Q: Disable autosave

Count me in with the rest of you. I don't really have anything to add to what's already been said about why this is such a bad idea, only that I agree with it all. I've sent Apple feedback (through this form) and I would urge those of you who haven't already to do so.

All I want is to OPTION to not use it, and if Apple can't or won't provide me with it, then they've lost a customer and a fan.

I don't know how to disable of the AutoSave feature but I know the way to get rid of the versions files.

Here it is :

--{code}

--[SCRIPT deleteRevisions]

my deleteRevisions(path to startup disk as text)

-- my deleteRevisions("Aluice-500-Lion:")

on deleteRevisions(leVolume)

          local leDossier, cheminUnix

          set leDossier to leVolume & ".DocumentRevisions-V100:"

          set cheminUnix to quoted form of POSIX path of leDossier

  --  do shell script "stat -F " & cheminUnix

  --> "d--x--x--x 7 root wheel 238 Aug  7 11:21:07 2011 /.DocumentRevisions-V100//"

  do shell script "chmod 700 " & cheminUnix with administrator privileges

  --  do shell script "stat -F " & cheminUnix

  --> "drwx------ 7 root wheel 238 Aug  7 15:47:00 2011 /.DocumentRevisions-V100//"

  do shell script "rm -dfr " & cheminUnix with administrator privileges

  --> ""

end deleteRevisions

--=====

--[/SCRIPT]

--{code}

Run it to delete the folder ".DocumentRevisions-V100:"

As is, it apply to the startup volume.

The disabled instruction at top show a simple way to apply to an other volume.

I guess that somebody will be able to encapsulate it in a shutdown action.

Yvan KOENIG (VALLAURIS, France) dimanche 7 août 2011 22:21:56

iMac 21”5, i7, 2.8 GHz, 4 Gbytes, 1 Tbytes, mac OS X 10.6.8 and 10.7.0

My iDisk is : <http://public.me.com/koenigyvan>

Please : Search for questions similar to your own before submitting them to the community

To be the AW6 successor, iWork MUST integrate a TRUE DB, not a list organizer !

Here is an other script which may be opened on Startup.

--{code}

--[SCRIPT deleteApplicationsState]

set leDossier to (path to library folder from user domain as text) & "Saved Application State:"

set cheminUnix to quoted form of POSIX path of leDossier

do shell script "chmod 700 " & cheminUnix --with administrator privileges"

do shell script "rm -dfr " & cheminUnix --with administrator privileges

--> ""

--=====

--[/SCRIPT]

--{code}

As it delete the folder "Saved Application State",

the system will be unable to restore old Applications state.

Yvan KOENIG (VALLAURIS, France) dimanche 7 août 2011 22:44:34

iMac 21”5, i7, 2.8 GHz, 4 Gbytes, 1 Tbytes, mac OS X 10.6.8 and 10.7.0

My iDisk is : <http://public.me.com/koenigyvan>

Please : Search for questions similar to your own before submitting them to the community

To be the AW6 successor, iWork MUST integrate a TRUE DB, not a list organizer !

I enabled the root user with Directory Utility, logged into Terminal as root and did a

cd /

rm -Rf .DocumentRevisions-V100

since the it seems that I got rid of versions.

However, for apps supporting auto save it looks like new documents (that never have been saved before) get stored in ~/Library/<app specific folder>/Data/Library/Autosave Information/<untitled doc name>

So I suggest to get rid of applications supporting autosave until Apple makes this feature an optional one...

KOENIG Yvan wrote:

 

I don't know how to disable of the AutoSave feature but I know the way to get rid of the versions files.

 

I found a way to get rid of autosave and versions in two steps:

1) trash lion - and apple's muted thought process

2) go back to linux or ms

RegimeChanger

I found a way to get rid of autosave and versions in two steps:

1) trash lion - and apple's muted thought process

2) go back to linux or ms

It is enough (for now) to roll back to Snow Laopard. If Apple does not provide options to disable autosave (and to restore expose and spaces in my case) don't buy a Mac anymore and switch to MS or Linux.

Correction to my previous post (path in ~/Library):

I enabled the root user with Directory Utility, logged into Terminal as root and did a

cd /

rm -Rf .DocumentRevisions-V100

since the it seems that I got rid of versions.

However, for apps supporting auto save it looks like new documents (that never have been saved before) get stored in ~/Library/Containers/<app specific folder>/Data/Library/Autosave Information/<untitled doc name>

So I suggest to get rid of applications supporting autosave until Apple makes this feature an optional one...

Regarding RegimeChanger:

Currentlty I am considering going back to Snow Leopard or going Linux but not MS...

