X-Git-Url: http://www.privoxy.org/gitweb/?p=privoxy.git;a=blobdiff_plain;f=doc%2Fsource%2Fuser-manual.sgml;h=ea67d35f29d4e7e6abf3b0b4ef598fb28b5713aa;hp=4c4fee6fe23328a4af859a3d9dfb9f4915af1030;hb=dfd5fc0277170f121ff5b4a1daa88406ea549f2b;hpb=ad7341b39090e80e202b8a8fd0774d69c6f97b79 diff --git a/doc/source/user-manual.sgml b/doc/source/user-manual.sgml index 4c4fee6f..3ff9a8c7 100644 --- a/doc/source/user-manual.sgml +++ b/doc/source/user-manual.sgml @@ -1,5 +1,5 @@ + @@ -9,13 +9,15 @@ + - - + + + - - + + @@ -28,19 +30,15 @@ Privoxy"> ]> - Copyright &my-copy; 2001-2010 by - Privoxy Developers + Copyright &my-copy; 2001-2018 by + Privoxy Developers -$Id: user-manual.sgml,v 2.122 2010/02/19 15:22:47 fabiankeil Exp $ - @@ -99,14 +95,11 @@ Hal. You can find the latest version of the Privoxy User Manual at http://www.privoxy.org/user-manual/. + url="https://www.privoxy.org/user-manual/">https://www.privoxy.org/user-manual/. Please see the Contact section on how to contact the developers. - - - @@ -115,7 +108,7 @@ Hal. Introduction This documentation is included with the current &p-status; version of - Privoxy, v.&p-version;Privoxy, &p-version; Since this is a &p-status; version, not all new features are well tested. This - documentation may be slightly out of sync as a result (especially with + documentation may be slightly out of sync as a result (especially with CVS sources). And there may be bugs, though hopefully - not many! + not many! ]]> Features - In addition to the core - features of ad blocking and + In addition to the core + features of ad blocking and cookie management, Privoxy provides many supplemental - features, + features, that give the end-user more control, more privacy and more freedom: @@ -160,19 +153,19 @@ Hal. Privoxy is available both in convenient pre-compiled packages for a wide range of operating systems, and as raw source code. For most users, we recommend using the packages, which can be downloaded from our - Privoxy Project + Privoxy Project Page. - Note: - On some platforms, the installer may remove previously installed versions, if + Note: + On some platforms, the installer may remove previously installed versions, if found. (See below for your platform). In any case be sure to backup your old configuration if it is valuable to you. See the note to upgraders section below. - + Binary Packages How to install the binary packages depends on your operating system: @@ -180,41 +173,11 @@ How to install the binary packages depends on your operating system: - -Red Hat and Fedora RPMs - - - RPMs can be installed with rpm -Uvh privoxy-&p-version;-1.rpm, - and will use /etc/privoxy for the location - of configuration files. - - - - Note that on Red Hat, Privoxy will - not be automatically started on system boot. You will - need to enable that using chkconfig, - ntsysv, or similar methods. - - - - If you have problems with failed dependencies, try rebuilding the SRC RPM: - rpm --rebuild privoxy-&p-version;-1.src.rpm. This - will use your locally installed libraries and RPM version. - - - - Also note that if you have a Junkbuster RPM installed - on your system, you need to remove it first, because the packages conflict. - Otherwise, RPM will try to remove Junkbuster - automatically if found, before installing Privoxy. - - - Debian and Ubuntu DEBs can be installed with apt-get install privoxy, - and will use /etc/privoxy for the location of + and will use /etc/privoxy for the location of configuration files. @@ -225,7 +188,7 @@ How to install the binary packages depends on your operating system: Just double-click the installer, which will guide you through the installation process. You will find the configuration files - in the same directory as you installed Privoxy in. + in the same directory as you installed Privoxy in. Version 3.0.5 beta introduced full Windows service @@ -256,33 +219,22 @@ How to install the binary packages depends on your operating system: command: services.msc. If you do not take the manual step of modifying Privoxy's service settings, it will not start. Note too that you will need to give Privoxy a user account that - actually exists, or it will not be permitted to + actually exists, or it will not be permitted to write to its log and configuration files. - -Solaris <!--, NetBSD, HP-UX--> - - - Create a new directory, cd to it, then unzip and - untar the archive. For the most part, you'll have to figure out where - things go. - - - OS/2 First, make sure that no previous installations of - Junkbuster and / or + Junkbuster and / or Privoxy are left on your system. Check that no Junkbuster or Privoxy objects are in your startup folder. - @@ -301,72 +253,83 @@ How to install the binary packages depends on your operating system: Mac OS X - Unzip the downloaded file (you can either double-click on the zip file - icon from the Finder, or from the desktop if you downloaded it there). - Then, double-click on the package installer icon and follow the - installation process. + Installation instructions for the OS X platform depend upon whether + you downloaded a ready-built installation package (.pkg or .mpkg) or have + downloaded the source code. + + +Installation from ready-built package - The privoxy service will automatically start after a successful - installation (in addition to every time your computer starts up). To - prevent the privoxy service from automatically starting when your - computer starts up, remove or rename the folder named - /Library/StartupItems/Privoxy. + The downloaded file will either be a .pkg (for OS X 10.5 upwards) or a bzipped + .mpkg file (for OS X 10.4). The former can be double-clicked as is and the + installation will start; double-clicking the latter will unzip the .mpkg file + which can then be double-clicked to commence the installation. - To manually start or stop the privoxy service, use the Privoxy Utility - for Mac OS X. This application controls the privoxy service (e.g. - starting and stopping the service as well as uninstalling the software). + The privoxy service will automatically start after a successful installation + (and thereafter every time your computer starts up) however you will need to + configure your web browser(s) to use it. To do so, configure them to use a + proxy for HTTP and HTTPS at the address 127.0.0.1:8118. + + + To prevent the privoxy service from automatically starting when your computer + starts up, remove or rename the file /Library/LaunchDaemons/org.ijbswa.privoxy.plist + (on OS X 10.5 and higher) or the folder named + /Library/StartupItems/Privoxy (on OS X 10.4 'Tiger'). - - - -AmigaOS - Copy and then unpack the lha archive to a suitable location. - All necessary files will be installed into Privoxy - directory, including all configuration and log files. To uninstall, just - remove this directory. + To manually start or stop the privoxy service, use the scripts startPrivoxy.sh + and stopPrivoxy.sh supplied in /Applications/Privoxy. They must be run from an + administrator account, using sudo. + + + To uninstall, run /Applications/Privoxy/uninstall.command as sudo from an + administrator account. - - -FreeBSD - + +Installation from source - Privoxy is part of FreeBSD's Ports Collection, you can build and install - it with cd /usr/ports/www/privoxy; make install clean. + To build and install the Privoxy source code on OS X you will need to obtain + the macsetup module from the Privoxy Sourceforge CVS repository (refer to + Sourceforge help for details of how to set up a CVS client to have read-only + access to the repository). This module contains scripts that leverage the usual + open-source tools (available as part of Apple's free of charge Xcode + distribution or via the usual open-source software package managers for OS X + (MacPorts, Homebrew, Fink etc.) to build and then install the privoxy binary + and associated files. The macsetup module's README file contains complete + instructions for its use. - If you don't use the ports, you can fetch and install - the package with pkg_add -r privoxy. + The privoxy service will automatically start after a successful installation + (and thereafter every time your computer starts up) however you will need to + configure your web browser(s) to use it. To do so, configure them to use a + proxy for HTTP and HTTPS at the address 127.0.0.1:8118. - The port skeleton and the package can also be downloaded from the - File Release - Page, but there's no reason to use them unless you're interested in the - beta releases which are only available there. + To prevent the privoxy service from automatically starting when your computer + starts up, remove or rename the file /Library/LaunchDaemons/org.ijbswa.privoxy.plist + (on OS X 10.5 and higher) or the folder named + /Library/StartupItems/Privoxy (on OS X 10.4 'Tiger'). - - - -Gentoo - Gentoo source packages (Ebuilds) for Privoxy are - contained in the Gentoo Portage Tree (they are not on the download page, - but there is a Gentoo section, where you can see when a new - Privoxy Version is added to the Portage Tree). + To manually start or stop the privoxy service, use the Privoxy Utility + for Mac OS X (also part of the macsetup module). This application can start + and stop the privoxy service and display its log and configuration files. - Before installing Privoxy under Gentoo just do - first emerge --sync to get the latest changes from the - Portage tree. With emerge privoxy you install the latest - version. + To uninstall, run the macsetup module's uninstall.sh as sudo from an + administrator account. + + + +FreeBSD + - Configuration files are in /etc/privoxy, the - documentation is in /usr/share/doc/privoxy-&p-version; - and the Log directory is in /var/log/privoxy. + Privoxy is part of FreeBSD's Ports Collection, you can build and install + it with cd /usr/ports/www/privoxy; make install clean. @@ -376,51 +339,169 @@ How to install the binary packages depends on your operating system: Building from Source - The most convenient way to obtain the Privoxy sources - is to download the source tarball from our - project download - page. - - - - If you like to live on the bleeding edge and are not afraid of using - possibly unstable development versions, you can check out the up-to-the-minute - version directly from the - CVS repository. - + The most convenient way to obtain the Privoxy source + code is to download the source tarball from our + + project download page, + or you can get the up-to-the-minute, possibly unstable, development version from + https://www.privoxy.org/. &buildsource; + + Windows + + Setup + + Install the Cygwin utilities needed to build Privoxy. + If you have a 64 bit CPU (which most people do by now), get the + Cygwin setup-x86_64.exe program here + (the .sig file is here). + + + Run the setup program and from View / Category select: + + + Devel + autoconf 2.5 + automake 1.15 + binutils + cmake + gcc-core + gcc-g++ + git + make + mingw64-i686-gcc-core + mingw64-i686-zlib + Editors + vim + Libs + libxslt: GNOME XSLT library (runtime) + Net + curl + openssh + Text + docbook-dssl + docbook-sgml31 + docbook-utils + openjade + Utils + gnupg + Web + w3m + + + + If you haven't already downloaded the Privoxy source code, get it now: + + + mkdir <root-dir> + cd <root-dir> + git clone https://www.privoxy.org/git/privoxy.git + + + + Get the source code (.zip or .tar.gz) for tidy from + + https://github.com/htacg/tidy-html5/releases, + unzip into <root-dir> and build the software: + + + cd <root-dir> + cd tidy-html5-x.y.z/build/cmake + cmake ../.. -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release -DBUILD_SHARED_LIB:BOOL=OFF -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=/usr/local + make && make install + + + + If you want to be able to make a Windows release package, get the NSIS .zip file from + + + https://sourceforge.net/projects/nsis/files/NSIS%203/ + and extract the NSIS directory to privoxy/windows. + Then edit the windows/GNUmakefile to set the location of the NSIS executable - eg: + + +# Path to NSIS +MAKENSIS = ./nsis/makensis.exe + + + + + Build + + + To build just the Privoxy executable and not the whole installation package, do: + + + cd <root-dir>/privoxy + ./windows/MYconfigure && make + + + + Privoxy uses the GNU Autotools + for building software, so the process is: + + + $ autoheader # creates config.h.in + $ autoconf # uses config.h.in to create the configure shell script + $ ./configure [options] # creates GNUmakefile + $ make [options] # builds the program + + + + The usual configure options for building a native Windows application under cygwin are + + + + --host=i686-w64-mingw32 + --enable-mingw32 + --enable-zlib + --enable-static-linking + --disable-pthread + --disable-dynamic-pcre + + + + You can set the CFLAGS and LDFLAGS envars before + running configure to set compiler and linker flags. For example: + + + + $ export CFLAGS="-O2" # set gcc optimization level + $ export LDFLAGS="-Wl,--nxcompat" # Enable DEP + $ ./configure --host=i686-w64-mingw32 --enable-mingw32 --enable-zlib \ + > --enable-static-linking --disable-pthread --disable-dynamic-pcre + $ make # build Privoxy + + + + See the Developer's Manual + for building a Windows release package. + + + + - + + + Keeping your Installation Up-to-Date - - As user feedback comes in and development continues, we will make updated versions - of both the main actions file (as a separate - package) and the software itself (including the actions file) available for - download. - If you wish to receive an email notification whenever we release updates of Privoxy or the actions file, subscribe - to our announce mailing list, ijbswa-announce@lists.sourceforge.net. + url="https://lists.privoxy.org/mailman/listinfo/privoxy-announce">subscribe + to our announce mailing list, privoxy-announce@lists.privoxy.org. In order not to lose your personal changes and adjustments when updating to the latest default.action file we strongly - recommend that you use user.action and + recommend that you use user.action and user.filter for your local customizations of Privoxy. See the Chapter on actions files for details. @@ -436,693 +517,239 @@ How to install the binary packages depends on your operating system: What's New in this Release + +&changelog; + + + + +Note to Upgraders + - Privoxy 3.0.16 is a stable release. - The changes since 3.0.15 beta are: + A quick list of things to be aware of before upgrading from earlier + versions of Privoxy: - - - - Added the config file option handle-as-empty-doc-returns-ok to - work around Firefox bug #492459, which causes Firefox to hang - if JavaScripts are blocked in certain situations. The option is - enabled in the default config file. - - - - - Added the config file option default-server-timeout to control the - assumed default server timeout. Since Privoxy no longer returns - an error message for connection resets on reused client connections, - assuming larger server timeout values appears to actually work - pretty well as long as connections aren't shared. - - - - - Added optional support for FreeBSD's accf_http(9). Use the - configure option --enable-accept-filter to enable it. - - - - - Added fancier Privoxy icons for win32. Contributed by Jeff H. - - - - - In daemon mode, fd 0, 1 and 2 are bound to /dev/null. - - - - - Resolve localhost using whatever address family the operating - system feels like. Previous betas would try to use IPv4 as this - is what most users expect, but this didn't work reliably on - GNU/Linux systems. - - - - - In the action lists on CGI pages, actions and their parameters are - no longer separated with a space. The action file parser doesn't - actually allow this and will throw an invalid syntax error if actions - and parameters in the action files are separated. Not adding the - spaces means copy and pasting CGI output into the action files works. - - - - - The default keep-alive timeout has been reduced to 5 seconds to work - around hangs in clients that treat the proxy like any other host and - stop allowing any new connections if the "maximum number of - connections per host" is reached. - - - - - Several webbug URLs that look like they are leading to images are now - blocked as image instead of empty documents. Doing the latter causes - WebKit-based clients to show a "missing image" icon which may mess up - the layout. - - - - - The no-such-domain template is used for DNS resolution - problems with FEATURE_IPV6_SUPPORT enabled. Previously the - connect-failed template was used. Reported by 'zebul666'. - - - - - Accepts quoted expiration dates even though RFC 2109 10.1.2 - doesn't seem to allow them. Reported anonymously. - - - - - Don't try to forget connections if connection sharing is disabled. - This wasn't a real problem but caused an unnecessary log message. - - - - - The still undocumented --enable-extended-host-patterns configure - option has a better description. - - - - - Fixed an error message that would claim a write to the server - failed when actually writing to the client failed. - - - - - Log the crunch reason before trying to write to the client. - The log is easier to read that way. - + + + + The recommended way to upgrade &my-app; is to backup your old + configuration files, install the new ones, verify that &my-app; + is working correctly and finally merge back your changes using + diff and maybe patch. + + + There are a number of new features in each &my-app; release and + most of them have to be explicitly enabled in the configuration + files. Old configuration files obviously don't do that and due + to syntax changes using old configuration files with a new + &my-app; isn't always possible anyway. + + + + + Note that some installers remove earlier versions completely, + including configuration files, therefore you should really save + any important configuration files! + + + + + On the other hand, other installers don't overwrite existing configuration + files, thinking you will want to do that yourself. + + + + + In the default configuration only fatal errors are logged now. + You can change that in the debug section + of the configuration file. You may also want to enable more verbose + logging until you verified that the new &my-app; version is working + as expected. + + + + + + Three other config file settings are now off by default: + enable-remote-toggle, + enable-remote-http-toggle, + and enable-edit-actions. + If you use or want these, you will need to explicitly enable them, and + be aware of the security issues involved. + + + + + - - - If you missed the previous three beta versions, you may also be - interested in the additional changes since 3.0.12, the - last stable release: - + + + + +Quickstart to Using Privoxy - - - - Added IPv6 support. Thanks to Petr Pisar who not only provided - the initial patch but also helped a lot with the integration. - - - - - Added client-side keep-alive support. - - - - - The connection sharing code is only used if the connection-sharing - option is enabled. - - - - - The latency is taken into account when evaluating whether or not to - reuse a connection. This should significantly reduce the number of - connections problems several users reported. - - - - - The max-client-connections option has been added to restrict - the number of client connections below a value enforced by - the operating system. - - - - - If the server doesn't specify how long the connection stays alive, - Privoxy errs on the safe side of caution and assumes it's only a second. - - - - - Setting keep-alive-timeout to 0 disables keep-alive support. Previously - Privoxy would claim to allow persistence but not reuse the connection. - - - - - Pipelined requests are less likely to be mistaken for the request - body of the previous request. Note that Privoxy still has no real - pipeline support and will either serialize pipelined requests or - drop them in which case the client has to resent them. - - - - - Fixed a crash on some Windows versions when header randomization - is enabled and the date couldn't be parsed. - - - - - Privoxy's keep-alive timeout for the current connection is reduced - to the one specified in the client's Keep-Alive header. - - - - - For HTTP/1.1 requests, Privoxy implies keep-alive support by not - setting any Connection header instead of using 'Connection: keep-alive'. - - - - - If the socket isn't reusable, Privoxy doesn't temporarily waste - a socket slot to remember the connection. - - - - - If keep-alive support is disabled but compiled in, the client's - Keep-Alive header is removed. - - - - - Fixed a bug on