to zoom in or out.  Exit Chrome.  Reload Chrome and visit chrome://settings/content/zoomLevels.  Yep, those sites where you changed the zoom level are STILL listed in Chrome's zoom history.  And that was with Chrome's sync disabled!  CCleaner is not deleting the zoom history which is part of "Content settings", so it is suspect that CCleaner is touching any of the content data in Chrome.

Chrome's sync is not getting in the way of CCleaner purging the zoom history because sync was disabled and yet CCleaner isn't purging Chrome's zoom history.  CCleaner missed on purging the zoom history - and that's a list of sites you visited (and changed the zoom level) which means the web browser is retaining a history of your web visits - and that's whether Chrome's sync is enabled or not.

Just what of Chrome's Content Data is CCleaner coded to purge?  If zoom history is getting missed, what else is CCleaner missing of "content settings"?  I have Chrome configured to included "Content settings" when I use its "Clear browsing data ..." (Ctrl+Shift+Del) and that works to flush out the zoom history.  When there is some zoom history (the list is non-empty), I exit Chrome, and run CCleaner, but the zoom history is still there when I next load Chrome.  And, no, sync wasn't restoring zoom history because sync was disabled during the test.

Per your argument about Chrome's sync, even Chrome's own "Clear browsing data ..." function would fail since everything cleared by the local client would simply reappear after the next sync.  You would never be able to clear anything using Chrome's own cleanup function.  With Chrome's sync disabled, your hypothesis failed because the zoom history was still there after exiting Chrome, using CCleaner, and reloading Chrome.

Since zoom history is not cleared by CCleaner, and especially since there is no "Content settings" or "Content data" or "Site preferences" option for Google Chrome under CCleaner's Application tab, doesn't look like CCleaner wipes any of the content data.  Trying to figure out just what is included with each option listed in CCleaner as to what it will clear has always been vague.  Through testing, clearing history and clearing session data do NOT include clearing of content data (aka site preferences).

Perhaps, like Firefox, Google's Chrome is saving its settings inside an SQLite database file.  Purging "content settings" might be only some of the settings stored in the SQLite file, so simply deleting that .sqlite file would delete more than just the content data.  SQL commands could be used to delete records in an SQLite database provided the logical data structure, like record names and fields within each record type, were known.  Either someone at Pirifom missed the clearing of content data (aka site preferences), which includes zoom history or they haven't figured out how to dig into Chrome's database files to target just the content data without touching other records that are not part of content data.  I'm hoping it wasn't a miss by Piriform to include an option under the Google Chrome app in CCleaner that would target content data and instead one of those "Can't do it because the database has mixed data types, so cannot target just content data".

 

[Google Chrome: Add option to purge Content Data]

(Originally I noticed the zoom history was storing a list of sites I visited where the zoom level was changed and that's what I started noting in my report here; however, then I noticed per a bug ticket that the zoom history would get purged by using Chrome's "Clear browsing history" function and electing to include "Content settings".  Yet CCleaner has no option to include purging of Chrome's content settings - so users are stuck having to use both Chrome's "Clear browsing history" with content data selected and then using CCleaner.  A cleaner CCleaner usage would be to have CCleaner do the Content Data purge.)

CCleaner does not erase the zoom level history in Google Chrome.  While the stored zoom level is not a privacy issue, having a list of sites that you have visited (where you happened to change away from the default zoom level) is a privacy issue.  CCleaner will erase other privacy data, so why doesn't it have an option to also erase the zoom level history?

In Google Chrome, go to Settings -> Advanced -> Content settings, scroll down to Zoom level (or go to chrome://settings/content/zoomLevels), and there you will see a history stored of the sites where you changed away from the default zoom level.  Besides a privacy issue, Chrome only lets you delete one site at a time to remove it from this zoom history.  That can take a long time if the user has change the zoom levels on lots of web sites.

See http://www.rawinfopages.com/tips/2014/11/reset-chrome-zoom-levels-for-websites/ on how the user must currently and manually delete the zoom history one site at a time.

Firefox cleanup can include the Preferences it stores per site.  I remember it is an on-exit cleanup option in Firefox.  I don't have Firefox currently installed to see if CCleaner also has an option to purge Firefox's [per-site] preferences settings.  It should.  If it does, it should have similar options to purge preferences settings in Chrome, like the zoom history.

According to comment 38 in the https://bugs.chromium.org/p/chromium/issues/detail?id=137412#c29 bug ticket where users have been asking for a zoom history cleanup option since 2010, dullweber claims there is now an option to purge Site Settings when purging browsing data from Chrome.  That comment was back on Oct 5, 2017 yet there is still no such setting but there is the Content Settings included for purging that data from Chrome; however, that requires that I manually run the browser cleanup from within Chrome.  There is no purge-on-exit function in Chrome, and why users have turned to extensions, like Click&Clean (but that is nagware is interferring with presenting a spam page about changes in a new version of the extension instead of going directly to the URL, and bitches Chrome isn't at the latest version).