OK Yvan and Markus - brilliant work for those of us (like me) who are lost in terminal and scared of doing something wrong. You've found a way to kill Versions and Autosave? A little more work on that to make it into a simple package and I would be willing to *pay for it* !

@luca & all

if you prefer to automatically delete all the autosave stuff instead of typing termincal commands you can create a script and execute it every X minutes setting up a crontab file.

Cron in Mac OS works a little different from Unix or Linux, but if you create a crontab for the root user it should work.

Here's the steps:

1. sudo to root

2. type  crontab -e  (this opens a vi session)

3. type i to start edit/insert mode

4. add something like

    */30 * * * * /path/to/your/script   (this executes your script every 30 minutes, you can run it every hour or every minute if you like)

5. save the file (ESC : w q enter ) and you should get confirmation message your crontab was changed

check with crontab -l that the system has kept your changes.

I hope this helps

Stefano

"I think if you learn more about how AutoSave and Versions work you might see how useful and powerful it can be. I realize you want to be able to have more control over the features, and I agree that would be a good thing, but as they are now I can see how they might not seem very useful until you learn how to work them into your workflow." (Quoted)

Who can decide for us what is good for our workflow? We even have different needs for different tasks at different times.

This is only a good thing if it is optional.

That is the great mistake done by Apple: They believe that "average" users should be catered to by sparing them the effort to learn how to operate a computer.

But if true user-friendliness is the first priority, then options all over must be the order of the day. Dumbing down tools does not make them better tools.

We need options. We need the options to turn features on and off, and we need more configurability all over the system.

We need and want computers with copyable, installable software which is not dependent on web services in order to be installed, re-installed and run.

I think we all have to make these things very clear to Apple.

Are you aware of this old Apple rule ?

++-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-++

Apple Human Interface Guidelines:

Apply the 80 Percent Solution

During the design process, if you discover problems with your product design, you might consider applying the 80 percent solution‚ that is, designing your software to meet the needs of at least 80 percent of your users. This type of design typically favors simpler, more elegant approaches to problems.

If you try to design for the 20 percent of your target audience who are power users, your design may not be usable by the other 80 percent of users. Even though that smaller group of power users is likely to have good ideas for features, the majority of your user base may not think in the same way. Involving a broad range of users in your design process can help you find the 80 percent solution.

+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

I guess that you aren't in the targetted 80%, no less, no more.

In such case you must live with it or leave it.

Yvan KOENIG (VALLAURIS, France) lundi 8 août 2011 17:52:45

iMac 21”5, i7, 2.8 GHz, 4 Gbytes, 1 Tbytes, mac OS X 10.6.8 and 10.7.0

My iDisk is : <http://public.me.com/koenigyvan>

Please : Search for questions similar to your own before submitting them to the community

To be the AW6 successor, iWork MUST integrate a TRUE DB, not a list organizer !

Quotation:

++-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-++

Apple Human Interface Guidelines:

Apply the 80 Percent Solution

During the design process, if you discover problems with your product design, you might consider applying the 80 percent solution‚ that is, designing your software to meet the needs of at least 80 percent of your users. This type of design typically favors simpler, more elegant approaches to problems.

If you try to design for the 20 percent of your target audience who are power users, your design may not be usable by the other 80 percent of users. Even though that smaller group of power users is likely to have good ideas for features, the majority of your user base may not think in the same way. Involving a broad range of users in your design process can help you find the 80 percent solution.

+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

"I guess that you aren't in the targetted 80%, no less, no more.

In such case you must live with it or leave it."

Comment to the above:

That reasoning is faulty. More elegant solutions does not in the least preclude options and choice. Dumbing down working tools is highy disingenious - since less functionality is the inevitable result and professionals all over the world have a need for a better system. My reason for choosing some Apple products was the reliable function that results from an incomparably good hardware/software interaction as well as the excellent screens on the MacBook Pro and iMac 27"-models. However, if Apple OS X continues to sacrifize function and choice in the name of a dubious simplicity Linux will stand out as an attractive alternative. It should not be so - for Apple users.

Seriously, in all areas of life lack of training and competence is to be remedied by learning more - not trying to eliminate the need for knowledge.

Lastly, it is a mistaken assumption that those 80% will not learn more and gradually become more proficient users with more advanced needs. Apple is encouraged to plan accordingly, and provide options and choice for those who have progressed.

About the 20% and 80%.

My (humble) opinion is that probably the skilled 20% of users buy 50% of Apple products. I would consider very shortsight to unplease these users.

Since 2005 I bought 1 iBook, 1 iMac, 1 MB, 3 MBP, 2 iPods, 1 Apple TV, 1 Mac Mini, 1 iPad and 3 iPhones. I believe I am not the only one.

Just use the "Duplicate" as you would "Save As".  Duplicate the doc and save it where you want it.