mingw32 where downloading large files failed if - keep-alive support was enabled. - - - - - Fixed a bug that (at least theoretically) could cause log - timestamps to be occasionally off by about a second. - - - - - The configure script respects the $PATH variable when searching - for groups and id. - - - - - Compressed content with extra fields couldn't be decompressed - and would get passed to the client unfiltered. This problem - has only be detected through statical analysis with clang as - nobody seems to be using extra fields anyway. - - - - - If the server resets the Connection after sending only the headers - Privoxy forwards what it got to the client. Previously Privoxy - would deliver an error message instead. - - - - - Error messages in case of connection timeouts use the right - HTTP status code. - - - - - If spawning a child to handle a request fails, the client - gets an error message and Privoxy continues to listen for - new requests right away. - - - - - The error messages in case of server-connection timeouts or - prematurely closed server connections are now template-based. - - - - - If zlib support isn't compiled in, Privoxy no longer tries to - filter compressed content unless explicitly asked to do so. - - - - - In case of connections that are denied based on ACL directives, - the memory used for the client IP is no longer leaked. - - - - - Fixed another small memory leak if the client request times out - while waiting for client headers other than the request line. - - - - - The client socket is kept open until the server socket has - been marked as unused. This should increase the chances that - the still-open connection will be reused for the client's next - request to the same destination. Note that this only matters - if connection-sharing is enabled. - - - - - A TODO list has been added to the source tarball to give potential - volunteers a better idea of what the current goals are. Donations - are still welcome too: http://www.privoxy.org/faq/general.html#DONATE - - - - - In case of missing server data, no error message is send to the - client if the request arrived on a reused connection. The client - is then supposed to silently retry the request without bothering - the user. This should significantly reduce the frequency of the - "No server or forwarder data received" error message many users - reported. - - - - - More reliable detection of prematurely closed client sockets - with keep-alive enabled. - - - - - FEATURE_CONNECTION_KEEP_ALIVE is decoupled from - FEATURE_CONNECTION_SHARING and now available on - all platforms. - - - - - Improved handling of POST requests on reused connections. - Should fix problems with stalled connections after submitting - form data with some browser configurations. - - - - - Fixed various latency calculation issues. - - - - - Allows the client to pass NTLM authentication requests to a - forwarding proxy. This was already assumed and hinted to work - in 3.0.13 beta but actually didn't. Now it's confirmed to work - with IE, Firefox and Chrome. - Thanks to Francois Botha and Wan-Teh Chang - - - - - Fixed a calculation problem if receiving the server headers - takes more than two reads, that could cause Privoxy to terminate - the connection prematurely. Reported by Oliver. - - - - - Compiles again on platforms such as OpenBSD and systems - using earlier glibc version that don't support AI_ADDRCONFIG. - Anonymously submitted in #2872591. - - - - - A bunch of MS VC project files and Suse and Redhat RPM spec - files have been removed as they were no longer maintained for - quite some time. - - - - - Overly long action lines are properly rejected with a proper - error message. Previously they would be either rejected as - invalid or cause a core dump through abort(). - - - - - Already timed-out connections are no longer temporarily remembered. - They weren't reused anyway, but wasted a socket slot. - - - - - len refers to the number of bytes actually read which might - differ from the ones received. Adjust log messages accordingly. - - - - - The optional JavaScript on the CGI page uses encodeURIComponent() - instead of escape() which doesn't encode all characters that matter. - Anonymously reported in #2832722. - - - - - Fix gcc45 warnings in decompress_iob(). - - - - - Various log message improvements. - - - - - Privoxy-Regression-Test supports redirect tests. - - - - - Privoxy-Log-Parser can gather some connection statistics. - - - - - - - - - -Note to Upgraders - - - A quick list of things to be aware of before upgrading from earlier - versions of Privoxy: - - - - + + + Install Privoxy. See the Installation Section below for platform specific + information. + + - The recommended way to upgrade &my-app; is to backup your old - configuration files, install the new ones, verify that &my-app; - is working correctly and finally merge back your changes using - diff and maybe patch. + Advanced users and those who want to offer Privoxy + service to more than just their local machine should check the main config file, especially the security-relevant options. These are + off by default. + + + - There are a number of new features in each &my-app; release and - most of them have to be explicitly enabled in the configuration - files. Old configuration files obviously don't do that and due - to syntax changes using old configuration files with a new - &my-app; isn't always possible anyway. + Start Privoxy, if the installation program has + not done this already (may vary according to platform). See the section + Starting Privoxy. + - - Note that some installers remove earlier versions completely, - including configuration files, therefore you should really save - any important configuration files! + + Set your browser to use Privoxy as HTTP and + HTTPS (SSL) proxy + by setting the proxy configuration for address of + 127.0.0.1 and port 8118. + DO NOT activate proxying for FTP or + any protocols besides HTTP and HTTPS (SSL) unless you intend to prevent your + browser from using these protocols. + - - On the other hand, other installers don't overwrite existing configuration - files, thinking you will want to do that yourself. + + Flush your browser's disk and memory caches, to remove any cached ad images. + If using Privoxy to manage + cookies, + you should remove any currently stored cookies too. + - - standard.action has been merged into - the default.action file. + + A default installation should provide a reasonable starting point for + most. There will undoubtedly be occasions where you will want to adjust the + configuration, but that can be dealt with as the need arises. Little + to no initial configuration is required in most cases, you may want + to enable the + web-based action editor though. + Be sure to read the warnings first. + + See the Configuration section for more + configuration options, and how to customize your installation. + You might also want to look at the next section for a quick + introduction to how Privoxy blocks ads and + banners. + + - In the default configuration only fatal errors are logged now. - You can change that in the debug section - of the configuration file. You may also want to enable more verbose - logging until you verified that the new &my-app; version is working - as expected. + If you experience ads that slip through, innocent images that are + blocked, or otherwise feel the need to fine-tune + Privoxy's behavior, take a look at the actions files. As a quick start, you might + find the richly commented examples + helpful. You can also view and edit the actions files through the web-based user interface. The + Appendix Troubleshooting: Anatomy of an + Action has hints on how to understand and debug actions that + misbehave. - - Three other config file settings are now off by default: - enable-remote-toggle, - enable-remote-http-toggle, - and enable-edit-actions. - If you use or want these, you will need to explicitly enable them, and - be aware of the security issues involved. - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Quickstart to Using Privoxy - - - - - - Install Privoxy. See the Installation Section below for platform specific - information. - - - - - - Advanced users and those who want to offer Privoxy - service to more than just their local machine should check the main config file, especially the security-relevant options. These are - off by default. - - - - - - Start Privoxy, if the installation program has - not done this already (may vary according to platform). See the section - Starting Privoxy. - - - - - - Set your browser to use Privoxy as HTTP and - HTTPS (SSL) proxy - by setting the proxy configuration for address of - 127.0.0.1 and port 8118. - DO NOT activate proxying for FTP or - any protocols besides HTTP and HTTPS (SSL) unless you intend to prevent your - browser from using these protocols. - - - - - - Flush your browser's disk and memory caches, to remove any cached ad images. - If using Privoxy to manage - cookies, - you should remove any currently stored cookies too. - - - - - - A default installation should provide a reasonable starting point for - most. There will undoubtedly be occasions where you will want to adjust the - configuration, but that can be dealt with as the need arises. Little - to no initial configuration is required in most cases, you may want - to enable the - web-based action editor though. - Be sure to read the warnings first. - - - See the Configuration section for more - configuration options, and how to customize your installation. - You might also want to look at the next section for a quick - introduction to how Privoxy blocks ads and - banners. - - - - - - If you experience ads that slip through, innocent images that are - blocked, or otherwise feel the need to fine-tune - Privoxy's behavior, take a look at the actions files. As a quick start, you might - find the richly commented examples - helpful. You can also view and edit the actions files through the web-based user interface. The - Appendix Troubleshooting: Anatomy of an - Action has hints on how to understand and debug actions that - misbehave. - - - - - - - - Please see the section Contacting the - Developers on how to report bugs, problems with websites or to get - help. - - + + Please see the section Contacting the + Developers on how to report bugs, problems with websites or to get + help. + + Now enjoy surfing with enhanced control, comfort and privacy! - + - @@ -1130,35 +757,35 @@ How to install the binary packages depends on your operating system: Quickstart to Ad Blocking Ad blocking is but one of Privoxy's - array of features. Many of these features are for the technically minded advanced + array of features. Many of these features are for the technically minded advanced user. But, ad and banner blocking is surely common ground for everybody. - - This section will provide a quick summary of ad blocking so + + This section will provide a quick summary of ad blocking so you can get up to speed quickly without having to read the more extensive information provided below, though this is highly recommended. First a bit of a warning ... blocking ads is much like blocking SPAM: the - more aggressive you are about it, the more likely you are to block - things that were not intended. And the more likely that some things + more aggressive you are about it, the more likely you are to block + things that were not intended. And the more likely that some things may not work as intended. So there is a trade off here. If you want extreme ad free browsing, be prepared to deal with more problem sites, and to spend more time adjusting the - configuration to solve these unintended consequences. In short, there is - not an easy way to eliminate all ads. Either take + configuration to solve these unintended consequences. In short, there is + not an easy way to eliminate all ads. Either take the easy way and settle for most ads blocked with the default configuration, or jump in and tweak it for your personal surfing habits and preferences. Secondly, a brief explanation of Privoxy's - actions. Actions in this context, are + actions. Actions in this context, are the directives we use to tell Privoxy to perform some task relating to HTTP transactions (i.e. web browsing). We tell Privoxy to take some action. Each @@ -1170,7 +797,7 @@ How to install the binary packages depends on your operating system: Actions are specified in Privoxy's configuration, - followed by one or more URLs to which the action should apply. URLs + followed by one or more URLs to which the action should apply. URLs can actually be URL type patterns that use wildcards so they can apply potentially to a range of similar URLs. The actions, together with the URL patterns are called a section. @@ -1193,18 +820,17 @@ How to install the binary packages depends on your operating system: The most important actions for basic ad blocking are: block, handle-as-image, + linkend="handle-as-image">handle-as-image, handle-as-empty-document,and set-image-blocker: - - + - block - this is perhaps + block - this is perhaps the single most used action, and is particularly important for ad blocking. This action stops any contact between your browser and any URL patterns that match this action's configuration. It can be used for blocking ads, @@ -1213,32 +839,32 @@ How to install the binary packages depends on your operating system: Privoxy's own built-in BLOCKED page instead to let you now what has happened (with some exceptions, see below). - + - handle-as-image - + handle-as-image - tells Privoxy to treat this URL as an image. Privoxy's default configuration already does this for all common image types (e.g. GIF), but there are many situations where this is not so easy to determine. So we'll force it in these cases. This is particularly important for ad blocking, since only if we know that it's an image of - some kind, can we replace it with an image of our choosing, instead of the + some kind, can we replace it with an image of our choosing, instead of the Privoxy BLOCKED page (which would only result in a broken image icon). There are some limitations to this though. For instance, you can't just brute-force an image substitution for an entire HTML page in most situations. - + - handle-as-empty-document - - sends an empty document instead of Privoxy's - normal BLOCKED HTML page. This is useful for file types that are neither + handle-as-empty-document - + sends an empty document instead of Privoxy's + normal BLOCKED HTML page. This is useful for file types that are neither HTML nor images, such as blocking JavaScript files. - + @@ -1255,7 +881,7 @@ How to install the binary packages depends on your operating system: -    pattern - a checkerboard pattern, so that an ad +    pattern - a checkerboard pattern, so that an ad replacement is obvious. This is the default. @@ -1271,14 +897,13 @@ How to install the binary packages depends on your operating system: of the user's choosing (advanced usage). - + - Advanced users will eventually want to explore &my-app; - filters as well. Filters + filters as well. Filters are very different from blocks. A block blocks a site, page, or unwanted contented. Filters @@ -1293,7 +918,7 @@ How to install the binary packages depends on your operating system: The quickest way to adjust any of these settings is with your browser through the special Privoxy editor at http://config.privoxy.org/show-status - (shortcut: http://p.p/show-status). This + (shortcut: http://p.p/show-status). This is an internal page, and does not require Internet access. @@ -1320,58 +945,55 @@ How to install the binary packages depends on your operating system: A quick and simple step by step example: - - Right click on the ad image to be blocked, then select + Right click on the ad image to be blocked, then select Copy Link Location from the - pop-up menu. + pop-up menu. - + - Set your browser to + Set your browser to http://config.privoxy.org/show-status - + - Find user.action in the top section, and click + Find user.action in the top section, and click on Edit: -
Actions Files in Use - + [ Screenshot of Actions Files in Use ]
- - - + + You should have a section with only - block listed under + block listed under Actions:. If not, click a Insert new section below - button, and in the new section that just appeared, click the + button, and in the new section that just appeared, click the Edit button right under the word Actions:. This will bring up a list of all actions. Find block near the top, and click in the Enabled column, then Submit just below the list. - + Now, in the block actions section, @@ -1381,21 +1003,20 @@ How to install the binary packages depends on your operating system: Submit (or OK if in a pop-up window). - + Now go back to the original page, and press SHIFT-Reload (or flush all browser caches). The image should be gone now. - - + + - - This is a very crude and simple example. There might be good reasons to use a + This is a very crude and simple example. There might be good reasons to use a wildcard pattern match to include potentially similar images from the same - site. For a more extensive explanation of patterns, and + site. For a more extensive explanation of patterns, and the entire actions concept, see the Actions section. @@ -1406,11 +1027,11 @@ How to install the binary packages depends on your operating system: The ideas explained therein also apply to the web-based editor. - There are also various - filters that can be used for ad blocking - (filters are a special subset of actions). These + There are also various + filters that can be used for ad blocking + (filters are a special subset of actions). These fall into the advanced usage category, and are explained in - depth in later sections. + depth in later sections. @@ -1426,53 +1047,49 @@ How to install the binary packages depends on your operating system: Before launching Privoxy for the first time, you will want to configure your browser(s) to use - Privoxy as a HTTP and HTTPS (SSL) + Privoxy as a HTTP and HTTPS (SSL) proxy. The default is 127.0.0.1 (or localhost) for the proxy address, and port 8118 (earlier versions used port 8000). This is the one configuration step that must be done ! - Please note that Privoxy can only proxy HTTP and + Please note that Privoxy can only proxy HTTP and HTTPS traffic. It will not work with FTP or other protocols. -
Proxy Configuration Showing Mozilla/Netscape HTTP and HTTPS (SSL) Settings - + [ Screenshot of Mozilla Proxy Configuration ]
- - - + + With Firefox, this is typically set under: - + Tools -> Options -> Advanced -> Network ->Connection -> Settings - - + Or optionally on some platforms: - + Edit -> Preferences -> General -> Connection Settings -> Manual Proxy Configuration - - + With Netscape (and Mozilla), this can be set under: @@ -1482,11 +1099,10 @@ How to install the binary packages depends on your operating system: Edit -> Preferences -> Advanced -> Proxies -> HTTP Proxy - - For Internet Explorer v.5-7: + For Internet Explorer v.5-7: @@ -1502,24 +1118,22 @@ How to install the binary packages depends on your operating system: -
Proxy Configuration Showing Internet Explorer HTTP and HTTPS (Secure) Settings - + [ Screenshot of IE Proxy Configuration ]