In CCleaner, why is there no setting for Content Settings to let the user elect to include those settings and histories from Chrome when running CCleaner?  Why do users have to resort to navigating through Chrome's menus to purge browsing history instead of using CCleaner?

There is a "Keep local data only until you quit your browser" option under chrome://settings/content/cookies.  While it includes cookies and perhaps site data, the zoom history is unaffected by that setting.  Plus, if enabled, Chrome will cease to automatically log into the user's Google account when loaded (you will see "Paused" at the top right of the toolbar in Chrome which requires you reenter your password to unpause the sync in Chrome).  CCleaner has an option to delete Chrome's cookies and another option to delete Chrome's session data, so why not an option to also delete the content data as well (which will include the zoom history)?

CCleaner is a privacy and cleanup tool.  Not including Content Data in cleaning up Google Chrome is a big miss by CCleaner.

[New version (5.44.6575) is now adware]

I as using CCleaner 5.43.6522 (free) which notified me there was a newer version.  I downloaded and installed 5.44.6575.  When loaded, it now pukes out a spam window at the lower right corner of the screen.  CCleaner has become adware flashing ads in my face.  No thanks.  Luckily I still had the installer for the older version and used that to step on the new adware version.  I've used CCleaner for many years, so many that I don't remember when I started using it.  Time to look for replacement(s) to supplant the functionality in CCleaner free and don't have ads popping up on the screen.

Avast did not acquire Piriform because CCleaner is a security product.  It isn't.  It's a cleanup tool (and not even specifically for an Avast uninstall cleanup).  It can be considered a privacy tool.  It is NOT a security tool.  Avast acquired Piriform because of the large number of customers that Avast could now spamvertize.  It gave Avast a huge new audience to spam.  No thanks.  Piriform-branded products are no longer safe.  Spamware is never wholly safe as it behaves rudely and become malicious, as can be seen with Avast trying to dupe Piriform customers into dumping Avast's software on their computers (e.g., having to opt-out of an Avast install when installing Piriform programs).

Avast has tarnished Piriform products by turning it into spamware.  Avast has for a long time proved rude to their customers by spamming them.  Their anti-virus product is a spamming platform.  Usually I get kissed before I bend over.  I'm not bending over to Avast's spam intrusion into what used to be a stellar program.

Geez, even going back to the prior version has a problem.  Since CCleaner 5.41, Avast has been shoving in tracking by adding its ipm-provider.ff.avast.com cookie.  CCleaner will list it but won't delete it, so I had to find an even older version of CCleaner (5.40) [found at FileHippo which Piriform, er, now Avast uses to offload the bandwidth for the downloads).

[5.33 shoves in Google Chrome - no custom install option to omit]

A polite installer would offer the option to opt-out (since most times bundleware is opt-in, by default).  If the installer bundles other installers or links to them then it should provide a separate screen or option to NOT install any of the bundleware.  When I re-ran the CCleaner installer (from Piriform's server), but before actually committing to an install, I found no option to opt-out of Google Chrome.

 

If Piriform's installer is bypassing an opt-out screen (and they opt-in, by default) then that is a bug in their installer.  Piriform *has* bundled Google Chrome before with their installer but there was an opt-out screen.  See:

 

http://i.imgur.com/a6TpIXq.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/a6TpIXq.jpg

 

Those opt-out screens were not presented during the install of CCleaner 5.33.6162 nor was *any* option presented to let me deselect the bundleware install.

 

The claimed purpose of bundleware is to offset the cost of providing the freeware (development costs, web or file hosting costs, etc).  Yeah, that is a valid argument when the product is available ONLY as freeware.  It is NOT a valid argument when there is a commercial (payware) version of the product or the company is selling other payware.  Just how much revenue can Piriform collect from bundleware linked to their product's install?  If they want to lure users to their payware version of CCleaner, they really need to add some killer feature to the payware version.  Bundleware, especially when forced (deliberately or due to a bug), only irritates their customers.    The comparison of their freeware and payware (Pro) version shows:

 

In freeware version:

- Faster computer (a misleading claim since deleting files and registry entries does not make the computer faster).

- Privacy protection.

Added in the payware (Pro) version:

- Real-time monitoring (I tried this in a trial and didn't like it).

- Scheduled cleaning (just use "ccleaner.exe /auto" in a Task Scheduler event).

- Automatic updates (I disable those so the state of my computer doesn't change without my permission).

- Premium support (something you hope NOT to use).

 

They need something more in their payware version to lure their freeware customers to their Pro version.  Bundleware just pushes away their potential payware licensees, like deleting in-use files or upon a restart using the PendingRename registry key (like Unlocker), or a special discounted price on some payware, like a $20 for a lifetime license to Sandboxie (instead of $35).  The additional Pro features are doable without paying for the Pro version or are accomplished using other freeware.  They shouldn't be using bundleware to offset the costs for their freeware (which sales of their payware should already accomplish).

[5.33 shoves in Google Chrome - no custom install option to omit]

By the way, I downloaded from the CCleaner builds page and then did a binary file compare with what I got from FileHippo.  No difference.  The files were exact duplicates of each other.

