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40 >Privoxy Frequently Asked Questions</TH
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85 >3.1. Where can I get updated Actions Files?</A
88 > Based on your feedback and the continuing development, updated actions files will be
89 made available on the <A
90 HREF="http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=11118"
95 HREF="http://sf.net/projects/ijbswa/"
101 > If you wish to receive an email notification whenever we release updates of
105 > or the actions file, <A
106 HREF="http://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/ijbswa-announce/"
109 to our announce mailing list</A
110 >, ijbswa-announce@lists.sourceforge.net.
119 >3.2. Can I use my old config files?</A
122 > The syntax, number, and purpose of configuration files has substantially
126 > and earlier versions
130 >. The old files, like <TT
134 will not work at all. If you are upgrading from a 2.0.x version, you will
135 need to port your configuration data to the new format. Note that even the
136 pattern syntax has changed! Even configuration files from the 2.9.x versions
137 will need to be adapted, as configuration syntax has been very much in flow
147 >3.3. What is an <SPAN
154 HREF="../user-manual/actions-file.html"
159 HREF="../user-manual/actions-file.html#ACTIONS"
166 > might take while processing a certain
167 request, are configured. Typically, you would define a set of default actions
168 that apply to all URLs, then add exceptions to these defaults where needed.</P
170 > Actions can be defined on a <A
171 HREF="../user-manual/actions-file.html#AF-PATTERNS"
175 for single URLs, whole web sites, groups or parts thereof etc. Actions can also be
176 grouped together and then applied to requests matching one or more patterns.
177 There are many possible actions that might apply to any given site. As an example,
178 if you are blocking cookies as one of your default actions, but need to accept
179 cookies from a given site, you would need to define an exception for this
180 site in one of your actions files, preferably in <TT
194 > concept confuses me. Please list
201 > For a comprehensive discussion of the actions concept, please refer
203 HREF="../user-manual/actions-file.html"
208 HREF="../user-manual/index.html"
213 HREF="../user-manual/actions-file.html#ACTIONS"
215 >list of all actions</A
218 HREF="../user-manual/actions-file.html#ACT-EXAMPLES"
222 > to get you started.</P
230 >3.5. How are actions files configured? What is the easiest
234 > Actions files are just text files in a special syntax and can be edited
235 with a text editor. But probably the easiest way is to access
239 >'s user interface with your web browser
241 HREF="http://config.privoxy.org/"
243 >http://config.privoxy.org/</A
253 HREF="http://config.privoxy.org/show-status"
256 change the current configuration</A
266 >3.6. There are several different <SPAN
276 > v2.9.15, three actions files
277 are being included, to be used for
278 different purposes: These are
286 which is actively maintained by the <SPAN
293 >, where users are encouraged
294 to make their private customizations, and <TT
298 which is for internal <SPAN
303 HREF="../user-manual/actions-file.html"
305 >the actions chapter</A
308 HREF="../user-manual/index.html"
312 detailed explanation.</P
314 > Earlier versions included three different versions of the
318 > file. The new scheme allows for
319 greater flexibility of local configuration, and for browser based
320 selection of pre-defined <SPAN
322 >"aggressiveness"</SPAN
331 >3.7. How can I make my Yahoo/Hotmail/GMX account work?</A
334 > The default configuration shouldn't impact the usability of any of these services.
335 It will, however, make all cookies temporary, so that your browser will forget your
336 login credentials in between browser sessions. If you would like not to have to log
337 in manually each time you access those websites, simply turn off all cookie handling
341 > file. An example for yahoo might
353 ># Allow all cookies for Yahoo login:
356 HREF="../user-manual/actions-file.html#CRUNCH-INCOMING-COOKIES"
358 >crunch-incoming-cookies</A
360 HREF="../user-manual/actions-file.html#CRUNCH-OUTGOING-COOKIES"
362 >crunch-outgoing-cookies</A
364 HREF="../user-manual/actions-file.html#SESSION-COOKIES-ONLY"
366 >session-cookies-only</A
368 .login.yahoo.com</PRE
381 >3.8. What's the difference between the
390 >"Adventuresome"</SPAN
397 > is not entirely trivial. To
398 help you get started, we provide you with three different default action
402 > in the web based actions file editor at <A
403 HREF="http://config.privoxy.org/show-status"
405 >http://config.privoxy.org/show-status</A
408 HREF="../user-manual/actions-file.html"
415 > for a list of actions, and how the default
419 > Where the defaults are likely to break some sites, exceptions for
423 > sites are included, but in
424 general, the more aggressive your default settings are, the more exceptions
425 you will have to make later. See the <A
426 HREF="../user-manual/index.html"
433 for a more deatiled discussion.</P
435 > It should be noted that the <SPAN
437 >"Adventuresome"</SPAN
438 > profile (formerly known
442 > profile) is not only more
443 aggressive, but also includes fun and, extreme usage of most of
447 > features. Use at your own risk!</P
455 >3.9. Why can I change the configuration
456 with a browser? Does that not raise security issues?</A
459 > It may seem strange that regular users can edit the config files with their
460 browsers, although the whole <TT
464 belongs to the user <SPAN
467 >, with only 644 permissions.