- After doing this, flush your browser's disk and memory caches to force a - re-reading of all pages and to get rid of any ads that may be cached. Remove + re-reading of all pages and to get rid of any ads that may be cached. Remove any cookies, if you want Privoxy to manage that. You are now ready to start enjoying the benefits of using @@ -1534,41 +1148,38 @@ How to install the binary packages depends on your operating system: directory. Except on Win32 where it will try config.txt. - -Red Hat and Fedora + +Debian - A default Red Hat installation may not start &my-app; upon boot. It will use - the file /etc/privoxy/config as its main configuration + We use a script. Note that Debian typically starts &my-app; upon booting per + default. It will use the file + /etc/privoxy/config as its main configuration file. - - # /etc/rc.d/init.d/privoxy start + # /etc/init.d/privoxy start - + + + +FreeBSD and ElectroBSD - Or ... + To start Privoxy upon booting, add + "privoxy_enable='YES'" to /etc/rc.conf. + Privoxy will use + /usr/local/etc/privoxy/config as its main + configuration file. - - # service privoxy start - + If you installed Privoxy into a jail, the + paths above are relative to the jail root. - - - -Debian - We use a script. Note that Debian typically starts &my-app; upon booting per - default. It will use the file - /etc/privoxy/config as its main configuration - file. + To start Privoxy manually, run: - - # /etc/init.d/privoxy start + # service privoxy onestart - @@ -1583,21 +1194,25 @@ Click on the &my-app; Icon to start Privoxy. If no co Privoxy can run with full Windows service functionality. On Windows only, the &my-app; program has two new command line arguments - to install and uninstall &my-app; as a service. See the + to install and uninstall &my-app; as a service. See the Windows Installation instructions for details. -Solaris, NetBSD, FreeBSD, HP-UX and others +Generic instructions for Unix derivates (Solaris, NetBSD, HP-UX etc.) Example Unix startup command: - - # /usr/sbin/privoxy /etc/privoxy/config + # /usr/sbin/privoxy --user privoxy /etc/privoxy/config + + Note that if you installed Privoxy through + a package manager, the package will probably contain a platform-specific + script or configuration file to start Privoxy + upon boot. @@ -1614,71 +1229,24 @@ Example Unix startup command: Mac OS X - After downloading the privoxy software, unzip the downloaded file by - double-clicking on the zip file icon. Then, double-click on the - installer package icon and follow the installation process. - - - The privoxy service will automatically start after a successful - installation. In addition, the privoxy service will automatically - start every time your computer starts up. - - - To prevent the privoxy service from automatically starting when your - computer starts up, remove or rename the folder named - /Library/StartupItems/Privoxy. - - - A simple application named Privoxy Utility has been created which - enables administrators to easily start and stop the privoxy service. - - - In addition, the Privoxy Utility presents a simple way for - administrators to edit the various privoxy config files. A method - to uninstall the software is also available. + The privoxy service will automatically start after a successful installation + (and thereafter every time your computer starts up) however you will need to + configure your web browser(s) to use it. To do so, configure them to use a + proxy for HTTP and HTTPS at the address 127.0.0.1:8118. - An administrator username and password must be supplied in order for - the Privoxy Utility to perform any of the tasks. + To prevent the privoxy service from automatically starting when your computer + starts up, remove or rename the file /Library/LaunchDaemons/org.ijbswa.privoxy.plist + (on OS X 10.5 and higher) or the folder named + /Library/StartupItems/Privoxy (on OS X 10.4 'Tiger'). - - - - -AmigaOS - Start Privoxy (with RUN <>NIL:) in your - startnet script (AmiTCP), in - s:user-startup (RoadShow), as startup program in your - startup script (Genesis), or as startup action (Miami and MiamiDx). - Privoxy will automatically quit when you quit your - TCP/IP stack (just ignore the harmless warning your TCP/IP stack may display that - Privoxy is still running). + To manually start or stop the privoxy service, use the scripts startPrivoxy.sh + and stopPrivoxy.sh supplied in /Applications/Privoxy. They must be run from an + administrator account, using sudo. - -Gentoo - - A script is again used. It will use the file /etc/privoxy/config - as its main configuration file. - - - - /etc/init.d/privoxy start - - - - Note that Privoxy is not automatically started at - boot time by default. You can change this with the rc-update - command. - - - - rc-update add privoxy default - - - @@ -1786,9 +1354,29 @@ must find a better place for this paragraph command-line options: - + + + --config-test + + + Exit after loading the configuration files before binding to + the listen address. The exit code signals whether or not the + configuration files have been successfully loaded. + + + If the exit code is 1, at least one of the configuration files + is invalid, if it is 0, all the configuration files have been + successfully loaded (but may still contain errors that can + currently only be detected at run time). + + + This option doesn't affect the log setting, combination with + --no-daemon is recommended if a configured + log file shouldn't be used. + + --version @@ -1796,7 +1384,7 @@ must find a better place for this paragraph Print version info and exit. Unix only. - + --help @@ -1804,7 +1392,7 @@ must find a better place for this paragraph Print short usage info and exit. Unix only. - + --no-daemon @@ -1813,7 +1401,7 @@ must find a better place for this paragraph Don't become a daemon, i.e. don't fork and become process group leader, and don't detach from controlling tty. Unix only. - + --pidfile FILE @@ -1824,7 +1412,7 @@ must find a better place for this paragraph FILE is non-fatal. If no FILE option is given, no PID file will be used. Unix only. - + --user USER[.GROUP] @@ -1840,9 +1428,9 @@ must find a better place for this paragraph --chroot - Before changing to the user ID given in the --user option, + Before changing to the user ID given in the --user option, chroot to that user's home directory, i.e. make the kernel pretend to the &my-app; - process that the directory tree starts there. If set up carefully, this can limit + process that the directory tree starts there. If set up carefully, this can limit the impact of possible vulnerabilities in &my-app; to the files contained in that hierarchy. Unix only. @@ -1852,9 +1440,10 @@ must find a better place for this paragraph --pre-chroot-nslookup hostname - Specifies a hostname to look up before doing a chroot. On some systems, initializing the - resolver library involves reading config files from /etc and/or loading additional shared - libraries from /lib. On these systems, doing a hostname lookup before the chroot reduces + Specifies a hostname (for example www.privoxy.org) to look up before doing a chroot. + On some systems, initializing the resolver library involves reading config files from + /etc and/or loading additional shared libraries from /lib. + On these systems, doing a hostname lookup before the chroot reduces the number of files that must be copied into the chroot tree. @@ -1870,23 +1459,22 @@ must find a better place for this paragraph configfile - If no configfile is included on the command line, - Privoxy will look for a file named - config in the current directory (except on Win32 - where it will look for config.txt instead). Specify - full path to avoid confusion. If no config file is found, + If no configfile is included on the command line, + Privoxy will look for a file named + config in the current directory (except on Win32 + where it will look for config.txt instead). Specify + full path to avoid confusion. If no config file is found, Privoxy will fail to start. - + - - On MS Windows only there are two additional - command-line options to allow Privoxy to install and - run as a service. See the -Window Installation section + On MS Windows only there are two additional + command-line options to allow Privoxy to install and + run as a service. See the +Window Installation section for details. @@ -1900,31 +1488,29 @@ for details. Privoxy Configuration - All Privoxy configuration is stored + All Privoxy configuration is stored in text files. These files can be edited with a text editor. - Many important aspects of Privoxy can + Many important aspects of Privoxy can also be controlled easily with a web browser. - + Controlling Privoxy with Your Web Browser - Privoxy's user interface can be reached through the special + Privoxy's user interface can be reached through the special URL http://config.privoxy.org/ - (shortcut: http://p.p/), + (shortcut: http://p.p/), which is a built-in page and works without Internet access. You will see the following section: - - +     Privoxy Menu -         ▪  View & change the current configuration @@ -1943,7 +1529,7 @@ for details.         ▪  Documentation + url="https://www.privoxy.org/&p-version;/user-manual/">Documentation @@ -1956,19 +1542,16 @@ for details. cookie, and URL blocking magic is configured as well as other advanced features of Privoxy. This is an easy way to adjust various aspects of Privoxy configuration. The actions - file, and other configuration files, are explained in detail below. + file, and other configuration files, are explained in detail below. - Toggle Privoxy On or Off is handy for sites that might + Toggle Privoxy On or Off is handy for sites that might have problems with your current actions and filters. You can in fact use - it as a test to see whether it is Privoxy - causing the problem or not. Privoxy continues + it as a test to see whether it is Privoxy + causing the problem or not. Privoxy continues to run as a proxy in this case, but all manipulation is disabled, i.e. - Privoxy acts like a normal forwarding proxy. There - is even a toggle Bookmarklet offered, so - that you can toggle Privoxy with one click from - your browser. + Privoxy acts like a normal forwarding proxy. @@ -1992,29 +1575,28 @@ for details. Configuration Files Overview For Unix, *BSD and Linux, all configuration files are located in - /etc/privoxy/ by default. For MS Windows, OS/2, and - AmigaOS these are all in the same directory as the + /etc/privoxy/ by default. For MS Windows and OS/2 + these are all in the same directory as the Privoxy executable. - The installed defaults provide a reasonable starting point, though + The installed defaults provide a reasonable starting point, though some settings may be aggressive by some standards. For the time being, the principle configuration files are: - The main configuration file is named config - on Linux, Unix, BSD, OS/2, and AmigaOS and config.txt + on Linux, Unix, BSD, and OS/2, and config.txt on Windows. This is a required file. - + @@ -2028,23 +1610,23 @@ for details. It should be the second actions file loaded and shouldn't be edited by the user. - Multiple actions files may be defined in config. These - are processed in the order they are defined. Local customizations and locally + Multiple actions files may be defined in config. These + are processed in the order they are defined. Local customizations and locally preferred exceptions to the default policies as defined in match-all.action (which you will most probably want to define sooner or later) are best applied in user.action, where you can preserve them across upgrades. The file isn't installed by all installers, but you can easily create it yourself with a text editor. - + There is also a web based editor that can be accessed from http://config.privoxy.org/show-status (Shortcut: http://p.p/show-status) for the - various actions files. + various actions files. - + @@ -2052,18 +1634,17 @@ for details. file) can be used to re-write the raw page content, including viewable text as well as embedded HTML and JavaScript, and whatever else lurks on any given web page. The filtering jobs are only pre-defined here; - whether to apply them or not is up to the actions files. - default.filter includes various filters made - available for use by the developers. Some are much more intrusive than - others, and all should be used with caution. You may define additional - filter files in config as you can with - actions files. We suggest user.filter for any + whether to apply them or not is up to the actions files. + default.filter includes various filters made + available for use by the developers. Some are much more intrusive than + others, and all should be used with caution. You may define additional + filter files in config as you can with + actions files. We suggest user.filter for any locally defined filters or customizations. - + - The syntax of the configuration and filter files may change between different @@ -2082,15 +1663,15 @@ for details. - The actions files and filter files + The actions files and filter files can use Perl style regular expressions for - maximum flexibility. + maximum flexibility. After making any changes, there is no need to restart Privoxy in order for the changes to take - effect. Privoxy detects such changes + effect. Privoxy detects such changes automatically. Note, however, that it may take one or two additional requests for the change to take effect. When changing the listening address of Privoxy, these wake up requests @@ -2099,9 +1680,9 @@ for details. - While under development, the configuration content is subject to change. - The below documentation may not be accurate by the time you read this. - Also, what constitutes a default setting, may change, so + While under development, the configuration content is subject to change. + The below documentation may not be accurate by the time you read this. + Also, what constitutes a default setting, may change, so please check all your configuration files on important issues. ]]> @@ -2137,19 +1718,18 @@ for details. The actions files are used to define what actions Privoxy takes for which URLs, and thus determines how ad images, cookies and various other aspects of HTTP content and - transactions are handled, and on which sites (or even parts thereof). + transactions are handled, and on which sites (or even parts thereof). There are a number of such actions, with a wide range of functionality. Each action does something a little different. - These actions give us a veritable arsenal of tools with which to exert - our control, preferences and independence. Actions can be combined so that + These actions give us a veritable arsenal of tools with which to exert + our control, preferences and independence. Actions can be combined so that their effects are aggregated when applied against a given set of URLs. - + - There + There are three action files included with Privoxy with differing purposes: - @@ -2158,7 +1738,7 @@ for details. content modification, cookie handling etc should be applied by default. It should be the first actions file loaded - + default.action - defines many exceptions (both @@ -2167,15 +1747,15 @@ for details. work reasonably well as-is for most users. This file is only supposed to be edited by the developers. It should be the second actions file loaded. - + - user.action - is intended to be for local site + user.action - is intended to be for local site preferences and exceptions. As an example, if your ISP or your bank - has specific requirements, and need special handling, this kind of + has specific requirements, and need special handling, this kind of thing should go here. This file will not be upgraded. - + Edit Set to Cautious Set to Medium Set to Advanced @@ -2183,16 +1763,16 @@ for details. These have increasing levels of aggressiveness and have no influence on your browsing unless you select them explicitly in the - editor. A default installation should be pre-set to + editor. A default installation should be pre-set to Cautious. New users should try this for a while before - adjusting the settings to more aggressive levels. The more aggressive - the settings, then the more likelihood there is of problems such as sites + adjusting the settings to more aggressive levels. The more aggressive + the settings, then the more likelihood there is of problems such as sites not working as they should. - The Edit button allows you to turn each + The Edit button allows you to turn each action on/off individually for fine-tuning. The Cautious - button changes the actions list to low/safe settings which will activate + button changes the actions list to low/safe settings which will activate ad blocking and a minimal set of &my-app;'s features, and subsequently there will be less of a chance for accidental problems. The Medium button sets the list to a medium level of @@ -2212,7 +1792,6 @@ for details. The default profiles, and their associated actions, as pre-defined in default.action are: - Default Configurations @@ -2263,7 +1842,7 @@ for details. blocks only blocks only - + Privacy Features low @@ -2330,14 +1909,12 @@ for details.
- - + - - The list of actions files to be used are defined in the main configuration + The list of actions files to be used are defined in the main configuration file, and are processed in the order they are defined (e.g. default.action is typically processed before user.action). The content of these can all be viewed and @@ -2348,7 +1925,7 @@ for details. (defined in default.action), followed by any exceptions (typically also in default.action), which are then followed lastly by any - local preferences (typically in user.action). + local preferences (typically in user.action). Generally, user.action has the last word. @@ -2358,7 +1935,7 @@ for details. alias section at the top of that file. Then comes the default set of rules which will apply universally to all sites and pages (be very careful with using such a - universal set in user.action or any other actions file after + universal set in user.action or any other actions file after default.action, because it will override the result from consulting any previous file). And then below that, exceptions to the defined universal policies. You can regard @@ -2367,7 +1944,7 @@ for details. personal settings across Privoxy upgrades easier. - + Actions can be used to block anything you want, including ads, banners, or just some obnoxious URL whose content you would rather not see. Cookies can be accepted or rejected, or accepted only during the current browser session (i.e. not @@ -2377,13 +1954,13 @@ for details. - + Finding the Right Mix Note that some actions, like cookie suppression or script disabling, may render some sites unusable that rely on these techniques to work properly. Finding the right mix of actions is not always easy and - certainly a matter of personal taste. And, things can always change, requiring + certainly a matter of personal taste. And, things can always change, requiring refinements in the configuration. In general, it can be said that the more aggressive your default settings (in the top section of the actions file) are, the more exceptions for trusted sites you @@ -2402,7 +1979,7 @@ for details. - + How to Edit The easiest way to edit the actions files is with a browser by @@ -2415,13 +1992,13 @@ for details. like Cautious, Medium or Advanced. Warning: the Advanced setting is more aggressive, and will be more likely to cause problems for some sites. - Experienced users only! + Experienced users only! If you prefer plain text editing to GUIs, you can of course also directly edit the the actions files with your favorite text editor. Look at - default.action which is richly commented with many + default.action which is richly commented with many good examples. @@ -2449,23 +2026,21 @@ for details. If multiple applying sections set the same action differently, the last match wins. If not, the effects are aggregated. - E.g. a URL might match a regular section with a heading line of { + E.g. a URL might match a regular section with a heading line of { +handle-as-image }, then later another one with just { +block }, resulting - in both actions to apply. And there may well be - cases where you will want to combine actions together. Such a section then + in both actions to apply. And there may well be + cases where you will want to combine actions together. Such a section then might look like: - { +handle-as-image +block{Banner ads.} } # Block these as if they were images. Send no block page. banners.example.com media.example.com/.