 

It is possible that FileHippo misleads with the download links on their web page.  What looks like the download button might be for something else.  What I see when Piriform sent me to the FileHippo page looked like the captured image at:

 

http://imgur.com/a/0NQQo

 

I just downloaded from FileHippo again and did a binary file compare against the one downloaded from Piriform's build page.  Again they were identical.

[5.33 shoves in Google Chrome - no custom install option to omit]

If Piriform wants us getting their installer and not one wrapped with another [web] installer at some file hosting site then Piriform should provide download links that point to files that are on Piriform's server.  Ccleaner told me there was a new update.  It was Ccleaner's update checker that specified the URL for my default web browser to load a page at Piriform's site.  At THAT time the code Piriform delivered in THEIR web page had the "No thanks" button take me to FileHippo.  Why would Piriform randomly code their own web page to point at a file hoster that cannot be trusted?

 

When the update checker in CCleaner is used, the web page presented might point to a file on Piriform's server.  The page might point to FileHippo for the file download.  The user won't know until they click the button to see if they remain at Piriform's site or are redirected to FileHippo.  Piriform wants to offload some bandwidth onto FileHippo but it is erratic to where the links point: Piriform's server or somewhere else.  Piriform decided to trust FileHippo because Piriform redirects their users from Piriform to FileHippo.

 

If Piriform does not want 3rd-party file hosting sites from modifying or wrapping their installer -- and thereby tarnishing Piriform's image with modified or wrapped installers -- then Piriform should ALWAYS point those download links in their web page(s) to their own file server.

 

Users are led to the web page for the URL that CCleaner gives them when it announces there is an update.  They are not directed to a builds page on Piriform's site.  I followed Ccleaner's and Piriform's own navigation.  As noted, that navigation is not trustworthy because the file may get retrieved from somewhere other than Piriform. 

 

I thought FileHippo was responsible in hosting the files that program authors deposit there.  Looks like Piriform did, too.  Piriform needs to change their download page so the files only originate from Piriform.

 

By the way, thanks for the URL to the builds page.  I will have to remember to NOT use the web page that CCleaner takes me to for an update and instead add a link in the Start menu folder for Ccleaner that takes me to the build page.  Ccleaner can notify me of a new update but I won't be using the URL it takes me to since Piriform's web page may not be pointing at files from Piriform's server.

[5.33 shoves in Google Chrome - no custom install option to omit]

Ccleaner was prompting me that there was a newer version (5.33.6162).  I followed Piriform's web pages for the free version which takes me to a file download from FileHippo.  When I ran that installer, I elected the Customize option (which I always do to avoid bloatware that is bundled in with installers).  Instead of running a local installer, I got a web installer (stub installer) that yanks the product from some server.  This was not a local install.

 

After the install completed, I find that Google Chrome got installed on my computer.  I specifically used the Customize in the installer to avoid this crap.  After uninstalling Google Chrome (and cleaning up the file and registry remnants), I reran the CCleaner 5.33 installer again.  Customize does not show an option to deselect the installation of Google Chrome.  So Piriform is shoving this web browser down their customers throats without prompt and without permission.

 

Either Piriform decided to shove Google Chrome onto their users' computers without any warning, like showing a checkbox the user could deselect, or the web installer at FileHippo is tainted with bloatware that is forced upon the users.  Since Piriform changed to a web installer and forces installation of bloatware with no choice in the Customize selection to deselect that bloatware, I will uninstall CCleaner, find something else, and warn others of this very nasty behavior by Piriform.

[RFE: Option to purge DOM Storage (for all web browsers)]

Looks like everyone or most respondents focused on just Internet Explorer.  I said "All web browsers have had the DOM Storage feature for many years now."  Each web browser (that CCleaner supports) is listed as a separate program under the Applications tab (with the exception for IE which is shown under the Windows tab).  Each web browser has its own location for its DOM storage whether that be in a folder or within a database file.

 

If DOM storage is saved in a folder, tis easy to eradicate outside of the web browser, like adding the folder to the option in CCleaner to delete files in that folder.  If DOM storage is saved in a database, it must be determined if that database contains only DOM storage or other data for the web browser.  If only DOM storage is stored in the database file then the file could be deleted by CCleaner.  However, if other data is stored in the database file then unwanted side effects happen by deleting that database file.  Piriform probably won't write scripts in CCleaner to run SQL commands to modify the database file to remove DOM storage.  So if DOM storage cleanup is added for a web browser that combines DOM storage and other client data inside the same database then CCleaner would need to show "DOM Storage + <listOther>" for the option to have CCleaner delete the database file.

 

While includes can be added within CCleaner to delete data that it does not currently cover, that was not the intent of CCleaner or its use by users.  Users could probably defined includes for everything that CCleaner now cleans up.  Who want to do that?  There would be no point in installing CCleaner to do all those user-specified cleanups.  Users could write a batch file for that.  CCleaner is a convenience tool.  It is NOT convenient to keep defining workarounds using includes on what to cleanup.

