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Bug 315022 - Please provide support for deactivating the trash
Please provide support for deactivating the trash
Status: RESOLVED WONTFIX
Product: nautilus
Classification: Core
Component: Trash
unspecified
Other All
: Normal enhancement
: ---
Assigned To: Nautilus Maintainers
Nautilus Maintainers
: 406837 528983 747345 (view as bug list)
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
 
Reported: 2005-09-01 12:06 UTC by Nikolaus
Modified: 2017-07-17 15:04 UTC
See Also:
GNOME target: ---
GNOME version: Unversioned Enhancement



Description Nikolaus 2005-09-01 12:06:31 UTC
I would like to delete all files immediately, please provide support for this as
well.
Comment 1 Christian Neumair 2005-09-03 21:38:05 UTC
As discussed on mailing list [1,2], it would be nice to have this. Confirming.

From [2]:

I think this is a good idea for Nautilus 2.14. We should really
have 4 deletion/trash operation modes:

I none
II trash only
III delete only
IV trash/delete

only II and IV can be achieved with the current prefs, where II is the
default and IV is used if /apps/nautilus/preferences/enable_delete is
set.

[1] http://mail.gnome.org/archives/nautilus-list/2005-September/msg00001.html
[2] http://mail.gnome.org/archives/nautilus-list/2005-September/msg00004.html
Comment 2 Matthew Paul Thomas (mpt) 2005-09-08 15:51:50 UTC
In the Trash's Properties window:

   Automatically delete items from the Trash:
   [ Never            :^]

Menu items: "Never" (the default), "After 1 year", "After 3 months", "After 
1 month", "After 1 week", "After 1 day", "When logging out", and (satisfying 
comment #0) "Immediately". <http://mail.gnome.org/archives/nautilus-list/
2005-September/msg00054.html>

Comment 3 Christian Neumair 2005-10-03 12:28:10 UTC
Mass changing Nautilus version for bugs that have GNOME 2.13 version info.
Comment 4 Matthew Paul Thomas (mpt) 2005-11-30 16:45:53 UTC
This is a duplicate of bug 149572, if it is decided that that bug's 
"Immediately" option is the appropriate design for immediate deletion.
Comment 5 Christian Neumair 2006-02-25 21:07:51 UTC
Missed 2.14 feature/UI freeze, remilestoning to 2.16.
Comment 6 Christian Neumair 2006-02-26 08:56:19 UTC
Bug 138058 demands for asking the user to empty the volume trash when he unmounts a volume. Maybe this can be combined with the metadata system (which is NOT volume specific ATM) to ensure that the trash is emptied every few weeks or so.
Comment 7 Cosimo Cecchi 2008-01-29 20:30:11 UTC
*** Bug 406837 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
Comment 8 Cosimo Cecchi 2008-04-23 09:51:47 UTC
*** Bug 528983 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
Comment 9 Ron Washnik 2008-05-23 18:49:27 UTC
I don't understand why this bug has been outstanding for so long. There should be a simple option to disable Trash functionality completely and just have files deleted, PERIOD. This bug has been open for almost 3 years! It windows it's trivial to right-click the recycle bin and disable it. Let's get this fixed already. PLEASE.

Comment 10 Baptiste Mille-Mathias 2008-05-23 18:55:08 UTC
(In reply to comment #9)
> I don't understand why this bug has been outstanding for so long. There should
> be a simple option to disable Trash functionality completely and just have
> files deleted, PERIOD. This bug has been open for almost 3 years! It windows
> it's trivial to right-click the recycle bin and disable it. Let's get this
> fixed already. PLEASE.
> 

if it's so easy, why don't you fix it ?
Most people are working on their spare-time, so please avoid such comment.

Thanks 
Comment 11 Vitaly Polonetsky 2008-10-06 20:54:22 UTC
Actually exactly what you want is already enabled with
/apps/nautilus/preferences/enable_delete
configuration key (checkbox also exists in my nautilus preferences dialog).

The only thing you probably miss is Windows-like behavior where SHIFT-DELETE is replaced with DELETE keyboard key and used to delete the file instead of moving it to the Trash.

Look at this guide:

http://www.rolfs.no/2007/11/19/how-do-you-disable-the-ctrlt-%E2%80%98move-to-trash%E2%80%99-keyboard-shortcut-in-gnomenautilus/

It's about another shourtcut key, BUT after enabling the config of (.../enable_delete) you can replace the default SHIFT-DELETE with just DELETE key (follow the guide and press DELETE twice: once to delete the previous key and second time to set the key itself).
After that, pressing delete on any file/folder will bring the delete confirmation dialog, after accepting it the selected items will be deleted permanently.
Comment 12 robbertvandendoorn 2008-10-21 20:06:06 UTC
It'd be really nice to have a option to place a checkmark to disable the trash.
Comment 13 Emmanuel Fleury 2008-12-08 18:49:52 UTC
I think that comment #2 really makes sense. 

