History OFF dumps tons of cache images/data to getExternalCacheDir()

[alpenamilch]

Checklist

• [X] I made sure that there are no existing issues - open or closed - which I could contribute my information to.
• [X] I have read the FAQ and my problem isn't listed.
• [X] I'm aware that this is a request for NewPipe itself and that requests for adding a new service need to be made at NewPipeExtractor.
• [X] I have taken the time to fill in all the required details. I understand that the feature request will be dismissed otherwise.
• [X] This issue contains only one feature request.
• [X] I have read and understood the contribution guidelines.

Feature description

At the moment even with history OFF, tons of thumbnails/other video-data is dumped togetExternalCacheDir(). This is usually STORAGE/Android/data/org.schabi.newpipe. See This is accessible easily on an unlocked phone.

One possibility is to replace this

--- a/app/src/main/java/org/schabi/newpipe/player/helper/PlayerDataSource.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/schabi/newpipe/player/helper/PlayerDataSource.java
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ public class PlayerDataSource {

     private static void instantiateCacheIfNeeded(final Context context) {
         if (cache == null) {
-            final File cacheDir = new File(context.getExternalCacheDir(), CACHE_FOLDER_NAME);
+            final File cacheDir = new File(context.getCacheDir(), CACHE_FOLDER_NAME);
             if (DEBUG) {
                 Log.d(TAG, "instantiateCacheIfNeeded: cacheDir = " + cacheDir.getAbsolutePath());
             }

This would mean instead of using /data/ - this is not easily accessible.

• Alternatively, use an aggressive cache remove https://developer.android.com/training/data-storage/app-specific#external-cache-remove after playing as an option.
• I am not sure how/where/what to do this. Or if this happens already. (Sorry)

Why do you want this feature?

Privacy for viewer

Additional information

My idea would be

• In the hamburger menu (left side) there is an incognito mode (in addition to Trending, subscriptions, WhatsNewm Bookmarks, Downloads
• Once the user click on that incognito
• One gets may be a clean view (and all those others disappear)
• Now, anything search/view/play - is totally not cached/temp
• Exit incognito. May be then it uses ExternalCacheStorage
• 

[opusforlife2]

You could clear the app cache from the History menu after you're done using Newpipe?

[alpenamilch]

Yes, I do agree. That is a good idea. Usually I go and clear everything from App->Info-> Clear all.

What I observe is that: I now have "Watch History" disabled - This gives a feeling I am in incognito but things are dumped to disk.

[opusforlife2]

I suppose we could have a setting below the Clear Cache button to "Always clear cache upon exiting Newpipe", or something to that effect.

[SameenAhnaf]

How is it different from https://github.com/TeamNewPipe/NewPipe/issues/2338?

[opusforlife2]

The entire point of opening this issue is that cache data is being left behind despite history being off.

That issue is merely asking for a GUI convenience feature. This one is asking to tighten up data privacy.

[alpenamilch]

by dev nulling the cache directory)

Which phone? In phones with 1-2 RAM, I have found not having cache directory causes the device to freeze a lot. (I mean works great on a > 8 GB RAM phone but...)

[alpenamilch]

Try it on a Android Go device with 2GB eMMC - example Nokia 1.3 or Nokia 1.4 . If not using externalCacheDir - it dumps everything in /data/data or somewhere like that - this place is already having lots of things.

3 gig old device

like a flagship?

[alpenamilch]

You are correct. I did not think of /dev/null from linux.

I thought you were talking about developers nulling it in builds or something like that. Is it not possible to replace the getExternalCacheDir by /dev/null in code?

final File cacheDir = new File(context.getExternalCacheDir(), CACHE_FOLDER_NAME);