 

[Add option to clear jumplist in Windows Explorer (Start menu)]

When clicking on the Start menu button, there is a jumplist displayed of the most recently used programs.  In the Windows 7 Start menu, it is in the left column (under the Pinned section if any programs have been pinned to the Start menu); see attached image.  This lists recently loaded programs (versus the right-column Recent Items entry that shows recently opened documents).

 

This jumplist can cluttered with programs the user does not want to currently see; i.e., they would like to start from scratch and rebuild the recent list.  It is also a privacy issue where the user does not want to share with another user what they have been running (and is listed as a Privacy setting in the Start Menu as noted below).  Currently the easy way (compared to editing the registry or deleting files) is to:

 

- Right-click on Start menu button in the Windows taskbar.

- Select Properties.

- Select the Start Menu tab (if not already selected by default).

- Disable the Privacy option "Store and display recently opened programs".

- Click Apply.  This clears the jumplist.

- Optionally re-enable the Privacy option and click Apply.

- Exit out of the properties dialog.

 

Since CCleaner was designed to facilitate the eradication of history or other traces or do file cleanup, adding this as an option under the Windows group under the Advanced section would let the user more easily clear this jumplist.

 

[RFE: Option to purge DOM Storage (for all web browsers)]

I don't think compromise is the right word here. DOM Storage is set enabled by default and rightly so,

There are many defaults configured for each web browser but that does not mean they are oriented to the user's preferences. In fact, and sad to say, rare few users visit their web browsers settings (all of them) because they don't care, assume the vendor is producing a product in the user's interest rather than some web sites, or don't understand the settings. Most web browsers come pre-configured with the option enabled to support the meta tag that will automatically redirect them to another page or even another domain without ever informing the user. All come pre-configured to allow mixed content (HTTPS and HTTP) within what should be a secured (all HTTPS) web page. Users because so infuriated with the abuse or misuse of cookies that web browsers added cleanup options for those but that occurred long after the abuse started.

 

DOM storage became an alternative to cookies because the users didn't know about it or understand it. Web sites got themselves a "cheat" to workaround cookies. DOM storage was to permit web sites to have even larger storage since cookies could only hold something like 4KB of data. Yes, it has some very good uses but web sites have used DOM storage in place of cookies not solely because of larger storage but also because web browser come pre-configured with DOM storage enabled by default, not enabled and disabled when the user chooses.

 

Then users started to wise up to how DOM storage is also abused just like cookies were and are. Some web browsers now include overt options to purge DOM storage on exit; however, that is not the default configuration so users are still leaving it enabled (unpurged) on exit. Putting a cigarette lighter hidden within the spare tire compartment means, yes, you have the option to use it but most car owners would assume there isn't one.

 

since you would Not want it disabled all the time since it would cause problems with some websites not rendering properly. We've confirmed and found that out the hard way.

I see you are on the side of web sites storing what they want on your host. The rest of us are not so inclined. Web browsers should default to disable DOM storage. Web sites should *ASK* their visitors if they want DOM storage enabled and explain why the site would like to store data on your host or, at least, warn you that the lack of DOM storage on your host means their web site may not be fully functional. It is easy enough to test if DOM storage is available just by trying to store a value/data pair there and then retrieve it to see if the value retrieved is what was attempted to save. So we should surrender privacy because they're too stupid or lazy to ask or warn? They don't tell because it's become their cheat to cookies.

 

It's already been expressed that we would like Cleaner engineers to add a check box for DOM Storage cleaning for those that use Internet Explorer so that it would clear itself automatically during a regular run cleaner session.

The supposed request is how old and still not available in CCleaner? Creating noise is about the only way users will get authors to modify their wares. Consider it a means of voting for a feature, enhancement, or change.

 

In the meantime, for IE users on Windows 7 anyway, it's so darn easy to add that checkbox yourself !!!

Simply download the attached winapp2.txt file from post 11, rename its extension to winapp2.ini, and place it in your programs folder:

C:\Program Files\CCleaner

Next time you open CCleaner click the tabs of: Cleaner> Applications>

...and you will see at the very bottom under the Internet Explorer listing, an entry called:

DOMStore*

...just put a checkmark in the box, and that's all there is to it.

...you can right click on it and click Analyze if you want and you'll see all the things listed.

Next time and from now on Every time, you run CCleaner it will automatically clear all that out.

Even easier is just to add the folder to the Include option in CCleaner to eradicate the contents of that folder. Yet this is a workaround and not considered as feature to clear DOM storage. A similar workaround is to tell users to just delete the folder, too, but that does not equate to a feature (option) within CCleaner whose purpose is to provide utility and ease of use in performing the cleanups, not in users having to do the research themselves to incorporate a workaround within CCleaner.

 

Plus, as you, I, and others have mentioned, DOM storage cleanup for Internet Explorer is simple (once known). For other web browsers, it's not so easy. Perhaps with Firefox the SQLite database file can simply be deleted where DOM storage is kept yet code is needed to interrogate where is the profile folder for Firefox (and there can be more than one so how to pick which one?).

 

If this is such an old topic covered so many times before then either Piriform is slow to act to add the option or really doesn't consider it a primary task. It is meant to be a cleanup tool that facilitates ease-of-use, not to require in-depth knowledge by its users to accomplish workarounds.

