Automatic Deletion

The HSD Versions Cleaner performs automatic deletion of old file version snapshots without any interaction with the user - it just works in the background. As soon as the HSD Versions Cleaner has been started and automatic deletion is enabled for at least one imported root directory, automatic deletion of old file version snapshots is active, which means it is waiting for certain events. It is not required to have the app’s window open for that (if it is closed, you can reopen it simply by clicking the app’s icon on the dock). Automatic deletion of old file version snapshots even works if the system has sent the HSD Version Cleaner to sleep (the so-called App Nap ; but note that automatic deletion stops working if you terminate the app).

Which old file version snapshots will be deleted automatically and when this happens depends on various criteria settings that can be set for each imported root directory. The HSD Versions Cleaner works closely with the system: most of the time, the app is sitting on the dock snoozing (unless you are interacting with the app, of course). In simple terms, the HSD Versions Cleaner asks the system to be informed when certain events occur. As soon as the app receives such a requested information from the system, it processes tasks like automatic deletion in the background. Having done that the app may request some new information from the system before it falls asleep again, waiting for the next call from the system.

There are, however, some situations in which automatic deletion of old file version snapshots will be interrupted:

When terminating the HSD Versions Cleaner: There is nothing like a kind of background task that lets automatic deletion continue with its job after terminating the HSD Versions Cleaner.
A shut down or restart of the Mac: By default, the HSD Versions Cleaner doesn’t restart automatically after the system has been started. However, you can opt-in an automatic restart of the app within the global system preferences, of course.
When sending the Mac to sleep: As long as the Mac is in sleep mode automatic deletion is usually inactive. However, if the HSD Versions Cleaner was running (i.e. not terminated) just before the Mac has been sent to sleep the app and automatic deletion continue working as soon as the Mac awakes again.

In all these situations, as soon as the HSD Versions Cleaner restarts or awakes again together with the Mac, automatic deletion checks if there’re any old file version snapshots that have expired in the meanwhile and deletes such old file version snapshots immediately.

See Defining Criteria to get information about how to activate automatic deletion of old file version snapshots and how automatic deletion can be controlled via various criteria settings.

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