Help Browser history vs. back button trail

[andtony]

I don't know if this is an Android in general or Desire specific problem but I imagine all the sharpest minds have HTC Desires anyway so here goes:

How do you get rid of the trail of previously visited sites that you step back though in the browser when you press the phone's back button? After clearing the history these pages persist and it seems the only way to lose them is to step back though each of them with the back button until you reach your home page when the next press finally 'closes' the browser. It's very annoying, especially if any of the pages you've visited have POST data or redirects.

 

[d.knight99]

I'm not sure I understand the question, do you mean you want your back button to function as an exit button at all times instead of a back button?

 

[andtony]

I'm not sure I understand the question, do you mean you want your back button to function as an exit button at all times instead of a back button?

No, I just don't want that ever increasing breadcrumb trail of pages to be sitting there behind the back button for the rest of my life.

 

[jay_kay]

Sounds like you are using the default browser. I would personally install DolphinHD Browser as firstly it is much much better than the default one and, secondly its much easier to exit from (long press of back button) and thirdly you can tick the boxes to delete your history and cache on exit.

Much easier and a much better browser

Hope this helps mate.

 

[rumbataz]

I think he means that the stock browser in the Desire remembers all the URLs you've visited and clearing the cache only deletes the page contents. So, when you hit the 'back' button the stock browser reloads the pages for the previously visited URLs.

There ought to be a way of deleting the URL history and this should be encompassed within deleting the cache.

 

[mikebell]

I don't know if this is an Android in general or Desire specific problem but I imagine all the sharpest minds have HTC Desires anyway so here goes:

How do you get rid of the trail of previously visited sites that you step back though in the browser when you press the phone's back button? After clearing the history these pages persist and it seems the only way to lose them is to step back though each of them with the back button until you reach your home page when the next press finally 'closes' the browser. It's very annoying, especially if any of the pages you've visited have POST data or redirects.

A few people have commented on this. It's a pity the browser doesn't have an EXIT feature that closes all windows. There is, however, a workaround:

Use the Menu | Windows option to open a new browser window. Then, use the same option again to close your previous window. After that, the back key will exit the browser with all windows closed.

 

[riki1kenobi]

To clear history on stock browser (with browser open) click menu>more>settings and scroll down to clear history. Now just exit by clicking on the home button.

(Good idea to clear cookies and cache and form data and passwords as well IF you dont want the phone to store that sort of info)

 

[andtony]

To clear history on stock browser (with browser open) click menu>more>settings and scroll down to clear history. Now just exit by clicking on the home button.

...then launch browser at later date, arrive on the page you were on when you cleared your history, then press back button to step back though every page you've ever visited.

 

[furious duck]

I don't know if this is an Android in general or Desire specific problem but I imagine all the sharpest minds have HTC Desires anyway so here goes:

How do you get rid of the trail of previously visited sites that you step back though in the browser when you press the phone's back button? After clearing the history these pages persist and it seems the only way to lose them is to step back though each of them with the back button until you reach your home page when the next press finally 'closes' the browser. It's very annoying, especially if any of the pages you've visited have POST data or redirects.

Yeah I found the same problem.

Only way I've found is to kill it using task killer or switch your phone off and on! Neither is ideal but task killer is probably the way to go if it's a real issue for you.

 

[SUroot]

Just go to Menu>Windows and open a new window. Then go to Menu>windows and close the previous window.

 

[furious duck]

Just go to Menu>Windows and open a new window. Then go to Menu>windows and close the previous window.

Ha yeah, that'll do the trick!