 

I never think about this subject anymore, it just automatically gets taken care of when I run CCleaner

Lucky you (and me and other Internet Explorer users) that the workaround to get CCleaner to cleanup DOM storage is easy. Do you think the majority of IE users visit here to even consider DOM storage or learn the workarounds? Getting an RFE (request for enhancement) to add DOM storage cleanup to CCleaner isn't just about you, me, and the few that visit here. RFE's (notice its use in the subject for this discussion) aren't about solving a problem just for yourself.

[RFE: Option to purge DOM Storage (for all web browsers)]

I also had DOM Storage disabled in Internet Explorer for a long time, maybe several years.  Eventually I started hitting more sites where their page misbehaved or content was missing.  I'd disable anything regarding blocking (adblocking, site blocking, tracking protection lists, etc) and still couldn't get the site to behave.

 

I play crossword puzzles and at some point the USA Today crossword puzzle page stopped working.  I'd get the page but the puzzle was missing.  I got some free time and decided to look at their page code.  I probably use the Dev Tools feature in IE (F12 key) to figure out what was going on.  Yep, they were dumping the puzzle into DOM storage.  Their script would handle the user's input but the puzzle info was stored locally.  With DOM storage disabled, they couldn't store the puzzle so I'd see no puzzle. 

 

It seems obvious to test that storage is available before using it but it seems rare that web coders do this.  It's like stepping out a door without checking there is something to step on rather than an abyss.  They should test and then notify if storage isn't available that they demand its use.  Instead they blindly go dumping variables and values into storage that isn't there and then stupidly assume all that data is in storage - for storage that doesn't exist.  A lot of programmers never check the status returned when issuing a function call.  A lot of web page coders never check DOM Storage is actually available (to provide a warning or alternate page).

 

My need was to eliminate the tracking afforded by DOM Storage so I disabled it.  Alas, more and more site are using it (along with a ton of JavaScript) so I decided to enable it and then figure out how I could delete it after a web browsing session.  With IE, it's pretty simple to just empty out a folder.  With Firefox, you can delete an SQLite file (but somehow need to figure out the path to it which varies by the Firefox "profile" folder for storing that info); however, I'm always leery of yanking out files from a database setup because other databases might be relying on some info in another database file.  I haven't bothered checking in how to wipe DOM Storage in Google Chrome since I won't be using that web browser.

[RFE: Option to purge DOM Storage (for all web browsers)]

Jessie, because you are deleting files, you can use the Include feature in CCleaner rather than figure out how to write an .ini file.  To delete registry entries requires using an .ini file but files and folders are easy to add to CCleaner.

 

In CCleaner, click on the Options category on the left. Then click on the Include button.  Click on the Add button.

 

Drive or Folder:  %LocalAppData%\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\DOMStore\

File Types:  All Files

Options:  Include files and subfolders

 

This will have CCleaner wipe the DOM cache but only for Internet Explorer.  Because it is an include that is always included, the DOM storage will get cleared each time you tell CCleaner to do a cleanup.  Do it after you exit IE.  If you clear the DOM storage during a web browser session, the values their script put in DOM storage will disappear and their script will go screwy (bad behaviors exhibited by the page or errors).

[RFE: Option to purge DOM Storage (for all web browsers)]

Thanks,  Andavari, on the info about where Internet Explorer stores its DOM storage.  I can add that either to the winapp2.ini or winsys2.ini files or go to Options -> Include in CCleaner to add that path.  Like my other thread on clearing out AX and TPL entries in the registry, there is a workaround but I'd prefer Piriform to add a standard checkbox under IE and the other web browsers so other users not so familiar with the workings of the web browser can also partake of clearing their DOM storage (and perhaps bring it to their attention about this newer method of sites storing data on the user's host).

 

With Firefox using msql (or is it SQLite) databases to store their data, I figure clearing DOM storage isn't so straightforward.  I'll hunt around to see if there is a simple way (delete a database file only used for DOM storage) that CCleaner can handle.  The same goes for Google Chrome.  Of course, with CCleaner being a cleanup utility and encompassing web browsers, having to do this research and creating .ini files really shouldn't be required of CCleaner users.  DOM storage has been around for many years so perhaps flushing it isn't so easy (except maybe for IE).

 

Update:

From https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/profiles-where-firefox-stores-user-data, the DOM storage is in an SQLite database file named webappsstore.sqlite.  Alas, that also means having to ferret out where is your Firefox profile.  Yes, it can be easily found within Firefox but something like CCleaner would have to determine the path (and to your profile folder and not someone else's) outside of Firefox to know where to find the webappsstore.sqlite file for it to delete.  I don't remember Firefox adding a profile path to the environment variables to let users or scripts use those to find the Firefox profile folder.  Hopefully there isn't some other index file used with that database file that would get screwed up by the absence of the database file.

[RFE: Option to purge DOM Storage (for all web browsers)]

http://webdevwonders.com/clear-dom-storage/

Like a lot of blogs, they don't datestamp their article.  I remember seeing this one a long time ago.

