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Library
#60637 01/20/22 10:20 PM
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I was looking for something in Messages and went to the Finder and typed in ~/Library/Messages under go to folder and it said "the folder can't be found"! Also, when I click on the chat.db file, I get the message: There is no application set to open the document chat.db.

What gives?


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Re: Library
plantsower #60639 01/20/22 11:50 PM
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My 10.15.7 finds ~/Library/Messages...no problems. (I thought you made you user library visible long ago?)

chat.db is a database file that's in code, not English, and there's no reason for you to be opening it. (How did you get to chat.db if you couldn't even get to the folder it's enclosed in?)


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Re: Library
plantsower #60640 01/21/22 12:11 AM
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Your search attempt was doomed to failure.

For one thing chat.db is a SQLite database file unreadable outside of SQLite. There are three files in any SQLite database .db-wal, .db-shm, and .db and you have to have open all three with SQLite in order to extract any meaningful content from any one of the three. There are numerous SQLite database files used throughout equally numerous macOS apps and utilities. So files with the .db extension can belong to Photos, Music, webkit, Weather, Safari, as well as dozens of other third party applications. Safari alone has three or four .db databases. Therefore there is no way for Finder to determine which application any given .db file belongs to, so it doesn't even attempt to open anything.

QUESTION? Why didn't you use the search function in Messages?

As far as why Go To Folder… would not open ~/Library/Messages, my suspicion would be a typographical error.


If we knew what it was we were doing, it wouldn't be called research, would it?

— Albert Einstein
Re: Library
artie505 #60642 01/21/22 02:18 AM
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Originally Posted by artie505
My 10.15.7 finds ~/Library/Messages...no problems. (I thought you made you user library visible long ago?) I did.

chat.db is a database file that's in code, not English, and there's no reason for you to be opening it. (How did you get to chat.db if you couldn't even get to the folder it's enclosed in?)
I knew you were going to ask that. I went to my home folder in Finder, clicked on Library and then Messages. Message in Library

Under Archive on that same window it shows 8 random chats in 2022 and one in 2021. The last time I accessed old chats there were tons of them. I text a lot so there should have been more. The first time I accessed them, (not sure how I did that), I saw there were so many that I started deleting them to clean up. I got bored and stopped doing it as there were so many. I haven't been able to find that page again. The random chats showed 1 on 2/19/22. I was looking for one on 2/19/22 to prove something to someone about that they said but it wasn't included. frown


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Re: Library
joemikeb #60643 01/21/22 02:22 AM
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QUESTION? Why didn't you use the search function in Messages? I just did after you said that but didn't get what I wanted.

As far as why Go To Folder… would not open ~/Library/Messages, my suspicion would be a typographical error. [/quote]

Nope, I rechecked after you said that, but it's typed purrfecktlee.


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Re: Library
plantsower #60645 01/21/22 09:21 AM
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Originally Posted by plantsower
[quote=artie505]My 10.15.7 finds ~/Library/Messages...no problems. (I thought you made you user library visible long ago?)
Originally Posted by plantsower
I did.
Then why were you wasting your time with "Go To...?

Originally Posted by plantsower
Under Archive on that same window it shows 8 random chats in 2022 and one in 2021. The last time I accessed old chats there were tons of them. I text a lot so there should have been more. The first time I accessed them, (not sure how I did that), I saw there were so many that I started deleting them to clean up. I got bored and stopped doing it as there were so many. I haven't been able to find that page again. The random chats showed 1 on 2/19/22. I was looking for one on 2/19/22 to prove something to someone about that they said but it wasn't included. frown
Why are you deleting messages from anywhere but inside Messages.app?
Also, what's your setting in Messages > Prefs > General > Keep messages: ...?


The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.

In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
Re: Library
plantsower #60646 01/21/22 09:24 AM
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Originally Posted by plantsower
Nope, I rechecked after you said that, but it's typed purrfecktlee.
NEVER allow your cat to do your typing for you! Everyone knows cats can't spell, and you probably missed the typo. tongue


The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.

