Smart Trash

Name: Smart Trash
Price: 10.00 $
Rating: 4.125 (4 reviews)

2.1.0

21 October 2019

Enhances Mac OS X Trash functions.

Overview

Smart Trash enhances the functions of the OS X Trash by adding several menu options including:

Selective file deletion
Extensive logging
The ability to empty the trash on specific volumes and more!

What's new in Smart Trash

Version 2.1.0:

Added the compatibility to macOS Catalina (10.15).
Important bug fixes

Smart Trash Screenshots

12 Smart Trash Reviews

See all

I found this app to be surprisingly useful, and the price was great in the Smart & Tidy bundle. For boring reasons I needed Tidy Up and found it really useful before, so Smart Trash was a nice addition that proved better than I thought. I accidentally updated a program that only told me after the fact that it was a paid upgrade, so now I only had it for a few days. While it was installing I deleted a program that I was pretty sure contained adware (yay for multi-tasking) so I wanted to delete that immediately while the installer was still running, but I wanted to leave the older version which the update had placed in the Trash so that I could restore it after deleting the update. Smart Trash worked just fine. Yeah, I could have called up the Terminal and deleted the file that way, but it's a lot more work for a simple operation. And yes, it's a rare situation but as a reviewer "rare" situations seem to popup a lot, not just that one. It might have been timing that I needed both apps that MacUpdate put in the mini-bundle, and often the bundles don't interest me, but when they come up with ones that I need right at the moment and the price is right, it makes my day. I know that it's easy to rack up a big bill buying "interesting" apps even at $10-15 each, but I've finally learned to sleep on it unless the software is a no-brainer like this one was for me at the time. I'm giving it 5 stars because it answered an immediate need and worked. I have NOT test the whole thing and I appreciate reading the other reviews that point out bugs. I will update this review if I find any later on.

Like (1)

Version 2.0.7

Like (1)

Version 2.0.7

This is one of the best trash utilities. You are able to select individual files to delete (securely if wanted). You can also delete files individually on other volumes. Easy with a great UI. Registration is a little convoluted. No "biggy." Get the 2.0.0. (13) update (offered on first open) before trying to register. Also quit and restart for the registration to show in prefs.

Version 2.0.0

costa troppo per quello che vale. provare per credere.

Version 2.0.0

1 answer(s)

Kobalt

21 August 2015

Translated that means "it costs too much for what it's worth. seeing is believing."

A request to the developer: please, do patch the current version. It causes removable media to automatically remount immediately after ejection. When the mounted external drive is ejected, the menu items will refresh (ei.e., momentarily disappear and reappear), then a second or two later the disk in question will automount. This is a potentially perilous bug and needs a quick fix.

Like (2)

Version 1.1.7

1 answer(s)

BoekMarc

29 May 2012

I second that. app was ok in Mac OS 10.6. Bug appears in 10.7 for me.

Like (1)

Jimw

13 August 2011

I will no doubt pick up some negative hits for this but I have a basic problem with the developers paradigm of treating the Trash as a folder, The Trash is not meant to be a folder and should not be treated like one. Once something is placed in the Trash it should considered gone and for good. Apple provides recovery for accidental trashing in two ways. Things can be removed from the trash if placed there by accident before it is emptied. A alert can be given before the trash is emptied. This should be enough. If you want to selectively trash things are not sure you want to trash a file, you should be archiving or you can create a folder and call it something like "recycle bin". Things from various volumes could then be simply labeled using the contextual menu before being placed there. The one outstanding feature for some may be the logging of trashed files, This is especially useful in work environments where file histories, such as for legal or security requirements are mandatory. However using this feature may give a false sense of documentation if the feature can be bypassed or turned off by the user.

Like (3)

Version 1.1.7

3 answer(s)

Graphic-Mac

13 August 2011

I agree. While there's certainly nothing wrong with this app, it simply shouldn't be necessary. Keeping files in your trash is just stupid. Do you store food or mail you still need to read in your trash in your home? Of course not. Then why do it on your computer?

Like (1)

BoekMarc

29 May 2012

One can have his reasons for not empty his trash immediatly. I myself like to empy trash only after ending a job. Smart Trash gives me the opportunity to delete trash only for one specific disk. Very usefull since I've only about 4 internal and several external. And do not forget about usb sticks too! So very handy indeed. And very hard to solve in the way you mentioned. But if you know some other way or app, I realy would like to hear from you ;)

Jimw

29 May 2012

Years ago there was a movie made about a fad called Flatliners starring Julia Roberts that was about medical students stopping their hearts short period of time with their friends resuscitating them so that they could experience death. While interesting and satisfying the curiosity of the recipient it still was very dangerous thing to do. This is the same way I feel about Smart Trash. In your scenario I would suggest creating a 'recycle' bin on each of your drives that you could place in the left hand side of the Finder window. Then at the end of your project, trash the folder and make a new one after removing any desired contents. Flash drives are not an issue since trash on a volume can be emptied only when the drive is found. Another another alliterative is to label files to be trashed with a color label (single right mouse click). Then at the end of your project use the 'Find 'command to find all the files with that label, remove the label from the files to save, then 'select all' and move the remaining to the trash. The bottom line is that I still believe that using Trash as a storage receptacle is really a bad idea. The only reason I believe that Apple made its contents recoverable is to allow users to recover a file that was accidentally thrown away before it is gone for good. However if using Trash as a temporary storage bin is 'what floats your boat' then go ahead. After all it is your boat. However I would strongly discourage others from following sail as they might find themselves 'rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic' when they accidentally hit an iceberg.

Like (1)

How the hell do you remove smart trash from the menu bar after you have trashed this app ?????

Version 1.1

1 answer(s)

Anonymous

08 May 2005

rerun the installer and click uninstall.

Like (4)

Version 1.1.1

What *is* that icon?!

Version 1.0.7

3 answer(s)

Anonymous

02 December 2003

It's a rubber. Red for pencil, blue for pen...

Version 1.0.7

Anonymous

27 September 2004

...or, in American, an eraser I believe.

Version 1.1

Jon-&-Karen-Heal

04 September 2009

A rubber's a johnny on this side of the pond, mate! ;-)

Like (1)

Version 1.1.4

Good program, price a little too high. I would buy it for around $8.

Like (2)

Version 1.0.3

2 answer(s)

Kristopher

15 April 2005

2 dollars. You're complaining about a difference of 2 dollars. Get over yourself. If it's a good program, which I personally haven't tried it yet, you should dish out however much the programmer wants. Don't complain. I don't see programs written by you. Sorry to take up valueable space, but it ticks me off when people complain about software prices.

Like (3)

Version 1.1.1

Designg

28 August 2010

I agree...shouldn't be complaining about a Dev asking $10 for their app if it is useful? If the price goes up a couple of $ as the app improves, then that is ok too imho.

Like (1)

Version 1.1.6

Smart Trash

Overview

What's new in Smart Trash

Smart Trash Screenshots

12 Smart Trash Reviews

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