 

For Firefox, it may be that using its cookie settings (as described above) may clear the local cache for DOM storage; however, you need to ensure you pick the "Everything" for time range.  Some users might want cookies, like for banks, spam reporting sites, forums, etc, to remain around for awhile, like a few days or a week, or more, so they won't be clearing their DOM storage.

 

For IE, DOM storage is cleared by purging IE's history on exit except that option alone won't do it.  Not only must you set IE to delete its history on exit but you must also click the Delete button to see what items will be included.  You must include "cookies and website data" in the "delete history on exit" option.

 

I don't have a copy of Google Chrome to see what interdependencies they have on deleting cookie that will enforce inclusion of purging its DOM storage.  There are many settings in web browsers that haven't work 100%.  IE had in its advanced options a setting to delete the TIF (temporary internet files) on exit.  It didn't work all the time.  Also, if the web browser crashes then obviously its exit routines are NOT going to get called since the process is not terminating normally.  Relying on web browsers to successfully and completely empty their DOM storage is trusting the web browser to do that task.  Sorry, I don't trust web browsers to 100% reliably empty their local DOM storage.

 

If web browsers were absolutely reliable in performing the tasks configured within them then why does CCleaner have a "Cookies" entry under Internet Explorer?  By your reasoning, configuring IE to include cookies in its "delete history on exit" option means IE would always delete the .txt cookie files.  It would be redundant for CCleaner to have an option under IE to delete its cookies yet, guess what, CCleaner does have an option to purge IE's cookies.  CCleaner still has an option to purge IE's TIF cache which is also redundant if the user configured IE to "delete history on exit" and include the TIF in that option.  CCleaner still has an option to purge IE's autocomplete cache yet there's a setting in IE to purge that, too, on exit.

 

There are many settings in CCleaner that duplicate configurable options in the web browser.  Yet CCleaner duplicating those features is not a bad thing.  Users may want their web browser to keep that locally cached data on their host until whenever they choose to flush them, and using CCleaner, especially via a shortcut, is a lot easier than loading the web browser to change its configuration to purge that data (and then on the next load of the web browser change those settings again to keep the data around for awhile until the user next wants to flush it).  CCleaner also can flush the temporary folders and Recycle Bin and obviously that duplicates the disk cleanup wizard already included in Windows and the option in Recycle Bin to flush itself. 

 

Don't cite duplication as a reason for not including DOM storage purging in CCleaner.  There is already lots of duplication in CCleaner with what apps or the OS can be configured to do.  Using CCleaner is a convenience instead of having to do cleanup using multiple methods.  CCleaner lets you do the cleanup all at once using one tool, will clean when you want, you can use a handy shortcut (I put mine in a toolbar in the Windows taskbar), and you can even add it to Task Scheduler.

[Enhancement for Internet Explorer: Purge exceptions for ActiveX and Tracking Protection safety options]

Wow, never knew about that.  I started hunting around and found:

 

http://www.piriform.com/docs/ccleaner/advanced-usage/ccleaner-ini-files

 

I started with the notion of creating a new section under the Applications tab in CCleaner (Section=CustomCleanup) to differentiate my custom inclusions; however, then I thought why not add new "system" entries under the "Internet Explorer" section in the Windows tab. 

 

Also, by setting Detect to point at the same registry key that CCleaner would delete, that entry only shows in CCleaner if that registry key existed for CCleaner to delete it.  That is, if the registry key doesn't exist then it doesn't show in CCleaner, and if the registry key does exist then it shows in CCleaner.  This would serve as an indicator to show me whether or not the registry key was there to clean up.

 

So I created the following winsys2.ini file (in CCleaner's program folder since I don't know if it can read from an app-named subfolder under ProgramData):

[ActiveX filter exclusions]

LangSecRef=3001

Detect=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Safety\ActiveXFilterExceptions

Default=True

RegKey1=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Safety\ActiveXFilterExceptions

[TPL filter exclusions]

LangSecRef=3001

Detect=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Safety\Tracking Protection Exceptions

Default=True

RegKey1=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Safety\Tracking Protection Exceptions

This works.  When I ran CCleaner, there was no AX registry entry but was a TPL entry, so CCleaner just showed "TPL filter exclusions" under "Internet Explorer" in the Windows tab.  When I let CCleaner do its cleanup and after reloading CCleaner again, neither the AX or TPL entries were listed in CCleaner (because they no longer existed on which CCleaner was told to detect).

 

Thanks for the info.  Something new I learned about CCleaner.  Pretty cool.

[Enhancement for Internet Explorer: Purge exceptions for ActiveX and Tracking Protection safety options]

On revisiting this forum and noticing my old post (and no replies), I thought that adding registry entries (keys or data items under them) might prove useful.  Instead of waiting for Piriform to add a checkbox for a particular registry cleanup that letting the user add the item to delete it during a cleanup would afford more flexibility (and obviously more hazard).  Whenever a user found a registry item that should get purged during a cleanup, they could simply add it to the Includes list rather than submit a Request For Change and wait for a much later version to include that registry item.