*banners .example.com/images/ads/ - You can trace this process for URL patterns and any given URL by visiting Patterns - + As mentioned, Privoxy uses patterns to determine what actions might apply to which sites and pages your browser attempts to access. These patterns use wild @@ -2489,26 +2064,26 @@ for details. flexibility. This allows one expression to be expanded and potentially match against many similar patterns. - + Generally, an URL pattern has the form - <domain><port>/<path>, where the - <domain>, the <port> + <host><port>/<path>, where the + <host>, the <port> and the <path> are optional. (This is why the special / pattern matches all URLs). Note that the protocol portion of the URL pattern (e.g. http://) should not be included in the pattern. This is assumed already! - The pattern matching syntax is different for the domain and path parts of - the URL. The domain part uses a simple globbing type matching technique, - while the path part uses more flexible + The pattern matching syntax is different for the host and path parts of + the URL. The host part uses a simple globbing type matching technique, + while the path part uses more flexible Regular Expressions (POSIX 1003.2). The port part of a pattern is a decimal port number preceded by a colon - (:). If the domain part contains a numerical IPv6 address, + (:). If the host part contains a numerical IPv6 address, it has to be put into angle brackets (<, >). @@ -2518,9 +2093,9 @@ for details. www.example.com/ - is a domain-only pattern and will match any request to www.example.com, + is a host-only pattern and will match any request to www.example.com, regardless of which document on that server is requested. So ALL pages in - this domain would be covered by the scope of this action. Note that a + this domain would be covered by the scope of this action. Note that a simple example.com is different and would NOT match. @@ -2529,7 +2104,7 @@ for details. www.example.com - means exactly the same. For domain-only patterns, the trailing / may + means exactly the same. For host-only patterns, the trailing / may be omitted. @@ -2561,6 +2136,15 @@ for details. + + / + + + Matches any URL because there's no requirement for either the + domain or the path to match anything. + + + :8000/ @@ -2569,6 +2153,15 @@ for details. + + 10.0.0.1/ + + + Matches any URL with the host address 10.0.0.1. + (Note that the real URL uses plain brackets, not angle brackets.) + + + <2001:db8::1>/ @@ -2583,7 +2176,7 @@ for details. matches nothing, since it would be interpreted as a domain name and - there is no top-level domain called .html. So its + there is no top-level domain called .html. So its a mistake. @@ -2592,11 +2185,13 @@ for details. -The Domain Pattern +The Host Pattern - The matching of the domain part offers some flexible options: if the - domain starts or ends with a dot, it becomes unanchored at that end. + The matching of the host part offers some flexible options: if the + host pattern starts or ends with a dot, it becomes unanchored at that end. + The host pattern is often referred to as domain pattern as it is usually + used to match domain names and not IP addresses. For example: @@ -2634,7 +2229,7 @@ for details. a domain.) This might be www.example.com, news.example.de, or www.example.net/cgi/testing.pl for instance. All these - cases are matched. + cases are matched. @@ -2644,12 +2239,12 @@ for details. Additionally, there are wild-cards that you can use in the domain names themselves. These work similarly to shell globbing type wild-cards: * represents zero or more arbitrary characters (this is - equivalent to the + equivalent to the Regular Expression based syntax of .*), ? represents any single character (this is equivalent to the regular expression syntax of a simple .), and you can define - character classes in square brackets which is similar to + character classes in square brackets which is similar to the same regular expression technique. All of this can be freely mixed: @@ -2658,7 +2253,7 @@ for details. ad*.example.com - matches adserver.example.com, + matches adserver.example.com, ads.example.com, etc but not sfads.example.com @@ -2676,7 +2271,7 @@ for details. matches www.ipix.com, - pictures.epix.com, a.b.c.d.e.upix.com etc. + pictures.epix.com, a.b.c.d.e.upix.com etc. @@ -2684,9 +2279,9 @@ for details. www[1-9a-ez].example.c* - matches www1.example.com, - www4.example.cc, wwwd.example.cy, - wwwz.example.com etc., but not + matches www1.example.com, + www4.example.cc, wwwd.example.cy, + wwwz.example.com etc., but not wwww.example.com. @@ -2703,7 +2298,7 @@ for details. -The Path Pattern +The Path Pattern Privoxy uses modern POSIX 1003.2 @@ -2720,13 +2315,13 @@ for details. Note that the path pattern is automatically left-anchored at the /, - i.e. it matches as if it would start with a ^ (regular expression speak + i.e. it matches as if it would start with a ^ (regular expression speak for the beginning of a line). Please also note that matching in the path is CASE INSENSITIVE - by default, but you can switch to case sensitive at any point in the pattern by using the + by default, but you can switch to case sensitive at any point in the pattern by using the (?-i) switch: www.example.com/(?-i)PaTtErN.* will match only documents whose path starts with PaTtErN in exactly this capitalization. @@ -2737,7 +2332,7 @@ for details. .example.com/.* - Is equivalent to just .example.com, since any documents + Is equivalent to just .example.com, since any documents within that domain are matched with or without the .* regular expression. This is redundant @@ -2751,9 +2346,9 @@ for details. named index.html, and that is part of some path. For example, it matches www.example.com/testing/index.html but NOT www.example.com/index.html because the regular - expression called for at least two /'s, thus the path - requirement. It also would match - www.example.com/testing/index_html, because of the + expression called for at least two /'s, thus the path + requirement. It also would match + www.example.com/testing/index_html, because of the special meta-character .. @@ -2762,10 +2357,10 @@ for details. .example.com/(.*/)?index\.html$ - This regular expression is conditional so it will match any page - named index.html regardless of path which in this case can - have one or more /'s. And this one must contain exactly - .html (but does not have to end with that!). + This regular expression is conditional so it will match any page + named index.html regardless of path which in this case can + have one or more /'s. And this one must contain exactly + .html (and end with that!). @@ -2774,9 +2369,10 @@ for details. This regular expression will match any path of example.com - that contains any of the words ads, banner, + that contains any of the words ads, banner, banners (because of the ?) or junk. The path does not have to end in these words, just contain them. + The path has to contain at least two slashes (including the one at the beginning). @@ -2784,8 +2380,8 @@ for details. .example.com/(.*/)(ads|banners?|junk)/.*\.(jpe?g|gif|png)$ - This is very much the same as above, except now it must end in either - .jpg, .jpeg, .gif or .png. So this + This is very much the same as above, except now it must end in either + .jpg, .jpeg, .gif or .png. So this one is limited to common image formats. @@ -2793,7 +2389,7 @@ for details. - There are many, many good examples to be found in default.action, + There are many, many good examples to be found in default.action, and more tutorials below in Appendix on regular expressions. @@ -2803,18 +2399,18 @@ for details. -The Tag Pattern +The Request Tag Pattern - Tag patterns are used to change the applying actions based on the - request's tags. Tags can be created with either the - client-header-tagger + Request tag patterns are used to change the applying actions based on the + request's tags. Tags can be created based on HTTP headers with either + the client-header-tagger or the server-header-tagger action. - Tag patterns have to start with TAG:, so &my-app; - can tell them apart from URL patterns. Everything after the colon + Request tag patterns have to start with TAG:, so &my-app; + can tell them apart from other patterns. Everything after the colon including white space, is interpreted as a regular expression with path pattern syntax, except that tag patterns aren't left-anchored automatically (&my-app; doesn't silently add a ^, @@ -2830,15 +2426,15 @@ for details. - Sections can contain URL and tag patterns at the same time, - but tag patterns are checked after the URL patterns and thus + Sections can contain URL and request tag patterns at the same time, + but request tag patterns are checked after the URL patterns and thus always overrule them, even if they are located before the URL patterns. - Once a new tag is added, Privoxy checks right away if it's matched by one - of the tag patterns and updates the action settings accordingly. As a result - tags can be used to activate other tagger actions, as long as these other + Once a new request tag is added, Privoxy checks right away if it's matched by one + of the request tag patterns and updates the action settings accordingly. As a result + request tags can be used to activate other tagger actions, as long as these other taggers look for headers that haven't already be parsed. @@ -2862,6 +2458,80 @@ for details. + +The Negative Request Tag Patterns + + + To match requests that do not have a certain request tag, specify a negative tag pattern + by prefixing the tag pattern line with either NO-REQUEST-TAG: + or NO-RESPONSE-TAG: instead of TAG:. + + + + Negative request tag patterns created with NO-REQUEST-TAG: are checked + after all client headers are scanned, the ones created with NO-RESPONSE-TAG: + are checked after all server headers are scanned. In both cases all the created + tags are considered. + + + + +The Client Tag Pattern + + + + + + This is an experimental feature. The syntax is likely to change in future versions. + + + + + Client tag patterns are not set based on HTTP headers but based on + the client's IP address. Users can enable them themselves, but the + Privoxy admin controls which tags are available and what their effect + is. + + + + After a client-specific tag has been defined with the + client-specific-tag, + directive, action sections can be activated based on the tag by using a + CLIENT-TAG pattern. The CLIENT-TAG pattern is evaluated at the same priority + as URL patterns, as a result the last matching pattern wins. Tags that + are created based on client or server headers are evaluated later on + and can overrule CLIENT-TAG and URL patterns! + + + The tag is set for all requests that come from clients that requested + it to be set. Note that "clients" are differentiated by IP address, + if the IP address changes the tag has to be requested again. + + + Clients can request tags to be set by using the CGI interface http://config.privoxy.org/client-tags. + + + + Example: + + + +# If the admin defined the client-specific-tag circumvent-blocks, +# and the request comes from a client that previously requested +# the tag to be set, overrule all previous +block actions that +# are enabled based on URL to CLIENT-TAG patterns. +{-block} +CLIENT-TAG:^circumvent-blocks$ + +# This section is not overruled because it's located after +# the previous one. +{+block{Nobody is supposed to request this.}} +example.org/blocked-example-page + + + @@ -2880,62 +2550,56 @@ for details. following patterns, and -block means don't block URLs that match the following patterns, even if +block previously applied. - - + Again, actions are invoked by placing them on a line, enclosed in curly braces and - separated by whitespace, like in + separated by whitespace, like in {+some-action -some-other-action{some-parameter}}, followed by a list of URL patterns, one per line, to which they apply. Together, the actions line and the following pattern lines make up a section - of the actions file. + of the actions file. - + Actions fall into three categories: - - + Boolean, i.e the action can only be enabled or disabled. Syntax: - +name # enable action name -name # disable action name - - + Example: +handle-as-image - + Parameterized, where some value is required in order to enable this type of action. Syntax: - +name{param} # enable action and set parameter to param, # overwriting parameter from previous match if necessary -name # disable action. The parameter can be omitted - Note that if the URL matches multiple positive forms of a parameterized action, the last match wins, i.e. the params from earlier matches are simply ignored. - + Example: +hide-user-agent{Mozilla/5.0 (X11; U; FreeBSD i386; en-US; rv:1.8.1.4) Gecko/20070602 Firefox/2.0.0.4} - + - + Multi-value. These look exactly like parameterized actions, but they behave differently: If the action applies multiple times to the same URL, but with different parameters, all the parameters @@ -2943,21 +2607,18 @@ for details. that can be executed for the same request repeatedly, like adding multiple headers, or filtering through multiple filters. Syntax: - +name{param} # enable action and add param to the list of parameters -name{param} # remove the parameter param from the list of parameters # If it was the last one left, disable the action. -name # disable this action completely and remove all parameters from the list - - + Examples: +add-header{X-Fun-Header: Some text} and +filter{html-annoyances} - If nothing is specified in any actions file, no actions are @@ -2969,8 +2630,8 @@ for details. Later defined action sections always over-ride earlier ones of the same type. - So exceptions to any rules you make, should come in the latter part of the file (or - in a file that is processed later when using multiple actions files such + So exceptions to any rules you make, should come in the latter part of the file (or + in a file that is processed later when using multiple actions files such as user.action). For multi-valued actions, the actions are applied in the order they are specified. Actions files are processed in the order they are defined in config (the default @@ -3022,7 +2683,7 @@ for details. Multi-value. - + Parameter: @@ -3033,14 +2694,14 @@ for details. - + Notes: - This action may be specified multiple times, in order to define multiple - headers. This is rarely needed for the typical user. If you don't know what - HTTP headers are, you definitely don't need to worry about this + This action may be specified multiple times, in order to define multiple + headers. This is rarely needed for the typical user. If you don't know what + HTTP headers are, you definitely don't need to worry about this one. @@ -3052,9 +2713,16 @@ for details. Example usage: - - +add-header{X-User-Tracking: sucks} - + # Add a DNT ("Do not track") header to all requests, +# event to those that already have one. +# +# This is just an example, not a recommendation. +# +# There is no reason to believe that user-tracking websites care +# about the DNT header and depending on the User-Agent, adding the +# header may make user-tracking easier. +{+add-header{DNT: 1}} +/ @@ -3083,10 +2751,10 @@ for details. the handle-as-image, set-image-blocker, and + linkend="set-image-blocker">set-image-blocker, and handle-as-empty-document actions. - + @@ -3105,7 +2773,7 @@ for details. A block reason that should be given to the user. - + Notes: @@ -3116,18 +2784,18 @@ for details. to the blocked content (the latter only if the force feature is available and enabled). - - A very important exception occurs if both + + A very important exception occurs if both block and handle-as-image, - apply to the same request: it will then be replaced by an image. If + apply to the same request: it will then be replaced by an image. If set-image-blocker (see below) also applies, the type of image will be determined by its parameter, if not, the standard checkerboard pattern is sent. - It is important to understand this process, in order - to understand how Privoxy deals with - ads and other unwanted content. Blocking is a core feature, and one + It is important to understand this process, in order + to understand how Privoxy deals with + ads and other unwanted content. Blocking is a core feature, and one upon which various other features depend. @@ -3143,20 +2811,18 @@ for details. Example usage (section): - {+block{No nasty stuff for you.}} # Block and replace with "blocked" page .nasty-stuff.example.com -{+block{Doubleclick banners.} +handle-as-image} +{+block{Doubleclick banners.} +handle-as-image} # Block and replace with image .ad.doubleclick.net .ads.r.us/banners/ -{+block{Layered ads.} +handle-as-empty-document} +{+block{Layered ads.} +handle-as-empty-document} # Block and then ignore adserver.example.net/.*\.js$ - @@ -3211,7 +2877,7 @@ for details. - + Notes: @@ -3227,9 +2893,7 @@ for details. Example usage: - +change-x-forwarded-for{block} - @@ -3263,7 +2927,7 @@ for details. Type: - Parameterized. + Multi-value. @@ -3276,7 +2940,7 @@ for details. - + Notes: @@ -3291,7 +2955,7 @@ for details. and use their output as input. - If the request URL gets changed, &my-app; will detect that and use the new + If the request URI gets changed, &my-app; will detect that and use the new one. This can be used to rewrite the request destination behind the client's back, for example to specify a Tor exit relay for certain requests. @@ -3307,13 +2971,11 @@ for details. Example usage (section): - # Hide Tor exit notation in Host and Referer Headers {+client-header-filter{hide-tor-exit-notation}} / - - + @@ -3341,7 +3003,7 @@ for details. Client headers to which this action applies are filtered on-the-fly through the specified regular expression based substitutions, the result is used as - tag. + tag. @@ -3350,7 +3012,7 @@ for details. Type: - Parameterized. + Multi-value. @@ -3363,7 +3025,7 @@ for details. - + Notes: @@ -3382,7 +3044,6 @@ for details. Example usage (section): - # Tag every request with the User-Agent header {+client-header-tagger{user-agent}} @@ -3406,8 +3067,36 @@ TAG:^User-Agent: RPM APT-HTTP/ TAG:^User-Agent: fetch libfetch/ TAG:^User-Agent: Ubuntu APT-HTTP/ TAG:^User-Agent: MPlayer/ - - + + + +# Tag all requests with the Range header set +{+client-header-tagger{range-requests}} +/ + +# Disable filtering for the tagged requests. +# +# With filtering enabled Privoxy would remove the Range headers +# to be able to filter the whole response. The downside is that +# it prevents clients from resuming downloads or skipping over +# parts of multimedia files. +{-filter -deanimate-gifs} +TAG:^RANGE-REQUEST$ + + + +# Tag all requests with the client IP address +# +# (Technically the client IP address isn't included in the +# client headers but client-header taggers can set it anyway. +# For details see the tagger in default.filter) +{+client-header-tagger{client-ip-address}} +/ + +# Change forwarding settings for requests coming from address 10.0.0.1 +{+forward-override{forward-socks5 127.0.1.2:2222 .}} +TAG:^IP-ADDRESS: 10\.0\.0\.1$ + @@ -3448,11 +3137,11 @@ TAG:^User-Agent: MPlayer/ Parameter: - Any string. - + Any string. + - + Notes: @@ -3461,7 +3150,7 @@ TAG:^User-Agent: MPlayer/ browser to decide what to do with the document. The value of this header can cause the browser to open a download menu instead of displaying the document by itself, even if the document's format is - supported by the browser. + supported by the browser. The declared content type can also affect which rendering mode @@ -3475,13 +3164,13 @@ TAG:^User-Agent: MPlayer/ Content-Type: text/html, you can use &my-app; to overwrite it with application/xml and validate the web master's claim inside your XHTML-supporting browser. - If the syntax is incorrect, the browser will complain loudly. + If the syntax is incorrect, the browser will complain loudly. You can also go the opposite direction: if your browser prints error messages instead of rendering a document falsely declared as XHTML, you can overwrite the content type with - text/html and have it rendered as broken HTML document. + text/html and have it rendered as broken HTML document. By default content-type-overwrite only replaces @@ -3499,7 +3188,7 @@ TAG:^User-Agent: MPlayer/ Of course you can apply content-type-overwrite to a whole site and then make URL based exceptions, but it's a lot - more work to get the same precision. + more work to get the same precision. @@ -3507,7 +3196,6 @@ TAG:^User-Agent: MPlayer/ Example usage (sections): - # Check if www.example.net/ really uses valid XHTML { +content-type-overwrite{application/xml} } www.example.net/ @@ -3517,7 +3205,6 @@ www.example.net/ www.example.net/.*\.css$ www.example.net/.