This note explains what the Folder Sweep part of the MacPrefect extension does when the Macintosh starts up or is restarted.
The Folder Sweep part is configured using the Folder Sweep tool from the MacPrefect Control application. You can choose to have it remove files and folders from two places on your Startup disk; the Wastebasket, a top-level folder, both or neither. If you choose both then files in the Wastebasket are processed first.
• The Wastebasket:
If Folder Sweep is running under System 6 then Folder Sweep will not process files in the Wastebasket because the Finder empties it itself at well defined times. Files in the Wastebasket will only be processed on machines running System 7 or later.
- If you configured Folder Sweep to empty the Wastebasket then all files and folders will be deleted from here, REGARDLESS of whether they are locked.
- If you wanted Folder Sweep to stop when a certain amount of space becomes free then files will be removed one by one in order of modification date (oldest first). This will continue until the target has been reached or the Wastebasket is empty. When it cannot delete any more files it then removes any empty folders.
• The Top-level Folder:
This is a folder with a name of your choice. If Folder Sweep cannot find the folder then it will skip this stage altogether.
Folder Sweep will NEVER delete files from this folder that are younger than the number of days you chose.
Folder Sweep will NEVER delete locked files from this folder.
You can also configure whether Folder Sweep should leave empty folders alone so as to retain the folder hierarchy, or whether empty folders should be deleted.
- If you configured Folder Sweep to empty the folder then all files and folders will be deleted from here, UNLESS they are protected by the settings listed above.
- If you wanted Folder Sweep to stop when a certain amount of space becomes free then files will be removed one by one, unless protected by the settings listed above, in order of modification date (oldest first). This will continue until the target has been reached or no more files can be deleted. If the settings allow then all empty folders are then deleted as well.