 

So, as a means of enhancing my original request, I'd like to see the Include section in CCleaner allow users to specify registry keys (delete the key and all subkeys and all data items within each) or data items under a registry key.  While CCleaner, for example, along with other similar cleanup tools, often include the MRU (most recently used) lists used by apps to record a history of entries in the registry, I'm sure they don't cover all apps.  So besides the list of AX and TPL excludes in the registry, there could be MRUs or other registry entries not currently covered by CCleaner that users might want to specify for cleanup (deletion).  As another example, I found Replay Media Catcher (Applian's variant from Jaksta) was storing a ton of history files in a folder despite I optioned that program to not store history.  So I added the folder to CCleaner's Include list to delete them on cleanup.  While they used files for history, they could've used the registry so I'd have to use "regedit.exe /s <regfile>" to do the delete of those superfluous history entries because I'd have no way to get CCleaner to do it.

 

So while adding checkboxes for AX and TPL exclusions in the registry would be handy (and eliminate users having to know where they are), I'd still like to see the Include section in CCleaner let me specify registry keys or data items to include in a cleanup.

 

 

There are a lot of registry entries that could be cleaned up but adding umpteen more checkboxes might make CCleaner more difficult to use.  The common ones might be included as checkboxes in CCleaner (to add them to the deletion list) but I suspect there are lots of "odd" ones that only some users might want to clean.

[RFE: Option to purge DOM Storage (for all web browsers)]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_storage

https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/Guide/API/DOM/Storage

 

All web browsers have had the DOM Storage feature for many years now.  While there is usually an option within the web browser to disable its DOM Storage, way too many sites will malfunction if it is disabled.  They store their global variables or other data there that gets used for painting, navigating, or the functions within the page.  Way too many programmers do not test the return status of a function they call.  Similarly, many web page coders don't test if DOM Storage is enabled before assuming they can use it.  You can see in the web browser's console log all the errors in them trying to store or read from DOM Storage but their scripts have no error or graceful recovery.  The result is the web site is unusable if DOM Storage is disabled and they have no alternate or recovery mode to use their site without using DOM Storage.

 

Yet DOM Storage is only required to properly render such sites when you are actually connected there.  When you leave or are otherwise disconnected, their data they stored locally on your host in DOM Storage is of value (to them) only upon your return to that same web site.  If you do not want to carry over a site session between web browser sessions then the content of DOM Storage is not required.  Obviously DOM Storage provides a very easy way to track a user and their repeat visits.

 

I see no selectable option within CCleaner to have it clear out DOM Storage.  Is purging that local data cache a difficult task?  Or are users to rely on purge-on-exit features within the web browser to hope that the web browser, upon exit, will delete that cached data?

 

[Enhancement for Internet Explorer: Purge exceptions for ActiveX and Tracking Protection safety options]

Since this topic has received no consideration to implement within CCleaner the ability to purge these entries in the registry, how about another solution: Let the user add registry entries (keys or data items) to add to the Include list under Options.  The user could then specify that certain registry keys or data items under them are to get deleted during the cleanup.  Instead of only specifying folder or files to delete during a cleanup in the Options -> Include section, let them also specify registry keys or data items under them.

 

This might sound hazardous but no more than letting users specify their own files to delete (which could be any file, including those for the OS).  Letting users specify both folders/files to delete along with registry entries would eliminate having to wait until Piriform made a decision and then later implemented other RFEs (request for enhancements), if ever.  Users could specify the cleanup items (files or registry entries) without having to wait for Piriform to add those to the checkbox lists.

[Enhancement for Internet Explorer: Purge exceptions for ActiveX and Tracking Protection safety options]

Internet Explorer since version 9 has the following safety features:

• ActiveX Filtering: AX controls (e.g., Flash) are not allowed to load for sites.
• Tracking Protection: Subscribe to TPLs (tracking protection lists) to block unwanted content (ads) on sites.

The user can enable these safety features.  If the user decides to allow them at a site, they click on the blue hazard icon at the right-end of the address bar where they can disable these protections on a per-site basis. 

 

Alas, this is not a per-session exception; i.e., where the content only gets blocked for the current session and a new IE session will have this content again blocked when revisiting the same site(s).  Instead the exception is recorded in the registry and used again whenever the user revisits the same site(s).  Exceptions are applied globally across all IE sessions.  The user may want to allow an exception only for the current visit to a site and not always applied for the site.  I saved the registry keys as favorites in the registry editor (regedit.exe) but I have to manually delete each data item under these registry keys.  It would be handy if CCleaner added to its Internet Explorer app the following options (to clear the exception histories stored in the registry):

 

Internet Explorer:

...

ActiveX Filtering exceptions

Tracking Protection exceptions

...

 

The history (or cache) for these exceptions are stored at the following registry locations:

 

ActiveX Filtering exceptions:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Safety\ActiveXFilterExceptions

 

Tracking Protection exceptions:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Safety\Tracking Protection Exceptions

 

By deleting all the data items under each registry key, the history is erased for exceptions to the matching safety feature.  Since these are only for the currently logged on user (HKCU registry hive), erasing these histories will not affect other users under other Windows accounts who want to keep them (so revisiting a site applies the same exceptions as before).