*style - @@ -3561,10 +3248,10 @@ new action Any string. - + - + Notes: @@ -3596,12 +3283,10 @@ new action Example usage (section): - - # Block the non-existent "Privacy-Violation:" client header + # Block the non-existent "Privacy-Violation:" client header { +crunch-client-header{Privacy-Violation:} } / - - + @@ -3644,10 +3329,10 @@ new action N/A - + - + Notes: @@ -3678,14 +3363,13 @@ new action Example usage (section): - # Let the browser revalidate cached documents but don't # allow the server to use the revalidation headers for user tracking. {+hide-if-modified-since{-60} \ +overwrite-last-modified{randomize} \ +crunch-if-none-match} -/ - +/ + @@ -3731,7 +3415,7 @@ new action - + Notes: @@ -3744,7 +3428,7 @@ new action It makes no sense at all to use this action in conjunction with the session-cookies-only action, - since it would prevent the session cookies from being set. See also + since it would prevent the session cookies from being set. See also filter-content-cookies. @@ -3753,9 +3437,7 @@ new action Example usage: - +crunch-incoming-cookies - @@ -3798,10 +3480,10 @@ new action Any string. - + - + Notes: @@ -3832,11 +3514,10 @@ new action Example usage (section): - # Crunch server headers that try to prevent caching { +crunch-server-header{no-cache} } -/ - +/ + @@ -3882,7 +3563,7 @@ new action - + Notes: @@ -3903,9 +3584,7 @@ new action Example usage: - +crunch-outgoing-cookies - @@ -3950,7 +3629,7 @@ new action - + Notes: @@ -3973,9 +3652,7 @@ new action Example usage: - +deanimate-gifs{last} - @@ -4018,16 +3695,26 @@ new action - + Notes: This is a left-over from the time when Privoxy didn't support important HTTP/1.1 features well. It is left here for the - unlikely case that you experience HTTP/1.1 related problems with some server - out there. Not all HTTP/1.1 features and requirements are supported yet, - so there is a chance you might need this action. + unlikely case that you experience HTTP/1.1-related problems with some server + out there. + + + Note that enabling this action is only a workaround. It should not + be enabled for sites that work without it. While it shouldn't break + any pages, it has an (usually negative) performance impact. + + + If you come across a site where enabling this action helps, please report it, + so the cause of the problem can be analyzed. If the problem turns out to be + caused by a bug in Privoxy it should be + fixed so the following release works without the work around. @@ -4035,13 +3722,97 @@ new action Example usage (section): - {+downgrade-http-version} problem-host.example.com + + + + + + + + +external-filter + + + + Typical use: + + Modify content using a programming language of your choice. + + + + + Effect: + + + All instances of text-based type, most notably HTML and JavaScript, to which + this action applies, can be filtered on-the-fly through the specified external + filter. + By default plain text documents are exempted from filtering, because web + servers often use the text/plain MIME type for all files + whose type they don't know.) + + + + + + Type: + + + Multi-value. + + + + + Parameter: + + + The name of an external content filter, as defined in the + filter file. + External filters can be defined in one or more files as defined by the + filterfile + option in the config file. + + + When used in its negative form, + and without parameters, all filtering with external + filters is completely disabled. + + + + + + Notes: + + + External filters are scripts or programs that can modify the content in + case common filters + aren't powerful enough. With the exception that this action doesn't + use pcrs-based filters, the notes in the + filter section apply. + + + + Currently external filters are executed with &my-app;'s privileges. + Only use external filters you understand and trust. + + + This feature is experimental, the syntax + may change in the future. + + + + Example usage: + + +external-filter{fancy-filter} + + @@ -4098,7 +3869,7 @@ problem-host.example.com Notes: - + Many sites, like yahoo.com, don't just link to other sites. Instead, they will link to some script on their own servers, giving the destination as a parameter, which will then redirect you to the final target. URLs @@ -4116,7 +3887,7 @@ problem-host.example.com This feature is currently not very smart and is scheduled for improvement. If it is enabled by default, you will have to create some exceptions to - this action. It can lead to failures in several ways: + this action. It can lead to failures in several ways: Not every URLs with other URLs as parameters is evil. @@ -4154,14 +3925,12 @@ problem-host.example.com Example usage: - { +fast-redirects{simple-check} } - one.example.com + one.example.com { +fast-redirects{check-decoded-url} } another.example.com/testing - @@ -4177,7 +3946,7 @@ problem-host.example.com Typical use: - Get rid of HTML and JavaScript annoyances, banner advertisements (by size), + Get rid of HTML and JavaScript annoyances, banner advertisements (by size), do fun text replacements, add personalized effects, etc. @@ -4199,20 +3968,20 @@ problem-host.example.com Type: - Parameterized. + Multi-value. - + Parameter: The name of a content filter, as defined in the filter file. - Filters can be defined in one or more files as defined by the + Filters can be defined in one or more files as defined by the filterfile - option in the config file. - default.filter is the collection of filters - supplied by the developers. Locally defined filters should go + option in the config file. + default.filter is the collection of filters + supplied by the developers. Locally defined filters should go in their own file, such as user.filter. @@ -4221,38 +3990,39 @@ problem-host.example.com - + Notes: - For your convenience, there are a number of pre-defined filters available + For your convenience, there are a number of pre-defined filters available in the distribution filter file that you can use. See the examples below for a list. Filtering requires buffering the page content, which may appear to slow down page rendering since nothing is displayed until all content has - passed the filters. (It does not really take longer, but seems that way - since the page is not incrementally displayed.) This effect will be more - noticeable on slower connections. + passed the filters. (The total time until the page is completely rendered + doesn't change much, but it may be perceived as slower since the page is + not incrementally displayed.) + This effect will be more noticeable on slower connections. Rolling your own - filters requires a knowledge of + filters requires a knowledge of Regular - Expressions and + Expressions and HTML. - This is very powerful feature, and potentially very intrusive. + This is very powerful feature, and potentially very intrusive. Filters should be used with caution, and where an equivalent action is not available. - The amount of data that can be filtered is limited to the + The amount of data that can be filtered is limited to the buffer-limit - option in the main config file. The + option in the main config file. The default is 4096 KB (4 Megs). Once this limit is exceeded, the buffered - data, and all pending data, is passed through unfiltered. + data, and all pending data, is passed through unfiltered. Inappropriate MIME types, such as zipped files, are not filtered at all. @@ -4263,10 +4033,10 @@ problem-host.example.com by defining appropriate -filter exceptions. - Compressed content can't be filtered either, unless &my-app; - is compiled with zlib support (requires at least &my-app; 3.0.7), - in which case &my-app; will decompress the content before filtering - it. + Compressed content can't be filtered either, but if &my-app; + is compiled with zlib support and a supported compression algorithm + is used (gzip or deflate), &my-app; can first decompress the content + and then filter it. If you use a &my-app; version without zlib support, but want filtering to work on @@ -4275,11 +4045,11 @@ problem-host.example.com action in conjunction with filter. - Content filtering can achieve some of the same effects as the + Content filtering can achieve some of the same effects as the block - action, i.e. it can be used to block ads and banners. But the mechanism - works quite differently. One effective use, is to block ad banners - based on their size (see below), since many of these seem to be somewhat + action, i.e. it can be used to block ads and banners. But the mechanism + works quite differently. One effective use, is to block ad banners + based on their size (see below), since many of these seem to be somewhat standardized. @@ -4297,113 +4067,117 @@ problem-host.example.com Example usage (with filters from the distribution default.filter file). - See the Predefined Filters section for + See the Predefined Filters section for more explanation on each: - +filter{js-annoyances} # Get rid of particularly annoying JavaScript abuse. + +filter{js-annoyances} # Get rid of particularly annoying JavaScript abuse. - +filter{js-events} # Kill all JS event bindings and timers (Radically destructive! Only for extra nasty sites). + +filter{js-events} # Kill JavaScript event bindings and timers (Radically destructive! Only for extra nasty sites). - +filter{html-annoyances} # Get rid of particularly annoying HTML abuse. + +filter{html-annoyances} # Get rid of particularly annoying HTML abuse. - +filter{content-cookies} # Kill cookies that come in the HTML or JS content. + +filter{content-cookies} # Kill cookies that come in the HTML or JS content. - +filter{refresh-tags} # Kill automatic refresh tags (for dial-on-demand setups). + +filter{refresh-tags} # Kill automatic refresh tags if refresh time is larger than 9 seconds. - +filter{unsolicited-popups} # Disable only unsolicited pop-up windows. Useful if your browser lacks this ability. + +filter{unsolicited-popups} # Disable only unsolicited pop-up windows. - +filter{all-popups} # Kill all popups in JavaScript and HTML. Useful if your browser lacks this ability. + +filter{all-popups} # Kill all popups in JavaScript and HTML. - +filter{img-reorder} # Reorder attributes in <img> tags to make the banners-by-* filters more effective. + +filter{img-reorder} # Reorder attributes in <img> tags to make the banners-by-* filters more effective. - +filter{banners-by-size} # Kill banners by size. + +filter{banners-by-size} # Kill banners by size. - +filter{banners-by-link} # Kill banners by their links to known clicktrackers. + +filter{banners-by-link} # Kill banners by their links to known clicktrackers. - +filter{webbugs} # Squish WebBugs (1x1 invisible GIFs used for user tracking). + +filter{webbugs} # Squish WebBugs (1x1 invisible GIFs used for user tracking). - +filter{tiny-textforms} # Extend those tiny textareas up to 40x80 and kill the hard wrap. + +filter{tiny-textforms} # Extend those tiny textareas up to 40x80 and kill the hard wrap. - +filter{jumping-windows} # Prevent windows from resizing and moving themselves. + +filter{jumping-windows} # Prevent windows from resizing and moving themselves. + +filter{frameset-borders} # Give frames a border and make them resizable. + + + +filter{iframes} # Removes all detected iframes. Should only be enabled for individual sites. - +filter{demoronizer} # Fix MS's non-standard use of standard charsets. + +filter{demoronizer} # Fix MS's non-standard use of standard charsets. - +filter{shockwave-flash} # Kill embedded Shockwave Flash objects. + +filter{shockwave-flash} # Kill embedded Shockwave Flash objects. - +filter{quicktime-kioskmode} # Make Quicktime movies saveable. + +filter{quicktime-kioskmode} # Make Quicktime movies saveable. - +filter{fun} # Text replacements for subversive browsing fun! + +filter{fun} # Text replacements for subversive browsing fun! - +filter{crude-parental} # Crude parental filtering. Note that this filter doesn't work reliably. + +filter{crude-parental} # Crude parental filtering. Note that this filter doesn't work reliably. - +filter{ie-exploits} # Disable some known Internet Explorer bug exploits. + +filter{ie-exploits} # Disable some known Internet Explorer bug exploits. - +filter{site-specifics} # Cure for site-specific problems. Don't apply generally! + +filter{site-specifics} # Cure for site-specific problems. Don't apply generally! - +filter{no-ping} # Removes non-standard ping attributes in <a> and <area> tags. + +filter{no-ping} # Removes non-standard ping attributes in <a> and <area> tags. - +filter{google} # CSS-based block for Google text ads. Also removes a width limitation and the toolbar advertisement. + +filter{google} # CSS-based block for Google text ads. Also removes a width limitation and the toolbar advertisement. - +filter{yahoo} # CSS-based block for Yahoo text ads. Also removes a width limitation. + +filter{yahoo} # CSS-based block for Yahoo text ads. Also removes a width limitation. - +filter{msn} # CSS-based block for MSN text ads. Also removes tracking URLs and a width limitation. + +filter{msn} # CSS-based block for MSN text ads. Also removes tracking URLs and a width limitation. - +filter{blogspot} # Cleans up some Blogspot blogs. Read the fine print before using this. + +filter{blogspot} # Cleans up some Blogspot blogs. Read the fine print before using this. @@ -4429,7 +4203,7 @@ new action Declares a document as text, even if the Content-Type: isn't detected as such. - + @@ -4461,7 +4235,7 @@ new action force-text-mode declares a document as text, without looking at the Content-Type: first. - + Think twice before activating this action. Filtering binary data with regular expressions can cause file damage. @@ -4469,15 +4243,13 @@ new action - + Example usage: - +force-text-mode - - + @@ -4503,7 +4275,7 @@ new action Overrules the forward directives in the configuration file. - + @@ -4511,7 +4283,7 @@ new action Type: - Multi-value. + Parameterized. @@ -4544,6 +4316,32 @@ new action for socks5 connections (with remote DNS resolution). + + + forward-webserver 127.0.0.1:80 to use the HTTP + server listening at 127.0.0.1 port 80 without adjusting the + request headers. + + + This makes it more convenient to use Privoxy to make + existing websites available as onion services as well. + + + Many websites serve content with hardcoded URLs and + can't be easily adjusted to change the domain based + on the one used by the client. + + + Putting Privoxy between Tor and the webserver (or an stunnel + that forwards to the webserver) allows to rewrite headers and + content to make client and server happy at the same time. + + + Using Privoxy for webservers that are only reachable through + onion addresses and whose location is supposed to be secret + is not recommended and should not be necessary anyway. + + @@ -4557,7 +4355,7 @@ new action file, but without the URL pattern. It can be used as replacement, but normally it's only used in cases where matching based on the request URL isn't sufficient. - + Please read the description for the forward directives before using this action. Forwarding to the wrong people will reduce your privacy and increase the @@ -4566,7 +4364,8 @@ new action If the ports are missing or invalid, default values will be used. This might change in the future and you shouldn't rely on it. Otherwise incorrect syntax causes Privoxy - to exit. + to exit. Due to design limitations, invalid parameter syntax isn't detected until the + action is used the first time. Use the show-url-info CGI page @@ -4575,27 +4374,27 @@ new action - + Example usage: - -# Always use direct connections for requests previously tagged as +# Use an ssh tunnel for requests previously tagged as # User-Agent: fetch libfetch/2.0 and make sure # resuming downloads continues to work. +# # This way you can continue to use Tor for your normal browsing, # without overloading the Tor network with your FreeBSD ports updates # or downloads of bigger files like ISOs. +# # Note that HTTP headers are easy to fake and therefore their # values are as (un)trustworthy as your clients and users. -{+forward-override{forward .} \ +{+forward-override{forward-socks5 10.0.0.2:2222 .} \ -hide-if-modified-since \ -overwrite-last-modified \ } TAG:^User-Agent: fetch libfetch/2\.0$ - - + @@ -4667,13 +4466,11 @@ new action Example usage: - # Block all documents on example.org that end with ".js", -# but send an empty document instead of the usual HTML message. +# but send an empty document instead of the usual HTML message. {+block{Blocked JavaScript} +handle-as-empty-document} example.org/.*\.js$ - - + @@ -4722,14 +4519,14 @@ example.org/.*\.js$ - + Notes: The below generic example section is actually part of default.action. It marks all URLs with well-known image file name extensions as images and should - be left intact. + be left intact. Users will probably only want to use the handle-as-image action in conjunction with @@ -4748,7 +4545,6 @@ example.org/.*\.js$ Example usage (sections): - # Generic image extensions: # {+handle-as-image} @@ -4760,7 +4556,6 @@ example.org/.*\.js$ {+block{Nasty banners.} +handle-as-image} nasty-banner-server.example.com/junk.cgi\?output=trash - @@ -4803,10 +4598,10 @@ new action Keyword: block, or any user defined value. - + - + Notes: @@ -4832,7 +4627,7 @@ new action to a rare language, you should consider that it helps to make your requests unique and thus easier to trace. If you don't plan to change this header frequently, - you should stick to a common language. + you should stick to a common language. @@ -4840,13 +4635,12 @@ new action Example usage (section): - # Pretend to use Canadian language settings. {+hide-accept-language{en-ca} \ +hide-user-agent{Mozilla/5.0 (X11; U; OpenBSD i386; en-CA; rv:1.8.0.4) Gecko/20060628 Firefox/1.5.0.4} \ } -/ - +/ + @@ -4889,10 +4683,10 @@ new action Keyword: block, or any user defined value. - + - + Notes: @@ -4930,13 +4724,11 @@ new action Example usage: - # Disarm the download link in Sourceforge's patch tracker { -filter \ +content-type-overwrite{text/plain}\ +hide-content-disposition{block} } .sourceforge.net/tracker/download\.php - @@ -4961,7 +4753,7 @@ new action Effect: - Deletes the If-Modified-Since: HTTP client header or modifies its value. + Deletes the If-Modified-Since: HTTP client header or modifies its value. @@ -4979,10 +4771,10 @@ new action Keyword: block, or a user defined value that specifies a range of hours. - + - + Notes: @@ -5019,13 +4811,11 @@ new action Example usage (section): - # Let the browser revalidate but make tracking based on the time less likely. {+hide-if-modified-since{-60} \ +overwrite-last-modified{randomize} \ +crunch-if-none-match} / - @@ -5070,12 +4860,12 @@ new action - + Notes: - The keyword block will completely remove the header + The keyword block will completely remove the header (not to be confused with the block action). @@ -5094,10 +4884,9 @@ new action Example usage: - - +hide-from-header{block} or + +hide-from-header{block} + or +hide-from-header{spam-me-senseless@sittingduck.example.com} - @@ -5156,7 +4945,7 @@ new action - + Notes: @@ -5185,12 +4974,12 @@ new action will work with referrer checks, as long as content and valid referring page are on the same host. Most of the time that's the case. - + hide-referer is an alternate spelling of hide-referrer and the two can be can be freely substituted with each other. (referrer is the correct English spelling, however the HTTP specification has a bug - it - requires it to be spelled as referer.) + requires it to be spelled as referer.) @@ -5198,10 +4987,9 @@ new action Example usage: - - +hide-referrer{forge} or + +hide-referrer{forge} + or +hide-referrer{http://www.yahoo.com/} - @@ -5246,16 +5034,16 @@ new action - + Notes: - + This can lead to problems on web sites that depend on looking at this header in order to customize their content for different browsers (which, by the way, is NOT the right thing to do: good web sites - work browser-independently). + work browser-independently). @@ -5264,17 +5052,14 @@ new action not recommended. In single-user, single-browser setups, you might use it to delete your OS version information from the headers, because it is an invitation to exploit known bugs for your - OS. It is also occasionally useful to forge this in order to access - sites that won't let you in otherwise (though there may be a good - reason in some cases). Example of this: some MSN sites will not - let Mozilla enter, yet forging to a - Netscape 6.1 user-agent works just fine. - (Must be just a silly MS goof, I'm sure :-). + OS. It is also occasionally useful to forge this in order to access + sites that won't let you in otherwise (though there may be a good + reason in some cases). - More information on known user-agent strings can be found at + More information on known user-agent strings can be found at http://www.user-agents.org/ - and + and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_agent. @@ -5283,9 +5068,7 @@ new action Example usage: - +hide-user-agent{Netscape 6.1 (X11; I; Linux 2.4.18 i686)} - @@ -5330,7 +5113,7 @@ new action - + Notes: @@ -5361,15 +5144,98 @@ new action - +limit-connect{443} # Port 443 is OK. +limit-connect{80,443} # Ports 80 and 443 are OK. +limit-connect{-3, 7, 20-100, 500-} # Ports less than 3, 7, 20 to 100 and above 500 are OK. +limit-connect{-} # All ports are OK +limit-connect{,} # No HTTPS/SSL traffic is allowed + + + + + + + + +limit-cookie-lifetime + + + + Typical use: + + Limit the lifetime of HTTP cookies to a couple of minutes or hours. + + + + + Effect: + + + Overwrites the expires field in Set-Cookie server headers if it's above the specified limit. + + + + + + Type: + + + Parameterized. + + + + + Parameter: + + + The lifetime limit in minutes, or 0. + + + + + + Notes: + + + This action reduces the lifetime of HTTP cookies coming from the + server to the specified number of minutes, starting from the time + the cookie passes Privoxy. + + + Cookies with a lifetime below the limit are not modified. + The lifetime of session cookies is set to the specified limit. + + + The effect of this action depends on the server. + + + In case of servers which refresh their cookies with each response + (or at least frequently), the lifetime limit set by this action + is updated as well. + Thus, a session associated with the cookie continues to work with + this action enabled, as long as a new request is made before the + last limit set is reached. + + + However, some servers send their cookies once, with a lifetime of several + years (the year 2037 is a popular choice), and do not refresh them + until a certain event in the future, for example the user logging out. + In this case this action may limit the absolute lifetime of the session, + even if requests are made frequently. + + + If the parameter is 0, this action behaves like + session-cookies-only. + + + Example usages: + + +limit-cookie-lifetime{60} + + @@ -5413,7 +5279,7 @@ new action - + Notes: @@ -5433,7 +5299,7 @@ new action Most text-based instances compress very well, the size is seldom decreased by less than 50%, for markup-heavy instances like news feeds saving more than 90% of the original size isn't - unusual. + unusual. Not using compression will therefore slow down the transfer, and you should only @@ -5453,7 +5319,6 @@ new action Example usage (sections): - # Selectively turn off compression, and enable a filter # @@ -5472,7 +5337,6 @@ new action # { -prevent-compression } .compusa.com/ - @@ -5498,7 +5362,7 @@ new action Effect: - Deletes the Last-Modified: HTTP server header or modifies its value. + Deletes the Last-Modified: HTTP server header or modifies its value. @@ -5517,10 +5381,10 @@ new action One of the keywords: block, reset-to-request-time and randomize - + - + Notes: @@ -5536,7 +5400,7 @@ new action between the original value and the current time. In theory the server could send each document with a different Last-Modified: header to track visits without using cookies. Randomize - makes it impossible and the browser can still revalidate cached documents. + makes it impossible and the browser can still revalidate cached documents. reset-to-request-time overwrites the value of the @@ -5552,7 +5416,7 @@ new action of the request, the random range becomes zero and the value stays the same. Therefore you should later randomize it a second time with hided-if-modified-since, - just to be sure. + just to be sure. It is also recommended to use this action together with @@ -5564,13 +5428,11 @@ new action Example usage: - # Let the browser revalidate without being tracked across sessions { +hide-if-modified-since{-60} \ +overwrite-last-modified{randomize} \ +crunch-if-none-match} / - @@ -5619,7 +5481,7 @@ new action - + Notes: @@ -5630,9 +5492,19 @@ new action single pcrs command to the original URL. - This action will be ignored if you use it together with - block. - It can be combined with + The syntax for pcrs commands is documented in the + filter file section. + + + Requests can't be blocked and redirected at the same time, + applying this action together with + block + is a configuration error. Currently the request is blocked + and an error message logged, the behavior may change in the + future and result in Privoxy rejecting the action file. + + + This action can be combined with fast-redirects{check-decoded-url} to redirect to a decoded version of a rewritten URL. @@ -5651,14 +5523,13 @@ new action Example usages: - # Replace example.com's style sheet with another one { +redirect{http://localhost/css-replacements/example.com.css} } example.com/stylesheet\.css # Create a short, easy to remember nickname for a favorite site -# (relies on the browser accept and forward invalid URLs to &my-app;) -{ +redirect{http://www.privoxy.org/user-manual/actions-file.html} } +# (relies on the browser to accept and forward invalid URLs to &my-app;) +{ +redirect{https://www.privoxy.org/user-manual/actions-file.html} } a # Always use the expanded view for Undeadly.org articles @@ -5675,11 +5546,23 @@ undeadly.org/cgi\?action=article&sid=\d*$ {+redirect{s@^http://[^/]*/results\.aspx\?q=([^&]*).*@http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=$1@}} search.msn.com//results\.aspx\?q= +# Redirect http://example.com/&bla=fasel&toChange=foo (and any other value but "bar") +# to http://example.com/&bla=fasel&toChange=bar +# +# The URL pattern makes sure that the following request isn't redirected again. +{+redirect{s@toChange=[^&]+@toChange=bar@}} +example.com/.*toChange=(?!bar) + +# Add a shortcut to look up illumos bugs +{+redirect{s@^http://i([0-9]+)/.*@https://www.illumos.org/issues/$1@}} +# Redirected URL = http://i4974/ +# Redirect Destination = https://www.illumos.org/issues/4974 +i[0-9][0-9][0-9][0-9]*/ + # Redirect remote requests for this manual # to the local version delivered by Privoxy {+redirect{s@^http://www@http://config@}} www.privoxy.org/user-manual/ - @@ -5715,7 +5598,7 @@ www.privoxy.org/user-manual/ Type: - Parameterized. + Multi-value. @@ -5728,7 +5611,7 @@ www.privoxy.org/user-manual/ - + Notes: @@ -5753,15 +5636,13 @@ www.privoxy.org/user-manual/ Example usage (section): - {+server-header-filter{html-to-xml}} example.org/xml-instance-that-is-delivered-as-html {+server-header-filter{xml-to-html}} example.org/instance-that-is-delivered-as-xml-but-is-not - - + @@ -5798,7 +5679,7 @@ example.org/instance-that-is-delivered-as-xml-but-is-not Type: - Parameterized. + Multi-value. @@ -5811,7 +5692,7 @@ example.org/instance-that-is-delivered-as-xml-but-is-not - + Notes: @@ -5838,13 +5719,19 @@ example.org/instance-that-is-delivered-as-xml-but-is-not Example usage (section): - # Tag every request with the content type declared by the server {+server-header-tagger{content-type}} / - - + +# If the response has a tag starting with 'image/' enable an external +# filter that only applies to images. +# +# Note that the filter is not available by default, it's just a +# silly example. +{+external-filter{rotate-image} +force-text-mode} +TAG:^image/ + @@ -5862,7 +5749,7 @@ example.org/instance-that-is-delivered-as-xml-but-is-not Allow only temporary session cookies (for the current - browser session only). + browser session only). @@ -5894,12 +5781,12 @@ example.org/instance-that-is-delivered-as-xml-but-is-not - + Notes: - This is less strict than crunch-incoming-cookies / + This is less strict than crunch-incoming-cookies / crunch-outgoing-cookies and allows you to browse websites that insist or rely on setting cookies, without compromising your privacy too badly. @@ -5907,7 +5794,7 @@ example.org/instance-that-is-delivered-as-xml-but-is-not Most browsers will not permanently store cookies that have been processed by session-cookies-only and will forget about them between sessions. This makes profiling cookies useless, but won't break sites which require cookies so - that you can log in for transactions. This is generally turned on for all + that you can log in for transactions. This is generally turned on for all sites, and is the recommended setting. @@ -5926,9 +5813,9 @@ example.org/instance-that-is-delivered-as-xml-but-is-not These would have to be removed manually. - Privoxy also uses - the content-cookies filter - to block some types of cookies. Content cookies are not effected by + Privoxy also uses + the content-cookies filter + to block some types of cookies. Content cookies are not effected by session-cookies-only. @@ -5937,9 +5824,7 @@ example.org/instance-that-is-delivered-as-xml-but-is-not Example usage: - +session-cookies-only - @@ -6002,7 +5887,7 @@ example.org/instance-that-is-delivered-as-xml-but-is-not target-url to send a redirect to target-url. You can redirect - to any image anywhere, even in your local filesystem via file:/// URL. + to any image anywhere, even in your local filesystem via file:/// URL. (But note that not all browsers support redirecting to a local file system). @@ -6039,21 +5924,15 @@ example.org/instance-that-is-delivered-as-xml-but-is-not Built-in pattern: - +set-image-blocker{pattern} - Redirect to the BSD daemon: - +set-image-blocker{http://www.freebsd.org/gifs/dae_up3.gif} - Redirect to the built-in pattern for better caching: - +set-image-blocker{http://config.privoxy.org/send-banner?type=pattern} - @@ -6061,12 +5940,12 @@ example.org/instance-that-is-delivered-as-xml-but-is-not - + Summary Note that many of these actions have the potential to cause a page to - misbehave, possibly even not to display at all. There are many ways - a site designer may choose to design his site, and what HTTP header + misbehave, possibly even not to display at all. There are many ways + a site designer may choose to design his site, and what HTTP header content, and other criteria, he may depend on. There is no way to have hard and fast rules for all sites. See the Appendix for a brief example on troubleshooting @@ -6084,7 +5963,7 @@ example.org/instance-that-is-delivered-as-xml-but-is-not These can in turn be invoked just like the built-in actions. Currently, an alias name can contain any character except space, tab, =, - { and }, but we strongly + { and }, but we strongly recommend that you only use a to z, 0 to 9, +, and -. Alias names are not case sensitive, and are not required to start with a @@ -6120,7 +5999,6 @@ example.org/instance-that-is-delivered-as-xml-but-is-not Now let's define some aliases... - # Useful custom aliases we can use later. # @@ -6148,15 +6026,13 @@ example.org/instance-that-is-delivered-as-xml-but-is-not # c0 = +crunch-all-cookies c1 = -crunch-all-cookies - - ...and put them to use. These sections would appear in the lower part of an + ...and put them to use. These sections would appear in the lower part of an actions file and define exceptions to the default actions (as specified further up for the / pattern): - # These sites are either very complex or very keen on # user data and require minimal interference to work: @@ -6169,7 +6045,7 @@ example.org/instance-that-is-delivered-as-xml-but-is-not # Shopping sites: # Allow cookies (for setting and retrieving your customer data) - # + # {shop} .quietpc.com .worldpay.com # for quietpc.com @@ -6180,11 +6056,10 @@ example.org/instance-that-is-delivered-as-xml-but-is-not {-filter{all-popups} -filter{unsolicited-popups}} .dabs.com .overclockers.co.uk - - Aliases like shop and fragile are typically used for - problem sites that require more than one action to be disabled + Aliases like shop and fragile are typically used for + problem sites that require more than one action to be disabled in order to function properly. @@ -6204,7 +6079,7 @@ hal stop here and user.action file and see how all these pieces come together: - + match-all.action Remember all actions are disabled when matching starts, @@ -6229,9 +6104,8 @@ hal stop here preceding the action name enables the action, a - disables!). Also note how this long line has been made more readable by splitting it into multiple lines with line continuation. - + - { \ +change-x-forwarded-for{block} \ @@ -6239,15 +6113,14 @@ hal stop here +set-image-blocker{pattern} \ } / # Match all URLs - - + The default behavior is now set. - + default.action @@ -6267,14 +6140,12 @@ hal stop here that prevents older &my-app; versions from reading the file: - ########################################################################## # Settings -- Don't change! For internal Privoxy use ONLY. ########################################################################## {{settings}} for-privoxy-version=3.0.11 - After that comes the (optional) alias section. We'll use the example @@ -6282,7 +6153,6 @@ for-privoxy-version=3.0.11 that also explains why and how aliases are used: - ########################################################################## # Aliases @@ -6302,18 +6172,16 @@ for-privoxy-version=3.0.11 # fragile = -block -filter -crunch-all-cookies -fast-redirects -hide-referrer shop = -crunch-all-cookies -filter{all-popups} - The first of our specialized sections is concerned with fragile sites, i.e. sites that require minimum interference, because they are either very complex or very keen on tracking you (and have mechanisms in place that - make them unusable for people who avoid being tracked). We will simply use + make them unusable for people who avoid being tracked). We will use our pre-defined fragile alias instead of stating the list of actions explicitly: - ########################################################################## # Exceptions for sites that'll break under the default action set: @@ -6325,24 +6193,21 @@ for-privoxy-version=3.0.11 .office.microsoft.com # surprise, surprise! .windowsupdate.microsoft.com mail.google.com - Shopping sites are not as fragile, but they typically require cookies to log in, and pop-up windows for shopping carts or item details. Again, we'll use a pre-defined alias: - - + # Shopping sites: # { shop } -.quietpc.com +.quietpc.com .worldpay.com # for quietpc.com .jungle.com .scan.co.uk - The fast-redirects @@ -6350,7 +6215,6 @@ mail.google.com breaks some sites. So disable it for popular sites where we know it misbehaves: - { -fast-redirects } login.yahoo.com @@ -6359,7 +6223,6 @@ edit.*.yahoo.com .altavista.com/.*(like|url|link):http .altavista.com/trans.*urltext=http .nytimes.com - It is important that Privoxy knows which @@ -6374,7 +6237,6 @@ edit.*.yahoo.com good start: - ########################################################################## # Images: @@ -6385,7 +6247,6 @@ edit.*.yahoo.com # { +handle-as-image } /.*\.(gif|jpe?g|png|bmp|ico)$ - And then there are known banner sources. They often use scripts to @@ -6402,19 +6263,17 @@ edit.*.yahoo.com action before, it still applies and needn't be repeated: - # Known ad generators: # { +block-as-image } -ar.atwola.com +ar.atwola.com .ad.doubleclick.net .ad.*.doubleclick.net .a.yimg.com/(?:(?!/i/).)*$ .a[0-9].yimg.com/(?:(?!/i/).)*$ bs*.gsanet.com .qkimg.net - One of the most important jobs of Privoxy @@ -6434,7 +6293,6 @@ bs*.gsanet.com to keep the example short: - ########################################################################## # Block these fine banners: @@ -6442,7 +6300,7 @@ bs*.gsanet.com { +block{Banner ads.} } # Generic patterns: -# +# ad*. .*ads. banner?. @@ -6453,17 +6311,16 @@ count*. # Site-specific patterns (abbreviated): # .hitbox.com - It's quite remarkable how many advertisers actually call their banner servers ads.company.com, or call the directory - in which the banners are stored simply banners. So the above + in which the banners are stored literally banners. So the above generic patterns are surprisingly effective. But being very generic, they necessarily also catch URLs that we don't want - to block. The pattern .*ads. e.g. catches + to block. The pattern .*ads. e.g. catches nasty-ads.nasty-corp.com as intended, but also downloads.sourcefroge.net or adsl.some-provider.net. So here come some @@ -6483,14 +6340,13 @@ count*. with no block action applying. - ########################################################################## # Save some innocent victims of the above generic block patterns: ########################################################################## # By domain: -# +# { -block } adv[io]*. # (for advogato.org and advice.*) adsl. # (has nothing to do with ads) @@ -6507,7 +6363,6 @@ ad[ud]*. # (adult.* and add.*) # www.globalintersec.com/adv # (adv = advanced) www.ugu.com/sui/ugu/adv - Filtering source code can have nasty side effects, @@ -6517,7 +6372,6 @@ www.ugu.com/sui/ugu/adv disables all filters in one fell swoop! - # Don't filter code! # @@ -6527,7 +6381,6 @@ bugzilla. developer. wiki. .sourceforge.net - The actual default.action is of course much more @@ -6536,17 +6389,17 @@ wiki. -user.action +user.action So far we are painting with a broad brush by setting general policies, - which would be a reasonable starting point for many people. Now, + which would be a reasonable starting point for many people. Now, you might want to be more specific and have customized rules that are more suitable to your personal habits and preferences. These would be for narrowly defined situations like your ISP or your bank, and should - be placed in user.action, which is parsed after all other + be placed in user.action, which is parsed after all other actions files and hence has the last word, over-riding any previously - defined actions. user.action is also a + defined actions. user.action is also a safe place for your personal settings, since default.action is actively maintained by the Privoxy developers and you'll probably want @@ -6555,16 +6408,14 @@ wiki. So let's look at a few examples of things that one might typically do in - user.action: + user.action: - # My user.action file. <fred@example.com> - As aliases are local to the actions @@ -6572,14 +6423,13 @@ wiki. default.action, unless you repeat them here: - # Aliases are local to the file they are defined in. # (Re-)define aliases for this file: # {{alias}} -# -# These aliases just save typing later, and the alias names should +# +# These aliases just save typing later, and the alias names should # be self explanatory. # +crunch-all-cookies = +crunch-incoming-cookies +crunch-outgoing-cookies @@ -6603,41 +6453,34 @@ allow-ads = -block -filter{banners-by-size} -filter{banners-by-link} # MIME types. We want the browser to force these to be text documents. handle-as-text = -filter +-content-type-overwrite{text/plain} +-force-text-mode -hide-content-disposition - - Say you have accounts on some sites that you visit regularly, and you don't want to have to log in manually each time. So you'd like to allow persistent cookies for these sites. The allow-all-cookies alias defined above does exactly - that, i.e. it disables crunching of cookies in any direction, and the + that, i.e. it disables crunching of cookies in any direction, and the processing of cookies to make them only temporary. - { allow-all-cookies } sourceforge.net .yahoo.com .msdn.microsoft.com .redhat.com - Your bank is allergic to some filter, but you don't know which, so you disable them all: - { -filter } .your-home-banking-site.com - Some file types you may not want to filter for various reasons: - # Technical documentation is likely to contain strings that might # erroneously get altered by the JavaScript-oriented filters: @@ -6649,31 +6492,28 @@ handle-as-text = -filter +-block action. Say you've seen an ad on your favourite page on example.com that you want to get rid of. You have right-clicked the image, selected copy image location - and pasted the URL below while removing the leading http://, into a + and pasted the URL below while removing the leading http://, into a { +block{} } section. Note that { +handle-as-image } need not be specified, since all URLs ending in .gif will be tagged as images by the general rules as set in default.action anyway: - { +block{Nasty ads.} } www.example.com/nasty-ads/sponsor\.gif another.example.net/more/junk/here/ - The URLs of dynamically generated banners, especially from large banner farms, often don't use the well-known image file name extensions, which makes it impossible for Privoxy to guess - the file type just by looking at the URL. + the file type just by looking at the URL. You can use the +block-as-image alias defined above for these cases. Note that objects which match this rule but then turn out NOT to be an @@ -6681,14 +6521,12 @@ stupid-server.example.com/ browser. Use cautiously. - { +block-as-image } .doubleclick.net .fastclick.net /Realmedia/ads/ ar.atwola.com/ - Now you noticed that the default configuration breaks Forbes Magazine, @@ -6698,17 +6536,15 @@ stupid-server.example.com/ -- whoa! -- it worked. The fragile aliases disables those actions that are most likely to break a site. Also, good for testing purposes to see if it is Privoxy - that is causing the problem or not. We later find other regular sites + that is causing the problem or not. We later find other regular sites that misbehave, and add those to our personalized list of troublemakers: - { fragile } .forbes.com webmail.example.com .mybank.com - You like the fun text replacements in default.filter, @@ -6717,11 +6553,9 @@ stupid-server.example.com/ update-safe config, once and for all: - { +filter{fun} } / # For ALL sites! - Note that the above is not really a good idea: There are exceptions @@ -6738,33 +6572,29 @@ stupid-server.example.com/ sites that you feel provide value to you: - { allow-ads } .sourceforge.net .slashdot.org - .osdn.net - + .osdn.net - Note that allow-ads has been aliased to - -block, - -filter{banners-by-size}, and + Note that allow-ads has been aliased to + -block, + -filter{banners-by-size}, and -filter{banners-by-link} above. Invoke another alias here to force an over-ride of the MIME type - application/x-sh which typically would open a download type + application/x-sh which typically would open a download type dialog. In my case, I want to look at the shell script, and then I can save it should I choose to. - { handle-as-text } - /.