This should be added as an option of the trash folder (plus having the ability to change the behavior of the trash when using Shift+del switching from 'Post-poned delete' to 'Immediate delete' if 'Post-poned delete' is the default and the opposite if 'Immediate delete' is the default).
Comment 14 Matt 2009-09-28 12:48:58 UTC
Using: Gnome 2.28

Like others, I don't use the Trash/Wastebasket - I am always certain when I want to delete something. However, it is too easy to accidentally tap the delete key on the keyboard, so I don't want to reassign the key to 'delete permanently', just disable it.

Unfortunately, the 'editable shortcuts' approach doesn't work - the Delete key still sends files to the Trash/Wastebasket, even when there is no keyboard shortcut in the edit menu.

With this in mind, the Delete key should at least be a standard editable shortcut so it can be disabled entirely.
Comment 15 António Fernandes 2013-03-13 16:45:36 UTC
Bug 149572, as mentioned in comment #4, has been fixed. The new Privacy Settings include an option to "Automatically Purge Trash" after a given time. The purge time can be set to "Immediately".

Should Nautilus change any behavior or UI when this option is set?
Comment 16 Cosimo Cecchi 2013-03-19 08:24:26 UTC
(In reply to comment #15)
> Bug 149572, as mentioned in comment #4, has been fixed. The new Privacy
> Settings include an option to "Automatically Purge Trash" after a given time.
> The purge time can be set to "Immediately".
> 
> Should Nautilus change any behavior or UI when this option is set?

I think so, but I'd like for the Settings option to be more explicit about the trash being disabled.
In that case basically the sidebar item should be hidden, and the Trash action behave as Delete.
Comment 17 Alexandre Franke 2015-06-08 16:00:37 UTC
*** Bug 747345 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
Comment 18 Pavel Sklenak 2017-07-12 09:19:14 UTC
Would it be possible to add option for disabling trash for removable devices only?
Comment 19 Carlos Soriano 2017-07-12 17:41:47 UTC
Hello,

Option to directly delete is available in preferences, so I don't see much sense on disabling the trash, and as always, adding an option is the last resort.

Closing for now.
Comment 20 Pavel Sklenak 2017-07-17 14:21:06 UTC
Ok, I will not object about that, yet imho there is a problem with usability.
Imagine removable drive formatted as VFAT for OS compatibility. I delete a file with Nautilus to a) free some space/ b) remove "sensitive" documents. 
Ad a - space is still occupied so although it is still annoying, I will likely realize my mistake. 
Ad b - I share the flash with another person using another OS. What about the magic .Trash folder? Is the file shown in trash on the target OS? How about my sensitive documents? Note that .Trash folder doesn't appear immediately after delete action.

Maybe "Disable Trash for removable drives" is a sensible default, even without a preferences option? Or perhaps refresh & show up .Trash folder immediately? Or yet another solution, I don't mind.

PS: I understand that truly sensitive documents may deserve another treatment. Sure, it may be also handled by Nautilus, but I understand that it would be a too wild dream.
Comment 21 Carlos Soriano 2017-07-17 15:04:49 UTC
(In reply to Pavel Sklenak from comment #20)
> Ok, I will not object about that, yet imho there is a problem with usability.
> Imagine removable drive formatted as VFAT for OS compatibility. I delete a
> file with Nautilus to a) free some space/ b) remove "sensitive" documents. 
> Ad a - space is still occupied so although it is still annoying, I will
> likely realize my mistake. 
> Ad b - I share the flash with another person using another OS. What about
> the magic .Trash folder? Is the file shown in trash on the target OS? How
> about my sensitive documents? Note that .Trash folder doesn't appear
> immediately after delete action.
> 
> Maybe "Disable Trash for removable drives" is a sensible default, even
> without a preferences option? Or perhaps refresh & show up .Trash folder
> immediately? Or yet another solution, I don't mind.
> 
> PS: I understand that truly sensitive documents may deserve another
> treatment. Sure, it may be also handled by Nautilus, but I understand that
> it would be a too wild dream.

We can try to explain better and communicate with the UI that your files are not really gone until the trash is emptied, I agree.