print history... feature or problem?

I was just shown that my computer is keeping track of my print history - a list of all my completed print jobs. It appears to be possible to reprint them but the instructions I found online aren't working. Also, it's possible to disable the maintaining of this history, but I've only found the terminal command for it (in cupsctl, an UNDOCUMENTED switch) and the instructions were last seen for 10.5. It may be the case that you have to get into terminal now to edit cups.conf to manually set the switch as the cupsctl may not even be able to do it anymore.

This took me rather by surprise, I didn't believe that my computer was keeping a history of my printing. Seems like a major problem that will freak out those that do things like clearing or disabling browser cookies or clearing their web cache / deleting browser history. What you print I'd think would fall into the same privacy category. Browse to get info, print it off, clear cookies and history... but LOOK at what you left behind!

Discussion?

Originally Posted By: Virtual1

I was just shown that my computer is keeping track of my print history - a list of all my completed print jobs.

First, where do we find it on our own machines?

The next question is whether or not that history is eradicated when the printing system is reset.

On my computer, MacOS 10.12.5 / Safari v10.1.1, I am unable to access either localhost or 127.0.0.0 port 631 to get to the CUPS embedded http page.

I have used both paths in the past successfully on earlier versions.

Same configuration as yours, and I just accessed http://localhost:631 successfully.

Jobs > Show Completed Jobs had eight entries, all like

Code:

ID	Name	User	Size	Pages	State	Control
Canon_LBP6000_LBP6018-248 	Unknown 	Withheld 	3385k 	Unknown 	completed at
Sat Jul 1 04:57:14 2017

but no useful info.

I was able to access http://localhost:631 (note: printer must be "on"), but it took me to the CUPS Home page. Info about the non-profit organization.

The only items that seem to be related to my printerâ€”Administration, Printersâ€”were disabled, but there was a command shown that would turn on web page viewing of these resources.

Originally Posted By: Ira L

I was able to access http://localhost:631 (note: printer must be "on"), but it took me to the CUPS Home page. Info about the non-profit organization.

The only items that seem to be related to my printerâ€”Administration, Printersâ€”were disabled, but there was a command shown that would turn on web page viewing of these resources.

I've accessed that URL with my printer off more than once.

I forget exactly what I did, but I think I turned on web page viewing and got to this, but as I said, no useful info.

I'm going to guess that in my case it might be because I have no CUPS drivers in the batting order for any/all of the printers I have enabled.....ALL have drivers from their respective manufacturer(s). So no system call to run CUPSd?

Originally Posted By: MacManiac

I'm going to guess that in my case it might be because I have no CUPS drivers in the batting order for any/all of the printers I have enabled.....ALL have drivers from their respective manufacturer(s). So no system call to run CUPSd?

I"ve got only one printer, my Canon, and its driver came directly from Canon.

I have two printers that utilize CUPS and I can't get to the CUPS system. I can't even connect to localhost by name or by IP addressâ“

Originally Posted By: Virtual1

I was just shown that my computer is keeping track of my print history - a list of all my completed print jobs. It appears to be possible to reprint them but the instructions I found online aren't working. Also, it's possible to disable the maintaining of this history, but I've only found the terminal command for it (in cupsctl, an UNDOCUMENTED switch) and the instructions were last seen for 10.5. It may be the case that you have to get into terminal now to edit cups.conf to manually set the switch as the cupsctl may not even be able to do it anymore.

This took me rather by surprise, I didn't believe that my computer was keeping a history of my printing. Seems like a major problem that will freak out those that do things like clearing or disabling browser cookies or clearing their web cache / deleting browser history. What you print I'd think would fall into the same privacy category. Browse to get info, print it off, clear cookies and history... but LOOK at what you left behind!

Discussion?

I just updated Tinker Tool System and noticed that, under the Misc tab, you can opt out of retaining print job history and also enable web interface of printing system..

Originally Posted By: jchuzi

I just updated Tinker Tool System and noticed that, under the Misc tab, you can opt out of retaining print job history and also enable web interface of printing system..

I have Marcel Bresink's TinkerTool System 5.6 (Build 170630) which according to the app and the web site is the latest version and there is no Misc Tab. In fact the apps search bar reports no tab beginning with Mi. What version are you using and where are you finding it?

I just updated to TTS 5.6. Misc can be found via the System tab. I apologize for not making that clear.

Originally Posted By: jchuzi

I just updated to TTS 5.6. Misc can be found via the System tab. I apologize for not making that clear.

The tabs under TTP 5.6 > System are

Volumes
Screen
Preference Panes
Permissions

I still canâ€™t find Misc.

I wonder if this is an artifact of High Sierra? Iâ€™ll ask Mercel Bresink

In Sierra, the tabs are:

Drives, Volumes, Spotlight, Network, Screen, Preference Panes, Permissions, Misc.

Iâ€™ll let you know what I hear from Marcel on this.

Originally Posted By: Marcel Bresink

Yes, this will be a standard feature if you run TinkerTool System with a supported operating system (Mac OS X 10.6 to macOS 10.12).

â€¦<snip>â€¦

Running TinkerTool System with beta operating systems will not give you the full feature
set. Preview versions of macOS 10.13 are products under development which will change
their feature sets almost every week. It does not make sense to adapt a system utility
such as TinkerTool System with the same speed, because this might only have a lifetime
of a few days.

This setting may or may not be re-added later. It is Apple's policy not to disclose all
details of unreleased systems up to the official publication date. This is planned to
be in fall 2017. TinkerTool System 5 is planned to officially support the completed
macOS 10.13 on the same date.

For more information, please also see the chapter "Release Notes" in the reference
manual of TinkerTool System, or page 229 of the printable version, respectively.

So apparently I can look forward your additional functions appearing in TinkerTool System for High Sierra at some point in the future â€” or not.

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/6838922

and that's how to do it. apparently job retention is off by default. Buy default only the destination printer, job size, and date printed are retained.