In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
Re: Library
artie505 #60650 01/21/22 08:15 PM
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Originally Posted by artie505
Originally Posted by plantsower
[quote=artie505]My 10.15.7 finds ~/Library/Messages...no problems. (I thought you made you user library visible long ago?)
Originally Posted by plantsower
I did.
Then why were you wasting your time with "Go To...? Because it's my go to first.

Originally Posted by plantsower
Under Archive on that same window it shows 8 random chats in 2022 and one in 2021. The last time I accessed old chats there were tons of them. I text a lot so there should have been more. The first time I accessed them, (not sure how I did that), I saw there were so many that I started deleting them to clean up. I got bored and stopped doing it as there were so many. I haven't been able to find that page again. The random chats showed 1 on 2/19/22. I was looking for one on 2/19/22 to prove something to someone about that they said but it wasn't included. frown
Why are you deleting messages from anywhere but inside Messages.app? Because I stumbled upon them while getting rid of excess stuff.
Also, what's your setting in Messages > Prefs > General > Keep messages: ...?
Keep one year. I deleted some of those recently and it hasn't been a year since I received most of them, so I don't know where the balance went. I do delete from Messages, but I also know I can go back and see old messages. It just doesn't always work. I was able in the past to look up old Messages via EasyFind. It didn't work this time.


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Re: Library
artie505 #60651 01/21/22 08:18 PM
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Re: Library
plantsower #60652 01/21/22 09:06 PM
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Originally Posted by plantsower
Did you try to use an emoji in this post?

You can see them when you preview your reply, but then they disappear when you post it.


The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.

In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
Re: Library
artie505 #60653 01/21/22 09:09 PM
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Yes, a cat. So, it puts it's own emoji up instead? mad
Originally Posted by artie505
Originally Posted by plantsower
Did you try to use an emoji in this post?

You can see them when you preview your reply, but then they disappear when you post it.


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Re: Library
plantsower #60654 01/21/22 09:24 PM
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Originally Posted by plantsower
Yes, a cat. So, it puts it's own emoji up instead? mad
Originally Posted by artie505
Originally Posted by plantsower
Did you try to use an emoji in this post?

You can see them when you preview your reply, but then they disappear when you post it.
Worse!

It puts up an empty space. That's what led me to guess that you used an emoji.

The FTM Smilies work, but, of course, the devs weren't sophisticated enough to have included a cat. tongue laugh


The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.

In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
Re: Library
artie505 #60655 01/21/22 11:49 PM
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OK, thanks for the heads up. Hope I don't forget.

Originally Posted by artie505
Originally Posted by plantsower
Yes, a cat. So, it puts it's own emoji up instead? mad
Originally Posted by artie505
Originally Posted by plantsower
Did you try to use an emoji in this post?

You can see them when you preview your reply, but then they disappear when you post it.
Worse!

It puts up an empty space. That's what led me to guess that you used an emoji.

The FTM Smilies work, but, of course, the devs weren't sophisticated enough to have included a cat. tongue laugh


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Re: Library
plantsower #60657 01/22/22 04:44 PM
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For What It Is Worth

This is new behavior with emojis and some of them still work. I have attempted to discern why some emojis work as expected and there don't, but so far I have not conclusively determined any pattern in the failures. My suspicion is it is the 32 bit characters that are causing the failure. Of course that leaves why they work in Preview but not when posted. confused


If we knew what it was we were doing, it wouldn't be called research, would it?

— Albert Einstein
Re: Library
joemikeb #60658 01/22/22 06:32 PM
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MYSTERY!!

Originally Posted by joemikeb
For What It Is Worth

This is new behavior with emojis and some of them still work. I have attempted to discern why some emojis work as expected and there don't, but so far I have not conclusively determined any pattern in the failures. My suspicion is it is the 32 bit characters that are causing the failure. Of course that leaves why they work in Preview but not when posted. confused


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