Is there a way to view the entries in Safari's autocomplete database?

August 5, 2004 9:55 AM

Is there a way to view the entries in Safari's autocomplete database? (more inside)

I was trying to find the title of a book that someone had suggested on Ask Metafilter. The poster who I am also unable to recall, had suggested two books. I know that I had searched Amazon for the book. If I could browse my autocomplete entries, I would be able to find it.

posted by the biscuit man to Computers & Internet (5 answers total)

If you searched for it, wouldn't it be in the History? If you open your bookmarks and do a "Find" (Command+F) the search will include your history.
In ~Library/Safari there is a file for History and one called "Form Values" but it's a binary file.
posted by golo at 10:23 AM on August 5, 2004

Response by poster: Unfortunately it has been several weeks since I had searched for it and my History only goes back 2 days.
posted by the biscuit man at 10:42 AM on August 5, 2004

The file is encrypted. You can retrieve the password from your Keychain, but you'd have to figure out what decrytption algorithm to use and find a tool for that.

What do you remember about the Ask MeFi post or the book? It's probably simpler to get help tracking the original recommendation down.

Also, Amazon sure does a lot of tracking of what you've viewed. If you browse the right book category, their sidebar may tell you the title of the book you looked at before.
posted by nakedcodemonkey at 10:47 AM on August 5, 2004

The autocomplete history goes back months (years?), regardless of how back your History goes.
posted by waldo at 11:52 AM on August 5, 2004

golo, I didn't know about the find in the bookmarks. That rox0rs my world
posted by jazon at 12:04 PM on August 5, 2004