*\.sh$ - + /.*\.sh$ user.action is generally the best place to define @@ -6776,11 +6606,9 @@ stupid-server.example.com/ paths and patterns: - { +set-image-blocker{blank} } / # ALL sites - @@ -6798,12 +6626,12 @@ stupid-server.example.com/ On-the-fly text substitutions need - to be defined in a filter file. Once defined, they + to be defined in a filter file. Once defined, they can then be invoked as an action. - &my-app; supports three different filter actions: + &my-app; supports three different pcrs-based filter actions: filter to rewrite the content that is send to the client, client-header-filter @@ -6823,6 +6651,13 @@ stupid-server.example.com/ applying actions through sections with tag-patterns. + + Finally &my-app; supports the + external-filter action + to enable external filters + written in proper programming languages. + + Multiple filter files can be defined through the Substitutions are made at the source level, so if you want to roll - your own filters, you should first be familiar with HTML syntax, + your own filters, you should first be familiar with HTML syntax, and, of course, regular expressions. @@ -6862,7 +6697,7 @@ stupid-server.example.com/ here. Each filter consists of a heading line, that starts with one of the keywords FILTER:, CLIENT-HEADER-FILTER: or SERVER-HEADER-FILTER: - followed by the filter's name, and a short (one line) + followed by the filter's name, and a short (one line) description of what it does. Below that line come the jobs, i.e. lines that define the actual text substitutions. By convention, the name of a filter @@ -6877,7 +6712,7 @@ stupid-server.example.com/ +filter{name} in any actions file. - + Filter definitions start with a header line that contains the filter type, the filter name and the filter description. @@ -6885,9 +6720,7 @@ stupid-server.example.com/ like this: - FILTER: foo Replace all "foo" with "bar" - Below that line, and up to the next header line, come the jobs that @@ -6895,19 +6728,47 @@ stupid-server.example.com/ in a syntax that imitates Perl's s/// operator. If you are familiar with Perl, you will find this to be quite intuitive, and may want to look at the - PCRS documentation for the subtle differences to Perl behaviour. Most - notably, the non-standard option letter U is supported, - which turns the default to ungreedy matching. + PCRS documentation for the subtle differences to Perl behaviour. + + + + Most notably, the non-standard option letter U is supported, + which turns the default to ungreedy matching (add ? to + quantifiers to turn them greedy again). + + + + The non-standard option letter D (dynamic) allows + to use the variables $host, $origin (the IP address the request came from), + $path, $url and $listen-address (the address on which Privoxy accepted the + client request. Example: 127.0.0.1:8118). + They will be replaced with the value they refer to before the filter + is executed. + + + + Note that '$' is a bad choice for a delimiter in a dynamic filter as you + might end up with unintended variables if you use a variable name + directly after the delimiter. Variables will be resolved without + escaping anything, therefore you also have to be careful not to chose + delimiters that appear in the replacement text. For example '<' should + be save, while '?' will sooner or later cause conflicts with $url. + + + + The non-standard option letter T (trivial) prevents + parsing for backreferences in the substitute. Use it if you want to include + text like '$&' in your substitute without quoting. - If you are new to + If you are new to Regular Expressions, you might want to take a look at the Appendix on regular expressions, and see the Perl manual for - the + the s/// operator's syntax and Perl-style regular expressions in general. @@ -6917,7 +6778,7 @@ stupid-server.example.com/ -Filter File Tutorial +Filter File Tutorial Now, let's complete our foo content filter. We have already defined the heading, but the jobs are still missing. Since all it does is to replace @@ -6925,9 +6786,7 @@ stupid-server.example.com/ needed: - s/foo/bar/ - But wait! Didn't the comment say that all occurrences @@ -6936,17 +6795,14 @@ stupid-server.example.com/ we'll need to add the g option: - s/foo/bar/g - Our complete filter now looks like this: - + FILTER: foo Replace all "foo" with "bar" s/foo/bar/g - Let's look at some real filters for more interesting examples. Here you see @@ -6955,14 +6811,12 @@ s/foo/bar/g - FILTER: js-annoyances Get rid of particularly annoying JavaScript abuse # Get rid of JavaScript referrer tracking. Test page: http://www.randomoddness.com/untitled.htm # s|(<script.*)document\.referrer(.*</script>)|$1"Not Your Business!"$2|Usg - Following the header line and a comment, you see the job. Note that it uses @@ -7022,7 +6876,7 @@ s|(<script.*)document\.referrer(.*</script>)|$1"Not Your Business!"$2|U Now the pattern is deciphered, but wasn't this about substituting things? So lets look at the substitute: $1"Not Your Business!"$2 is - easy to read: The text remembered as $1, followed by + easy to read: The text remembered as $1, followed by "Not Your Business!" (including the quotation marks!), followed by the text remembered as $2. This produces an exact copy of the original string, with the middle part @@ -7044,12 +6898,10 @@ s|(<script.*)document\.referrer(.*</script>)|$1"Not Your Business!"$2|U this time only point out the constructs of special interest: - # The status bar is for displaying link targets, not pointless blahblah # s/window\.status\s*=\s*(['"]).*?\1/dUmMy=1/ig - \s stands for whitespace characters (space, tab, newline, @@ -7072,12 +6924,10 @@ s/window\.status\s*=\s*(['"]).*?\1/dUmMy=1/ig you move your mouse over links. - # Kill OnUnload popups. Yummy. Test: http://www.zdnet.com/zdsubs/yahoo/tree/yfs.html # s/(<body [^>]*)onunload(.*>)/$1never$2/iU - Including the @@ -7089,7 +6939,7 @@ s/(<body [^>]*)onunload(.*>)/$1never$2/iU Note that the i option makes the pattern matching case-insensitive. Also note that ungreedy matching alone doesn't always guarantee a minimal match: In the first parenthesis, we had to use [^>]* - instead of .* to prevent the match from exceeding the + instead of .* to prevent the match from exceeding the <body> tag if it doesn't contain OnUnload, but the page's content does. @@ -7098,24 +6948,21 @@ s/(<body [^>]*)onunload(.*>)/$1never$2/iU The last example is from the fun department: - FILTER: fun Fun text replacements # Spice the daily news: # s/microsoft(?!\.com)/MicroSuck/ig - Note the (?!\.com) part (a so-called negative lookahead) - in the job's pattern, which means: Don't match, if the string + in the job's pattern, which means: Don't match, if the string .com appears directly following microsoft in the page. This prevents links to microsoft.com from being trashed, while still replacing the word everywhere else. - # Buzzword Bingo (example for extended regex syntax) # @@ -7131,11 +6978,10 @@ s* industry[ -]leading \ | unrivalled \ *<font color="red"><b>BINGO!</b></font> \ *igx - The x option in this job turns on extended syntax, and allows for - e.g. the liberal use of (non-interpreted!) whitespace for nicer formatting. + e.g. the liberal use of (non-interpreted!) whitespace for nicer formatting. @@ -7147,11 +6993,11 @@ s* industry[ -]leading \ The Pre-defined Filters - @@ -7166,6 +7012,7 @@ pre-defined filters for your convenience: The purpose of this filter is to get rid of particularly annoying JavaScript abuse. To that end, it + @@ -7189,14 +7036,13 @@ pre-defined filters for your convenience: - - Use with caution. This is an aggressive filter, and can break sites that + Use with caution. This is an aggressive filter, and can break sites that rely heavily on JavaScript. - + js-events @@ -7220,7 +7066,7 @@ pre-defined filters for your convenience: This filter will undo many common instances of HTML based abuse. - The BLINK and MARQUEE tags + The BLINK and MARQUEE tags are neutralized (yeah baby!), and browser windows will be created as resizeable (as of course they should be!), and will have location, scroll and menu bars -- even if specified otherwise. @@ -7241,19 +7087,19 @@ pre-defined filters for your convenience: This filter disables most HTML and JavaScript code that reads or sets - cookies. It cannot detect all clever uses of these types of code, so it + cookies. It cannot detect all clever uses of these types of code, so it should not be relied on as an absolute fix. Use it wherever you would also - use the cookie crunch actions. + use the cookie crunch actions. - refresh tags + refresh-tags - Disable any refresh tags if the interval is greater than nine seconds (so - that redirections done via refresh tags are not destroyed). This is useful + Disable any refresh tags if the interval is greater than nine seconds (so + that redirections done via refresh tags are not destroyed). This is useful for dial-on-demand setups, or for those who find this HTML feature annoying. @@ -7264,9 +7110,9 @@ pre-defined filters for your convenience: unsolicited-popups - This filter attempts to prevent only unsolicited pop-up - windows from opening, yet still allow pop-up windows that the user - has explicitly chosen to open. It was added in version 3.0.1, + This filter attempts to prevent only unsolicited pop-up + windows from opening, yet still allow pop-up windows that the user + has explicitly chosen to open. It was added in version 3.0.1, as an improvement over earlier such filters. @@ -7277,7 +7123,7 @@ pre-defined filters for your convenience: This is recommended only for browsers that cannot perform this function - reliably themselves. And be aware that some sites require such windows + reliably themselves. And be aware that some sites require such windows in order to function normally. Use with caution. @@ -7310,7 +7156,7 @@ pre-defined filters for your convenience: banners-by-size - This filter removes image tags purely based on what size they are. Fortunately + This filter removes image tags purely based on what size they are. Fortunately for us, many ads and banner images tend to conform to certain standardized sizes, which makes this filter quite effective for ad stripping purposes. @@ -7319,7 +7165,7 @@ pre-defined filters for your convenience: but just happen to be of one of the standard banner sizes. - Recommended only for those who require extreme ad blocking. The default + Recommended only for those who require extreme ad blocking. The default block rules should catch 95+% of all ads without this filter enabled. @@ -7329,7 +7175,7 @@ pre-defined filters for your convenience: banners-by-link - This is an experimental filter that attempts to kill any banners if + This is an experimental filter that attempts to kill any banners if their URLs seem to point to known or suspected click trackers. It is currently not of much value and is not recommended for use by default. @@ -7340,7 +7186,7 @@ pre-defined filters for your convenience: webbugs - Webbugs are small, invisible images (technically 1X1 GIF images), that + Webbugs are small, invisible images (technically 1X1 GIF images), that are used to track users across websites, and collect information on them. As an HTML page is loaded by the browser, an embedded image tag causes the browser to contact a third-party site, disclosing the tracking information @@ -7359,7 +7205,7 @@ pre-defined filters for your convenience: A rather special-purpose filter that can be used to enlarge textareas (those - multi-line text boxes in web forms) and turn off hard word wrap in them. + multi-line text boxes in web forms) and turn off hard word wrap in them. It was written for the sourceforge.net tracker system where such boxes are a nuisance, but it can be handy on other sites, too. @@ -7403,2353 +7249,1392 @@ pre-defined filters for your convenience: Many Microsoft products that generate HTML use non-standard extensions (read: violations) of the ISO 8859-1 aka Latin-1 character set. This can cause those - HTML documents to display with errors on standard-compliant platforms. + HTML documents to display with errors on standard-compliant platforms. - This filter translates the MS-only characters into Latin-1 equivalents. - It is not necessary when using MS products, and will cause corruption of + This filter translates the MS-only characters into Latin-1 equivalents. + It is not necessary when using MS products, and will cause corruption of all documents that use 8-bit character sets other than Latin-1. It's mostly worthwhile for Europeans on non-MS platforms, if weird garbage characters - sometimes appear on some pages, or user agents that don't correct for this on + sometimes appear on some pages, or user agents that don't correct for this on the fly. - - - - - - shockwave-flash - - - A filter for shockwave haters. As the name suggests, this filter strips code - out of web pages that is used to embed shockwave flash objects. - - - - - - - - quicktime-kioskmode - - - Change HTML code that embeds Quicktime objects so that kioskmode, which - prevents saving, is disabled. - - - - - - fun - - - Text replacements for subversive browsing fun. Make fun of your favorite - Monopolist or play buzzword bingo. - - - - - - crude-parental - - - A demonstration-only filter that shows how Privoxy - can be used to delete web content on a keyword basis. - - - - - - ie-exploits - - - An experimental collection of text replacements to disable malicious HTML and JavaScript - code that exploits known security holes in Internet Explorer. - - - Presently, it only protects against Nimda and a cross-site scripting bug, and - would need active maintenance to provide more substantial protection. - - - - - - site-specifics - - - Some web sites have very specific problems, the cure for which doesn't apply - anywhere else, or could even cause damage on other sites. - - - This is a collection of such site-specific cures which should only be applied - to the sites they were intended for, which is what the supplied - default.action file does. Users shouldn't need to change - anything regarding this filter. - - - - - - google - - - A CSS based block for Google text ads. Also removes a width limitation - and the toolbar advertisement. - - - - - - yahoo - - - Another CSS based block, this time for Yahoo text ads. And removes - a width limitation as well. - - - - - - msn - - - Another CSS based block, this time for MSN text ads. And removes - tracking URLs, as well as a width limitation. - - - - - - blogspot - - - Cleans up some Blogspot blogs. Read the fine print before using this one! - - - This filter also intentionally removes some navigation stuff and sets the - page width to 100%. As a result, some rounded corners would - appear to early or not at all and as fixing this would require a browser - that understands background-size (CSS3), they are removed instead. - - - - - - xml-to-html - - - Server-header filter to change the Content-Type from xml to html. - - - - - - html-to-xml - - - Server-header filter to change the Content-Type from html to xml. - - - - - - no-ping - - - Removes the non-standard ping attribute from - anchor and area HTML tags. - - - - - - hide-tor-exit-notation - - - Client-header filter to remove the Tor exit node notation - found in Host and Referer headers. - - - If &my-app; and Tor are chained and &my-app; - is configured to use socks4a, one can use http://www.example.org.foobar.exit/ - to access the host www.example.org through the - Tor exit node foobar. - - - As the HTTP client isn't aware of this notation, it treats the - whole string www.example.org.foobar.exit as host and uses it - for the Host and Referer headers. From the - server's point of view the resulting headers are invalid and can cause problems. - - - An invalid Referer header can trigger hot-linking - protections, an invalid Host header will make it impossible for - the server to find the right vhost (several domains hosted on the same IP address). - - - This client-header filter removes the foo.exit part in those headers - to prevent the mentioned problems. Note that it only modifies - the HTTP headers, it doesn't make it impossible for the server - to detect your Tor exit node based on the IP address - the request is coming from. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Privoxy's Template Files - - All Privoxy built-in pages, i.e. error pages such as the - 404 - No Such Domain - error page, the BLOCKED - page - and all pages of its web-based - user interface, are generated from templates. - (Privoxy must be running for the above links to work as - intended.) - - - - These templates are stored in a subdirectory of the configuration - directory called templates. On Unixish platforms, - this is typically - /etc/privoxy/templates/. - - - - The templates are basically normal HTML files, but with place-holders (called symbols - or exports), which Privoxy fills at run time. It - is possible to edit the templates with a normal text editor, should you want - to customize them. (Not recommended for the casual - user). Should you create your own custom templates, you should use - the config setting templdir - to specify an alternate location, so your templates do not get overwritten - during upgrades. - - - Note that just like in configuration files, lines starting - with # are ignored when the templates are filled in. - - - - The place-holders are of the form @name@, and you will - find a list of available symbols, which vary from template to template, - in the comments at the start of each file. Note that these comments are not - always accurate, and that it's probably best to look at the existing HTML - code to find out which symbols are supported and what they are filled in with. - - - - A special application of this substitution mechanism is to make whole - blocks of HTML code disappear when a specific symbol is set. We use this - for many purposes, one of them being to include the beta warning in all - our user interface (CGI) pages when Privoxy - is in an alpha or beta development stage: - - - - -<!-- @if-unstable-start --> - - ... beta warning HTML code goes here ... - -<!-- if-unstable-end@ --> - - - - If the "unstable" symbol is set, everything in between and including - @if-unstable-start and if-unstable-end@ - will disappear, leaving nothing but an empty comment: - - - - <!-- --> - - - - There's also an if-then-else construct and an #include - mechanism, but you'll sure find out if you are inclined to edit the - templates ;-) - - - - All templates refer to a style located at - http://config.privoxy.org/send-stylesheet. - This is, of course, locally served by Privoxy - and the source for it can be found and edited in the - cgi-style.css template. - - - - - - - - - - -Contacting the Developers, Bug Reporting and Feature -Requests - - - &contacting; - - - - - - - - -Privoxy Copyright, License and History - - - ©right; - - - -License - - &license; - - - - - - - -History - - &history; - - - -Authors - - &p-authors; - - - - - - - - - -See Also - - &seealso; - - - - - - -Appendix - - - - -Regular Expressions - - Privoxy uses Perl-style regular - expressions in its actions - files and filter file, - through the PCRE and - - PCRS libraries. - - - - If you are reading this, you probably don't understand what regular - expressions are, or what they can do. So this will be a very brief - introduction only. A full explanation would require a book ;-) - - - - Regular expressions provide a language to describe patterns that can be - run against strings of characters (letter, numbers, etc), to see if they - match the string or not. The patterns are themselves (sometimes complex) - strings of literal characters, combined with wild-cards, and other special - characters, called meta-characters. The meta-characters have - special meanings and are used to build complex patterns to be matched against. - Perl Compatible Regular Expressions are an especially convenient - dialect of the regular expression language. - - - - To make a simple analogy, we do something similar when we use wild-card - characters when listing files with the dir command in DOS. - *.