Bug in file extensions

CCleaner for Windows CCleaner Windows Bug Reporting
1

Hi:

I think there is a problem with CCleaner 3.12.1572 and Winapp2.ini file extensions.

Suppose I have this code in the ini file:

[Temp files (*.temp, *.tmp)]

Section=Misc. temp files

Default=True

FileKey1=c:\.|*.temp|RECURSE

FileKey2=c:\.|*.tmp|RECURSE

When running CCleaner, this would detect files like: "trash.tmp", but also files like: "MyTemplate.tmpl"

(Note the extension tmpl does start with tmp but is not the same)

This is a potential problem, since for this and other character combinations, CCleaner could include useful files and if we do not check the results list, they will be deleted, probably without noting it.

I do not know if this is an OS-related problem (API used in CCleaner calls OS functions), because I have noticed sometimes windows search does return files that have similar extensions. But if that is the case, I have not been able to reproduce it.

Thanks!

2

It is NOT a bug if YOU choose to destroy what should not be destroyed.

You really need to be careful with the scope of what you attack when recursing from the root of C:

I see instances in the latest *.ini of "|*.tmp|RECURSE"

They never seem to get closer to the root of C: than

FileKey1=%AppData%\AOL\C_AOL 9.1|*.tmp|RECURSE

There is no

FileKey2=c:\.|*.tmp|RECURSE

I also think that "\.|*" would probably invalidate any path that includes

\.|*.tmp|RECURSE

3

It is NOT a bug if YOU choose to destroy what should not be destroyed.

You really need to be careful with the scope of what you attack when recursing from the root of C:

I see instances in the latest *.ini of "|*.tmp|RECURSE"

They never seem to get closer to the root of C: than

FileKey1=%AppData%\AOL\C_AOL 9.1|*.tmp|RECURSE

There is no

FileKey2=c:\.|*.tmp|RECURSE

I also think that "\.|*" would probably invalidate any path that includes

\.|*.tmp|RECURSE

I think there is a misunderstanding. Let's begin again. I put this in my winapp2.ini file:

[Temp files (*.tmp)]

Section=Misc. temp files

Default=True

FileKey1=%UserProfile%|*.tmp|RECURSE

This will detect good and bad files:

c:\documents and settings\usr1\desktop\template_file.tmpl <- This hould not be detected as tmp file. It's a template!

c:\documents and settings\usr1\desktop\garbage.tmp <-This is garbage. OK to detect it

I would expect only *.tmp files, but this rule is including *.tmp* files

4

True. Have you noticed this somewhere else than in Winapp2.ini Temp-entry?

5

I understand what the OP is saying and I have to agree

*.tmp should not include *.tmpl nor, in fact, *.tmp6

The developers read every thread, though rarely comment, so I hope this can be fixed in future builds

6

I understand what the OP is saying and I have to agree

*.tmp should not include *.tmpl nor, in fact, *.tmp6

The developers read every thread, though rarely comment, so I hope this can be fixed in future builds

Did you run CCleaner to get *.tmp6 files?

7

I accept Nergals comment, BUT

The original complaint centred around wild card trashing of all targets starting at the root of C:\

and that is the fault of who-ever chooses to do so.

If the complaint is that when *.tmp is attacked then *.tmp_any_extar_letters_etc is also removed

THAT should be the emphasis of the topic.

I still think the problem is the user's fault because this user has created his own extreme WinApp2.ini

On 24/11/2011 I downloaded the published file

there is only ONE instance that includes "%UserProfile%|*"

and that is this line

FileKey2=%UserProfile%|*.gbck

and please note that this does NOT have the danger of RECURSE

There are many other instances of %UserProfile%|" but in each and every instance they are followed by specific names of folders or files and again there is no RECURSE.

I fully accept that if CCleaner includes *.tmp_any_extar_letters_etc as a valid target when *.tmp is used, then this error should be fixed,

by I think the OP is in great danger that when he "corrects" his original mistake to

FileKey1=%UserProfile%|*.tmp|RECURSE

he could still be removing *.tmp files that MANY products (including anti-virus products) stupidly depend upon.

Losing a template is unfortunate.

Losing the system to malware is careless :(

8

Did you run CCleaner to get *.tmp6 files?

no I was making the point of what you said; basically that ccleaner is using old school dos method of only reading the first 3 letters of a files extention, which until recent history, was fine for a windows machine. However more & more people are using 4 letter (& more) extentions (started really with Microsoft having to accept .html & .jpeg files & culminated in Office07 files becoming docx files) I'm sure if you make a file in your location called temp.tmp6 it also will show up. B

that said, in essence, alan_b is correct. Your entry is too sweeping & could cause harm to you pc. In the end it is your choice, but I advise against using it.

Not using it, however, will not solve the issue as the OP posed it. I am not currently on a pc so I have not, as yet, tested it for myself.

9

no I was making the point of what you said; basically that ccleaner is using old school dos method of only reading the first 3 letters of a files extention, which until recent history, was fine for a windows machine. However more & more people are using 4 letter (& more) extentions (started really with Microsoft having to accept .html & .jpeg files & culminated in Office07 files becoming docx files) I'm sure if you make a file in your location called temp.tmp6 it also will show up. B

that said, in essence, alan_b is correct. Your entry is too sweeping & could cause harm to you pc. In the end it is your choice, but I advise against using it.