 

[Lots of software not listed]

Why do you have double backslashes in your registry paths?

Eg.

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\7-Zip]
"Path"="C:\\Program Files\\7-Zip"

On my PC 7-Zip Path is "C:\Program Files\7-Zip\".

I said that the attached file was exported from the registry. Go into regedit (where you were looking) and export that same registry key to a .reg file, open in a text viewer (e.g., Notepad), and notice what happens to the backslash in paths. It's called escaping the escape character.

 

The idea is that the .reg file will be used to add/change/delete entries in the registry. The parsing operation uses the backslash as an escape character just as it is used in regex (regular expressions). To specify a backslash as a character and not as the escape character means escaping the escape character so why 2 backslashes are used.

 

File and folder paths that contain slash characters must be doubled in a .reg file. The single slash is a special tag character use to clarify (modify) the following character. For example, \t is a tab character and \n is a newline (CR-LF sequence). Well, if a path had "C:\Program Files\Tcalc\tc.exe" and you exported that value then you would end up with two tab characters in the path instead of "T" characters. To specify one slash character with is a special character by itself, you escape that character by using "\\" (i.e., "\\" = "\").

 

Do the export and see for youself.

[Lots of software not listed]

Attached is a .reg file of entries from under HKLM\Software where there is information under a program's registry key showing where it got installed. I omitted a LOT of registry keys for various reasons too many list here (program probably doesn't have anything to cleanup, .NET stuff, Microsoft technologies, etc) and those that didn't have anything obvious as to where the program would be found. A couple don't have a path under HKLM\Software but instread refer to a GUID that you find under Classes\CLSID where a path is listed to the program (since it's the handler or server process).

 

As mentioned, lots of software tells you in its registry entry where it got installed or where it runs from. That lets you know the software is on the computer plus where it is. Notice that MalwareBytes is one of those that identifies where it got installed. Also, the HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall key (included in the attached file since it is under HKLM\Software) is a good starting point to look for path since their uninstall entry often specifies where is the program or where is the uninstall program (which is usually under the program's installation folder).

 

I changed the exported and edited .reg file to a .txt extension to avoid someone mistakeningly double-clicking on it which would modify their registry (but after a warning prompt).

HKLM_Software.txt

[Lots of software not listed]

Yet the software has to know where it is installed plus its installer needs to know where it got installed when you uninstall it. If you look under HKLM\Software, you'll find there is an entry with the registry key for each product that states where it got installed. Even CCleaner is like that. Sometimes the install or working/home path isn't under here but a GUID is listed so you have to look there (like under a shell/open/command subkey).

 

Since CCleaner knows where are the files it will cleanup for an app, I figured it also knew how those same products define their registry keys and data items under them and which are items not altered by the user during the installation and not likely altered thereafter (the user might move the app elsewhere after changing the registry settings for the app but the registry keys and data items' name have to remain the same).

 

CCleaner goes reading the registry, like the HKLM/Software keys, when it runs so I figured it was determining where all that listed software was installed or its current working/home folder(s). Even if the user installs elsewhere or the software vendor changes defaults in a newer version, the registry keys and data items won't change that point to the install path. Looks like I was expecting CCleaner to be smarter than just using a static list of default install paths and instead find where it really was. Oh well, live and learn, live and burn.

[Lots of software not listed]

run in command-line

"C:\program files\ccleaner\ccleaner.exe" /export and you can read what is looked at for what programs in the resulting winapp.ini found in your ccleaner folder

 

I take it that the command shows what CCleaner will look for, not what it found. In the outputted winapp.ini file, MalwareBytes is listed. I have it installed (the free version). It is not listed under Cleaner -> Applications -> Utilities (as another user of CCleaner and MalwareBytes has told me it is listed for him). One of the entries for MalwareBytes listed in winapp.ini says it will look at the following path (for log files):

 

%ProgramFiles%\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\mbam.exe

 

I opened a command shell and entered:

 

cd "%ProgramFiles%\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\"

 

and got:

 

The system cannot find the path specified.

 

So I looked in Windows Explorer and also at the properties for the MalwareBytes shortcut in the Start menu. The path for MalwareBytes on my host is:

 

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware

 

Notice there is no apostrophe character after the "MalwareBytes" string for the folder where the product got installed. I then looked in the registry at:

 

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware

 

Its data item named "notifyInstallationPath" also shows the same folder (without the apostrophe). So I don't know if the author of MalwareBytes changed his installation folder name or if I did that during the install. I sometimes change the ridiculous names that some authors use to shorten the folder name, eliminate potential parsing problems, or decide to install them somewhere other than the default destination.

 

So it looks like CCleaner doesn't go scanning the folders to find the files for the programs it knows how to clean. That is, it didn't scan looking for mbam.exe to find what folder it was really under. CCleaner also doesn't look in the registry to find paths for data items, class IDs, or other information used by a program to identify where it is. CCleaner has a static list of folders which are the default ones. If the software author or user changes that destination folder then CCleaner won't find it by using its fixed list of products and their folders.