script for cleaning firefox history items

zetrotrack000 · 11-25-2014, 03:45 PM

Hi
I am trying to create a script which can remove certain terms from firefox history (e.g microsoft, hell etc.). I have created following script:

Code:

#!/bin/bash
sed '/microsoft/gotohell/' /home/<user>/.mozilla/firefox/<profile-dir>/places.sqlite
sed '/oracle/ms-destination/' /home/<user>/.mozilla/firefox/<profile-dir>/places.sqlite
.
.
##Note: This is just an example.

But, if we look inside places.sqlite, it saves entire location of url and removing only one word is looking strange to me. What do you think, am I doing right or how can I make it correct.
Regards

zetrotrack000 · 11-26-2014, 07:18 AM

No answer! thats strange...
One more option is ask 'sed' to delete the entire line which contains the <word>.

Habitual · 11-26-2014, 08:20 AM

Code:

sed -i 'X d' /path/to/file

where X is the offensive line number.
You can find the line number using grep (I'm not that clever with sed, but I guess it can show line numbers also, I just don't know how that's done) as in

Code:

grep <string> /path/to/file -n

then use that line number in the first sed command.

zetrotrack000 · 11-26-2014, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Habitual

Code:

sed -i 'X d' /path/to/file

where X is the offensive line number.
You can find the line number using grep (I'm not that clever with sed, but I guess it can show line numbers also, I just don't know how that's done) as in

Code:

grep <string> /path/to/file -n

then use that line number in the first sed command.

First finding the line number and then giving it to sed, i think this would kill the purpose of the script. I think following command would be better:

Code:

sed -i '/pattern/d' filename

zetrotrack000 · 11-26-2014, 01:47 PM

However, this may cause more problems and currupt places.sqlite as the target word may appear in bookmarks and other items in this file.

syg00 · 11-26-2014, 06:18 PM

Of course you'll corrupt the table. Use sqlite commands - dump the schema to find the fields/key, then the table to see what's in it. Use update or delete as desired.
Can all be scripted, but firefox will need to be inactive else the table will be locked.

Plenty of tutorials online.

zetrotrack000 · 11-27-2014, 11:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by syg00

Of course you'll corrupt the table. Use sqlite commands - dump the schema to find the fields/key, then the table to see what's in it. Use update or delete as desired.
Can all be scripted, but firefox will need to be inactive else the table will be locked.

Plenty of tutorials online.

Hmm... Thanks. lets see what I can do with sqlite commands.