470 > When you use the browser-based editor, <SPAN
474 itself is writing to the config files. Because
478 > is running as the user <SPAN
482 it can update the config files.
488 > for multiple untrusted users (e.g. in
489 a LAN), you will probably want to turn the web-based editor and remote toggle
490 features off by setting <SPAN
495 HREF="../user-manual/config.html#ENABLE-EDIT-ACTIONS"
497 >enable-edit-actions</A
506 HREF="../user-manual/config.html#ENABLE-REMOTE-TOGGLE"
508 >enable-remote-toggle</A
513 HREF="../user-manual/config.html"
515 >main configuration file</A
519 > Note that in the default configuration, only local users (i.e. those on
523 >) can connect to <SPAN
527 so this is not (normally) a security problem.
536 >3.10. What is the <TT
539 > file? What is a <SPAN
546 HREF="../user-manual/filter-file.html"
559 > are defined, which can be used to modify or
560 remove, web page content on the fly. Filters apply to <SPAN
567 in the page source, including HTML tags, and JavaScript. Regular expressions are used
568 to accomplish this. There are a number of pre-defined filters to deal with common
569 annoyances. The filters are only defined here, to invoke them, you need to use the
571 HREF="../user-manual/actions-file.html#FILTER"
578 > in one of the actions files. Filtering is automatically
579 disabled for inappropriate MIME types.</P
581 > If you are familiar with regular expressions, and HTML, you can look at
585 > with a text editor and define
586 your own filters. This is potentially a very powerful feature, but
587 requires some expertise in both regular expressions and HTML/HTTP. </P
589 > Presently, there is no GUI editor option for this part of the configuration,
590 but you can disable/enable the various pre-defined filters of the included
595 HREF="http://config.privoxy.org/show-status"
597 >web-based actions file editor</A
606 >3.11. How can I set up <SPAN
609 > to act as a proxy for my
616 > only responds to requests
620 > (localhost). To have it act as a server for
621 a network, this needs to be changed in the <A
622 HREF="../user-manual/config.html"
624 >main configuration file</A
629 HREF="../user-manual/config.html#LISTEN-ADDRESS"
634 option, which may be commented out with a <SPAN
638 it is uncommented, and assign it the address of the LAN gateway interface,
639 and port number to use. Assuming your LAN address is 192.168.1.1 and you
643 > on port 8118, this line
654 > listen-address 192.168.1.1:8118</PRE
660 > Save the file, and restart <SPAN
664 all browsers on the network then to use this address and port number.</P
666 > Alternately, you can have <SPAN
670 all available interfaces:</P
680 > listen-address :8118</PRE
691 HREF="../user-manual/config.html#PERMIT-ACCESS"
695 feature to limit connections. A firewall in this situation is recommended
698 > The above steps should be the same for any TCP network, regardless of
704 > on a LAN with untrusted users,
705 we recommend that you double-check the <A
706 HREF="../user-manual/config.html#ACCESS-CONTROL"
708 >access control and security</A
718 >3.12. Instead of ads, now I get a checkerboard pattern. I don't want to see anything.</A
721 > The replacement for blocked images can be controlled with the <A
722 HREF="../user-manual/actions-file.html#SET-IMAGE-BLOCKER"
726 >set-image-blocker</VAR
729 >. You have the choice of a checkerboard pattern, a transparent 1x1 GIF
733 >), or a redirect to a custom image of your choice.