Not using it, however, will not solve the issue as the OP posed it. I am not currently on a pc so I have not, as yet, tested it for myself.

Yes, absolutely agree. My point was to remark the problem with extensions like *.tmp???, and the rule from c:\ and RECURSE was only for reproducing the problem. I never said the problem was the location of files, but the type of files.

I agree that I can't just run CCleaner and delete whatever it finds. But I know why I created the rule that way. The list of detected items is not very long for me, so I always check it before deleting items. That's how I realized my templates were about to be deleted. (Actually those are templates of WinMerge)

Thanks for considering this issue.

10

When the developers visit this issue it might be appropriate to consider double extensions,

and also not just files but also folders, both of which can legally have one or more extensions.

Count the number of dots in

\amd64_ntprint.inf_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7601.17514_none_9926a270d1526b79\

which is part of the path in my

C:\Windows\winsx\amd64_ntprint.inf_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7601.17514_none_9926a270d1526b79\Amd64

Also please consider

2FE769AFA97E71E8-33-33.inc_27.mrimg

and

#2FE769AFA97E71E8-33-33.inc_27.mrimg.TMP

and

#2FE769AFA97E71E8-33-33.TMP.inc_27.mrimg

and

#2FE769AFA97E71E8-33-33.inc_27.TMP.mrimg

I actually use those file names in my Macrium partition image backup archives,

and the last 3 have "TMP" variations to temporarily retain availability of a Windows Update trashed system that MAY still have individual files of value.

Assume that this rule is used

FileKey2=C:\%APPDATA%\My_Stuff\My_Rules|*.TMP|RECURSE

What SHOULD happen to

C:\%APPDATA%\My_Stuff\My_Rules\A\B\C.D.TMP\etc_etc

C:\%APPDATA%\My_Stuff\My_Rules\E\F\G.TMP.H\etc_etc

C:\%APPDATA%\My_Stuff\My_Rules\J\K\TMP.L.M\etc_etc

Should it all be fair game for the slaughter ?

Should there be additional complexity to allow control over whether a "TMP" rule applies to any dot delimited portion of a multi-dot named folder ?

Please, can I go back the the comfortable safety of the the DOS world of 8 dot 3 format :)

11

This is a problem of the OS. It does indeed go back to the days of 8.3

Anything after 8.3 is fair game, and it's only gonna get worse with .docx or .config

Ahh well, such is the hidden idiocy that pervades modern computing.

12

I am not currently on a pc so I have not, as yet, tested it for myself.

Respect is due to all moderators.

Extreme Reverence is due to one who can post on the forum without using a PC :)

13

Respect is due to all moderators.

Extreme Reverence is due to one who can post on the forum without using a PC :)

Probably using a smart phone :)

14

I've used my phone to post a few times, it's sort of tough :lol:

15

Around 2000 A.D. there were fuel protests that greatly reduced petrol supplies.

So I car shared with a work mate for the last 25 miles to and from work.

He first had 30 miles of motorway before our rendezvous

So I bought a semi-brick sized mobile phone to ensure he could call me should the farmers blockade his motorway.

Trying to compose a text message was a nightmare - I needed a proper keyboard.

I never used that mobile since the fuel protest.

If the Internet goes down I switch on the television :)

16

Respect is due to all moderators.

Extreme Reverence is due to one who can post on the forum without using a PC :)

Probably using a smart phone :)

Close Using my WebOS Tablet :D

17

Bug is still in new version 3.13.1600!!

18

That bump was not nessecary as the developers would first have to confirm that they consider this a "bug" before they would even fix it. On top of that, you reported it at the end of november, why would you think it'd be fixed in the december release (the developers are humans not gods). Also nothing was mentioned in the change log to make me think it would have been fixed in 3.13

•Added IE add-on manager.

•Added Firefox Jumplist Cache cleaning.

•Improved Firefox and Thunderbird cache cleaning.

•Improved Google Chrome Internet History cleaning for typed URLs.

•Improved Google Chrome Canary Saved Form Information cleaning.

•Improved Google Chrome Canary Saved Passwords cleaning.

•Improved Recycle Bin cleaning with symbolic links.

•Improved item exclusion feedback in Registry screen.

•Improved keyboard usability on Intelligent Cookie scan dialog.

•Added support for custom Thunderbird installation.

e.g. CustomLocation1=THUNDERBIRD|C:PortableThunderbirdDataprofile

•Added cleaning for Corel PaintShop Pro X4, Nero Video 11 and Nero Vision 10.

•Improved cleaning for WinRAR, LogMeIn, Office 2003, 2007 and 2010.

•Added Indonesian translation.

Finally I'm removing the word Winapp2.ini from this topic title as to not make me think this issue is in winapp2 every time I reply to the topic ;) (actually it's to make sure other people don't think that as well)

19

I think it's a CCleaner issue, reproducable using winapp2.ini, but not actually a winapp2.ini problem (unless it only happens with winapp2.ini, ie, not with Includes)

would love to hear from a bug fixer/dev on this one.

20

Thanks, we'll look into this.