Is it bad to keep erasing files from hard drive...

[MikeB]

I am making an application where users are able to file share through ftp. Some of the user preferences are text files that get loaded into computer, than deleted. This happens often, is it bad to have files being downloaded into a users computer than being deleted the second they are loaded by list /edit objects. I use the live receiver object to load directly into some objects, but when using the list object, the live receiver dumps all the text in one line, and I need to seperate the lines in order for data to read correctly within the program, i.e. password data.

I was just wondering if operating the application this way is safe?

[00J]

The computer's hard drive is constantly updating and writing data to itself without your control. Hard drives today are made to do this, as long as they stay cool, there should be no problem.

Now they can eventually fail, but I haven't personally had that happen in years. [knock on computer case]... [laugh]

Ps

I also rarely turn off my computer, it runs 24-7, unless a power failure occurs. No issues.

[droberson]

I'm not quite sure if I fully understand but here goes. If you are downloading text files there are a couple of issues to consider.

1. Does the text contain sensitive information?

You stated passwords. Big problem. Even if you delete the file from the hard drive "its is still there". Someone with access to the system could recover the deleted file.

2. Are you downloading or sharing of binary data files like exe, image, movie etc...?

Again a big problem. Virus, spyware and other programs could be passed along. The "second" it takes to delete is more than enought time for some virus programs to damage the system or infect it. I seen it happen at a company where I was installing a ERP system. One virus came in via the internet and took out 10 pc's in less than a second in the sales department. The IT manager lost his job.

3. Is this over a network where using a network troubleshooting software could record and get access to the data file.

Again someone could be listening and recording. If passwords are included big problem.

Possible solution:
You could encript the file before sending and unencript within your program when you read it in.

[Bornemix]

What do you mean by "safe" though?

Judging by your topic, it seems yuo want to know if deleting files is bad for your harddrive.

It really differs from model to model, I guess, but I can contribute by saying that files that are deleted aren't really "deleted" (as in "erased"), but they are flagged as available space for new files.

Thus, deleting a 2GB file does not create a bigger "load" on your harddrive than deleting a 2KB file.

If you would like to keep it from being "undeleted", then just output a bunch of 0's or spaces into the file before deleting it ie. flagging it as available disk space.

[Bornemix]

What do you mean by "safe" though?

Judging by your topic, it seems yuo want to know if deleting files is bad for your harddrive.

It really differs from model to model, I guess, but I can contribute by saying that files that are deleted aren't really "deleted" (as in "erased"), but they are flagged as available space for new files.

Thus, deleting a 2GB file does not create a bigger "load" on your harddrive than deleting a 2KB file.

If you would like to keep it from being "undeleted" (ie. unflagging it to bring it back), then just output a bunch of 0's or spaces into the file before deleting it ie. flagging it as available disk space.

[Dynasoft]

If you use MMF's expression for getting a temporary file name, and don't write more than once every few minutes, you won't damage the disk.
I've killed a disk before by a rogue program that continuously accessed a file, but it really does have to be continuously to cause damage.
"Temporary files" are treated slightly differently by Windows, it doesn't write them to disk instantly like other files. You can still see them and read from them as if they were on the disk, but if they're deleted not long after being created they never end up actually on the disk at all.

[MikeB]

Thanks for the information. Droberson, the passwords are loaded into an edit object from the live receiver extension (the edit object is hidden), so fortuntely, they are never downloaded into the computer. The user preferences, are downloaded from a directory off the webserver, onto the computer, where there settings are loaded, then the file is quickly deleted. Non-secure data only (color preferences / sharing option / etc ) I would love to have it where all the data comes directly from the live receiver, but the problem is when it loads into a list object, everything is loaded into one line. Each line is important because it divides the data that is needed to be read in order to work properly. Anyone have suggestions on a way to separate the text into lines?

-Mike

[droberson]

I'm unclear on the file format you are downloading but...

1. Convert the download file to a XML file and use XML Parser object.

2. Try to use the String Parser object to tear apart the string.

3. Add a special delimiter like a comma to the download file and use String Parser.

Some ideas.