734 Note that this choice only has effect for images which are blocked as images, i.e.
735 whose URLs match both a <VAR
738 HREF="../user-manual/actions-file.html#HANDLE-AS-IMAGE"
752 HREF="../user-manual/actions-file.html#BLOCK"
758 > If you want to see nothing, then change the <A
759 HREF="../user-manual/actions-file.html#SET-IMAGE-BLOCKER"
763 >set-image-blocker</VAR
769 >. This can be done by editing the
773 > file, or trough the <A
774 HREF="http://config.privoxy.org/show-status"
776 >web-based actions file editor</A
785 >3.13. Why would anybody want to see a checkerboard pattern?</A
789 HREF="general.html#WHATSANAD"
790 >telling which image is an ad and which
792 >, is mostly guesswork. While we hope that the standard configuration
793 is rather smart, it can and will make errors. The checkerboard image is visually
794 decent, but it shows you that and where images were blocked, which can be very
795 helpful in case some navigation aid or otherwise innocent image was
796 erraneously blocked. Some people might also enjoy seeing how many banners
811 >3.14. I see some images being replaced by a text
812 instead of the checkerboard image. Why and how do I get rid of this?</A
815 > This happens when the banners are not embedded in the HTML code of the
816 page itself, but in separate HTML (sub)documents that are loaded into (i)frames
817 or (i)layers, and these external HTML documents are blocked. Being non-images
818 they get replaced by a substitute HTML page rather than a substitute image,
819 which wouldn't work out technically, since the browser expects and accepts
820 only HTML when it has requested an HTML document. </P
822 > The substitute page adapts to the available space and shows itself as a
823 miniature two-liner if loaded into small frames, or full-blown with a
824 large red "BLOCKED" banner if space allows.</P
826 > If you prefer the banners to be blocked by images, you must see to it that
827 the HTML documents in which they are embedded are not blocked. Clicking
831 > link offered in the substitute page will show
832 you which rule blocked the page. After changing the rule and un-blocking
833 the HTML documents, the browser will try to load the actual banner images
834 and the usual image blocking will (hopefully!) kick in.</P
849 > Yes, it can run as a system service using <B
853 See the discussion at <A
854 HREF="http://sourceforge.net/tracker/?func=detail&atid=361118&aid=485617&group_id=11118"
856 >http://sourceforge.net/tracker/?func=detail&atid=361118&aid=485617&group_id=11118</A
858 for details, and a sample configuration.</P
860 > Version 3.0.1 fixes the problem where the icon and menu where not available
861 in the taskbar for this usage.</P
869 >3.16. How can I make <SPAN
879 > This can be done and is often useful to combine the benefits of
883 > with those of a caching proxy.
885 HREF="../user-manual/config.html#FORWARDING"
887 >forwarding chapter</A
890 HREF="../user-manual/index.html"
894 describes how to do this.</P
902 >3.17. Can I just set <SPAN
906 and thus avoid individual browser configuration?</A
909 > No, its more complicated than that. This only works with special kinds
910 of proxies known as <SPAN
913 > proxies (see below).</P
933 > currently does not have this ability,
934 though it is planned for a future release. Transparent proxies require
935 special handling of the request headers beyond what
939 > is now capable of.</P
944 > behind another proxy that has
945 this ability should work though.
947 HREF="../user-manual/config.html#FORWARDING"
949 >forwarding chapter</A
952 HREF="../user-manual/index.html"
956 a transparent proxy to be used for chaining we recommend Transproxy
958 HREF="http://www.transproxy.nlc.net.au/"
960 >http://www.transproxy.nlc.net.au/</A
969 >3.19. How can I configure <SPAN
981 >Outlook Express</SPAN
984 >Internet Explorer</SPAN
986 components to both render HTML, and fetch any HTTP requests that may be embedded in an HTML email.
987 So however you have <SPAN
991 with IE, this configuration should automatically be shared.</P
999 >3.20. How can I have separate rules just for HTML mail?</A
1002 > The short answer is, you can't. <SPAN
1006 of knowing which particular application makes a request, so there is no way to
1007 distinguish between web pages and HTML mail.
1011 > just blindly proxies all requests. In the
1014 >Outlook Express</SPAN
1015 > (see above), OE uses
1016 IE anyway, and there is no way for <SPAN
1020 be able to distinguish between them (nor could any other proxy type application for
1023 > For a good discussion of some of the issues involved (including privacy and
1024 security issues), see
1026 HREF="http://sourceforge.net/tracker/?func=detail&atid=211118&aid=629518&group_id=11118"
1028 >http://sourceforge.net/tracker/?func=detail&atid=211118&aid=629518&group_id=11118</A
1036 NAME="ALLOW-COOKIES"
1037 >3.21. How can I allow permanent cookies for my trusted sites?</A
1040 > There are several actions that relate to cookies. The default behavior is to
1043 >"session cookies"</SPAN
1044 >, which means the cookies only last
1045 for the current browser session. This eliminates most kinds of abuse related
1046 to cookies. But there may be cases where we want cookies to last.</P
1048 > To disable all cookie actions, so that cookies are allowed unrestricted,
1049 both in and out, for <VAR
1062 > { -crunch-incoming-cookies -crunch-outgoing-cookies -session-cookies-only -filter{content-cookies} }
1069 > Place the above in <TT
1072 >. Note some of these may
1073 be off by default anyway, so this might be redundant, but there is no harm
1074 being explicit in what you want to happen. <TT
1078 includes an alias for this situation, called
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