* matches all filenames. The special - character here is the asterisk which matches any and all characters. We can be - more specific and use ? to match just individual - characters. So dir file?.text would match - file1.txt, file2.txt, etc. We are pattern - matching, using a similar technique to regular expressions! - - - - Regular expressions do essentially the same thing, but are much, much more - powerful. There are many more special characters and ways of - building complex patterns however. Let's look at a few of the common ones, - and then some examples: - - - - - . - Matches any single character, e.g. a, - A, 4, :, or @. - - - - - - ? - The preceding character or expression is matched ZERO or ONE - times. Either/or. - - - - - - + - The preceding character or expression is matched ONE or MORE - times. - - - - - - * - The preceding character or expression is matched ZERO or MORE - times. - - - - - - \ - The escape character denotes that - the following character should be taken literally. This is used where one of the - special characters (e.g. .) needs to be taken literally and - not as a special meta-character. Example: example\.com, makes - sure the period is recognized only as a period (and not expanded to its - meta-character meaning of any single character). - - - - - - [ ] - Characters enclosed in brackets will be matched if - any of the enclosed characters are encountered. For instance, [0-9] - matches any numeric digit (zero through nine). As an example, we can combine - this with + to match any digit one of more times: [0-9]+. - - - - - - ( ) - parentheses are used to group a sub-expression, - or multiple sub-expressions. - - - - - - | - The bar character works like an - or conditional statement. A match is successful if the - sub-expression on either side of | matches. As an example: - /(this|that) example/ uses grouping and the bar character - and would match either this example or that - example, and nothing else. - - - - - These are just some of the ones you are likely to use when matching URLs with - Privoxy, and is a long way from a definitive - list. This is enough to get us started with a few simple examples which may - be more illuminating: - - - - /.*/banners/.* - A simple example - that uses the common combination of . and * to - denote any character, zero or more times. In other words, any string at all. - So we start with a literal forward slash, then our regular expression pattern - (.*) another literal forward slash, the string - banners, another forward slash, and lastly another - .*. We are building - a directory path here. This will match any file with the path that has a - directory named banners in it. The .* matches - any characters, and this could conceivably be more forward slashes, so it - might expand into a much longer looking path. For example, this could match: - /eye/hate/spammers/banners/annoy_me_please.gif, or just - /banners/annoying.html, or almost an infinite number of other - possible combinations, just so it has banners in the path - somewhere. - - - - And now something a little more complex: - - - - /.*/adv((er)?ts?|ertis(ing|ements?))?/ - - We have several literal forward slashes again (/), so we are - building another expression that is a file path statement. We have another - .*, so we are matching against any conceivable sub-path, just so - it matches our expression. The only true literal that must - match our pattern is adv, together with - the forward slashes. What comes after the adv string is the - interesting part. - - - - Remember the ? means the preceding expression (either a - literal character or anything grouped with (...) in this case) - can exist or not, since this means either zero or one match. So - ((er)?ts?|ertis(ing|ements?)) is optional, as are the - individual sub-expressions: (er), - (ing|ements?), and the s. The | - means or. We have two of those. For instance, - (ing|ements?), can expand to match either ing - OR ements?. What is being done here, is an - attempt at matching as many variations of advertisement, and - similar, as possible. So this would expand to match just adv, - or advert, or adverts, or - advertising, or advertisement, or - advertisements. You get the idea. But it would not match - advertizements (with a z). We could fix that by - changing our regular expression to: - /.*/adv((er)?ts?|erti(s|z)(ing|ements?))?/, which would then match - either spelling. - - - - /.*/advert[0-9]+\.(gif|jpe?g) - Again - another path statement with forward slashes. Anything in the square brackets - [ ] can be matched. This is using 0-9 as a - shorthand expression to mean any digit one through nine. It is the same as - saying 0123456789. So any digit matches. The + - means one or more of the preceding expression must be included. The preceding - expression here is what is in the square brackets -- in this case, any digit - one through nine. Then, at the end, we have a grouping: (gif|jpe?g). - This includes a |, so this needs to match the expression on - either side of that bar character also. A simple gif on one side, and the other - side will in turn match either jpeg or jpg, - since the ? means the letter e is optional and - can be matched once or not at all. So we are building an expression here to - match image GIF or JPEG type image file. It must include the literal - string advert, then one or more digits, and a . - (which is now a literal, and not a special character, since it is escaped - with \), and lastly either gif, or - jpeg, or jpg. Some possible matches would - include: //advert1.jpg, - /nasty/ads/advert1234.gif, - /banners/from/hell/advert99.jpg. It would not match - advert1.gif (no leading slash), or - /adverts232.jpg (the expression does not include an - s), or /advert1.jsp (jsp is not - in the expression anywhere). - - - - We are barely scratching the surface of regular expressions here so that you - can understand the default Privoxy - configuration files, and maybe use this knowledge to customize your own - installation. There is much, much more that can be done with regular - expressions. Now that you know enough to get started, you can learn more on - your own :/ - - - - More reading on Perl Compatible Regular expressions: - http://perldoc.perl.org/perlre.html - - - - For information on regular expression based substitutions and their applications - in filters, please see the filter file tutorial - in this manual. - - - - - - - - -Privoxy's Internal Pages - - - Since Privoxy proxies each requested - web page, it is easy for Privoxy to - trap certain special URLs. In this way, we can talk directly to - Privoxy, and see how it is - configured, see how our rules are being applied, change these - rules and other configuration options, and even turn - Privoxy's filtering off, all with - a web browser. - - - - - The URLs listed below are the special ones that allow direct access - to Privoxy. Of course, - Privoxy must be running to access these. If - not, you will get a friendly error message. Internet access is not - necessary either. - - - - - - - - Privoxy main page: - -
- - http://config.privoxy.org/ - -
- - There is a shortcut: http://p.p/ (But it - doesn't provide a fall-back to a real page, in case the request is not - sent through Privoxy) - - - - - - Show information about the current configuration, including viewing and - editing of actions files: - -
- - http://config.privoxy.org/show-status - -
- - - - - Show the source code version numbers: - -
- - http://config.privoxy.org/show-version - -
- - - - - Show the browser's request headers: - -
- - http://config.privoxy.org/show-request - -
- - - - - Show which actions apply to a URL and why: - -
- - http://config.privoxy.org/show-url-info - -
- - - - - Toggle Privoxy on or off. This feature can be turned off/on in the main - config file. When toggled off, Privoxy - continues to run, but only as a pass-through proxy, with no actions taking - place: - -
- - http://config.privoxy.org/toggle - -
- - Short cuts. Turn off, then on: - -
- - http://config.privoxy.org/toggle?set=disable - -
-
- - http://config.privoxy.org/toggle?set=enable - -
- - - - - - - These may be bookmarked for quick reference. See next. - - - - -Bookmarklets - - Below are some bookmarklets to allow you to easily access a - mini version of some of Privoxy's - special pages. They are designed for MS Internet Explorer, but should work - equally well in Netscape, Mozilla, and other browsers which support - JavaScript. They are designed to run directly from your bookmarks - not by - clicking the links below (although that should work for testing). - - - To save them, right-click the link and choose Add to Favorites - (IE) or Add Bookmark (Netscape). You will get a warning that - the bookmark may not be safe - just click OK. Then you can run the - Bookmarklet directly from your favorites/bookmarks. For even faster access, - you can put them on the Links bar (IE) or the Personal - Toolbar (Netscape), and run them with a single click. - - - - - - - - Privoxy - Enable - - - - - - Privoxy - Disable - - - - - - Privoxy - Toggle Privoxy (Toggles between enabled and disabled) - - - - - - Privoxy- View Status - - - - - - Privoxy - Why? - - - - - - - Credit: The site which gave us the general idea for these bookmarklets is - www.bookmarklets.com. They - have more information about bookmarklets. - - - - - - - - - - -Chain of Events - - Let's take a quick look at how some of Privoxy's - core features are triggered, and the ensuing sequence of events when a web - page is requested by your browser: - - - - - - - First, your web browser requests a web page. The browser knows to send - the request to Privoxy, which will in turn, - relay the request to the remote web server after passing the following - tests: - - - - - Privoxy traps any request for its own internal CGI - pages (e.g http://p.p/) and sends the CGI page back to the browser. - - - - - Next, Privoxy checks to see if the URL - matches any +block patterns. If - so, the URL is then blocked, and the remote web server will not be contacted. - +handle-as-image - and - +handle-as-empty-document - are then checked, and if there is no match, an - HTML BLOCKED page is sent back to the browser. Otherwise, if - it does match, an image is returned for the former, and an empty text - document for the latter. The type of image would depend on the setting of - +set-image-blocker - (blank, checkerboard pattern, or an HTTP redirect to an image elsewhere). - - - - - Untrusted URLs are blocked. If URLs are being added to the - trust file, then that is done. - - - - - If the URL pattern matches the +fast-redirects action, - it is then processed. Unwanted parts of the requested URL are stripped. - - - - - Now the rest of the client browser's request headers are processed. If any - of these match any of the relevant actions (e.g. +hide-user-agent, - etc.), headers are suppressed or forged as determined by these actions and - their parameters. - - - - - Now the web server starts sending its response back (i.e. typically a web - page). - - - - - First, the server headers are read and processed to determine, among other - things, the MIME type (document type) and encoding. The headers are then - filtered as determined by the - +crunch-incoming-cookies, - +session-cookies-only, - and +downgrade-http-version - actions. - - - - - If any +filter action - or +deanimate-gifs - action applies (and the document type fits the action), the rest of the page is - read into memory (up to a configurable limit). Then the filter rules (from - default.filter and any other filter files) are - processed against the buffered content. Filters are applied in the order - they are specified in one of the filter files. Animated GIFs, if present, - are reduced to either the first or last frame, depending on the action - setting.The entire page, which is now filtered, is then sent by - Privoxy back to your browser. - - - If neither a +filter action - or +deanimate-gifs - matches, then Privoxy passes the raw data through - to the client browser as it becomes available. - - - - - As the browser receives the now (possibly filtered) page content, it - reads and then requests any URLs that may be embedded within the page - source, e.g. ad images, stylesheets, JavaScript, other HTML documents (e.g. - frames), sounds, etc. For each of these objects, the browser issues a - separate request (this is easily viewable in Privoxy's - logs). And each such request is in turn processed just as above. Note that a - complex web page will have many, many such embedded URLs. If these - secondary requests are to a different server, then quite possibly a very - differing set of actions is triggered. - - - - - - - NOTE: This is somewhat of a simplistic overview of what happens with each URL - request. For the sake of brevity and simplicity, we have focused on - Privoxy's core features only. - - - - - - - -Troubleshooting: Anatomy of an Action - - - The way Privoxy applies - actions and filters - to any given URL can be complex, and not always so - easy to understand what is happening. And sometimes we need to be able to - see just what Privoxy is - doing. Especially, if something Privoxy is doing - is causing us a problem inadvertently. It can be a little daunting to look at - the actions and filters files themselves, since they tend to be filled with - regular expressions whose consequences are not - always so obvious. - - - - One quick test to see if Privoxy is causing a problem - or not, is to disable it temporarily. This should be the first troubleshooting - step. See the Bookmarklets section on a quick - and easy way to do this (be sure to flush caches afterward!). Looking at the - logs is a good idea too. (Note that both the toggle feature and logging are - enabled via config file settings, and may need to be - turned on.) - - - Another easy troubleshooting step to try is if you have done any - customization of your installation, revert back to the installed - defaults and see if that helps. There are times the developers get complaints - about one thing or another, and the problem is more related to a customized - configuration issue. - - - - Privoxy also provides the - http://config.privoxy.org/show-url-info - page that can show us very specifically how actions - are being applied to any given URL. This is a big help for troubleshooting. - - - - First, enter one URL (or partial URL) at the prompt, and then - Privoxy will tell us - how the current configuration will handle it. This will not - help with filtering effects (i.e. the +filter action) from - one of the filter files since this is handled very - differently and not so easy to trap! It also will not tell you about any other - URLs that may be embedded within the URL you are testing. For instance, images - such as ads are expressed as URLs within the raw page source of HTML pages. So - you will only get info for the actual URL that is pasted into the prompt area - -- not any sub-URLs. If you want to know about embedded URLs like ads, you - will have to dig those out of the HTML source. Use your browser's View - Page Source option for this. Or right click on the ad, and grab the - URL. - - - - Let's try an example, google.com, - and look at it one section at a time in a sample configuration (your real - configuration may vary): - - - - - Matches for http://www.google.com: - - In file: default.action [ View ] [ Edit ] - - {+change-x-forwarded-for{block} - +deanimate-gifs {last} - +fast-redirects {check-decoded-url} - +filter {refresh-tags} - +filter {img-reorder} - +filter {banners-by-size} - +filter {webbugs} - +filter {jumping-windows} - +filter {ie-exploits} - +hide-from-header {block} - +hide-referrer {forge} - +session-cookies-only - +set-image-blocker {pattern} -/ - - { -session-cookies-only } - .google.com - - { -fast-redirects } - .google.com - -In file: user.action [ View ] [ Edit ] -(no matches in this file) - - - - - This is telling us how we have defined our - actions, and - which ones match for our test case, google.com. - Displayed is all the actions that are available to us. Remember, - the + sign denotes on. - - denotes off. So some are on here, but many - are off. Each example we try may provide a slightly different - end result, depending on our configuration directives. - - - The first listing - is for our default.action file. The large, multi-line - listing, is how the actions are set to match for all URLs, i.e. our default - settings. If you look at your actions file, this would be the - section just below the aliases section near the top. This - will apply to all URLs as signified by the single forward slash at the end - of the listing -- / . - - - - But we have defined additional actions that would be exceptions to these general - rules, and then we list specific URLs (or patterns) that these exceptions - would apply to. Last match wins. Just below this then are two explicit - matches for .google.com. The first is negating our previous - cookie setting, which was for +session-cookies-only - (i.e. not persistent). So we will allow persistent cookies for google, at - least that is how it is in this example. The second turns - off any +fast-redirects - action, allowing this to take place unmolested. Note that there is a leading - dot here -- .google.com. This will match any hosts and - sub-domains, in the google.com domain also, such as - www.google.com or mail.google.com. But it would not - match www.google.de! So, apparently, we have these two actions - defined as exceptions to the general rules at the top somewhere in the lower - part of our default.action file, and - google.com is referenced somewhere in these latter sections. - - - - Then, for our user.action file, we again have no hits. - So there is nothing google-specific that we might have added to our own, local - configuration. If there was, those actions would over-rule any actions from - previously processed files, such as default.action. - user.action typically has the last word. This is the - best place to put hard and fast exceptions, - - - - And finally we pull it all together in the bottom section and summarize how - Privoxy is applying all its actions - to google.com: - - - - - - - Final results: - - -add-header - -block - +change-x-forwarded-for{block} - -client-header-filter{hide-tor-exit-notation} - -content-type-overwrite - -crunch-client-header - -crunch-if-none-match - -crunch-incoming-cookies - -crunch-outgoing-cookies - -crunch-server-header - +deanimate-gifs {last} - -downgrade-http-version - -fast-redirects - -filter {js-events} - -filter {content-cookies} - -filter {all-popups} - -filter {banners-by-link} - -filter {tiny-textforms} - -filter {frameset-borders} - -filter {demoronizer} - -filter {shockwave-flash} - -filter {quicktime-kioskmode} - -filter {fun} - -filter {crude-parental} - -filter {site-specifics} - -filter {js-annoyances} - -filter {html-annoyances} - +filter {refresh-tags} - -filter {unsolicited-popups} - +filter {img-reorder} - +filter {banners-by-size} - +filter {webbugs} - +filter {jumping-windows} - +filter {ie-exploits} - -filter {google} - -filter {yahoo} - -filter {msn} - -filter {blogspot} - -filter {no-ping} - -force-text-mode - -handle-as-empty-document - -handle-as-image - -hide-accept-language - -hide-content-disposition - +hide-from-header {block} - -hide-if-modified-since - +hide-referrer {forge} - -hide-user-agent - -limit-connect - -overwrite-last-modified - -prevent-compression - -redirect - -server-header-filter{xml-to-html} - -server-header-filter{html-to-xml} - -session-cookies-only - +set-image-blocker {pattern} - - - - Notice the only difference here to the previous listing, is to - fast-redirects and session-cookies-only, - which are activated specifically for this site in our configuration, - and thus show in the Final Results. - - - - Now another example, ad.doubleclick.net: - - - - - - { +block{Domains starts with "ad"} } - ad*. - - { +block{Domain contains "ad"} } - .ad. - - { +block{Doubleclick banner server} +handle-as-image } - .[a-vx-z]*.doubleclick.net - - - - - We'll just show the interesting part here - the explicit matches. It is - matched three different times. Two +block{} sections, - and a +block{} +handle-as-image, - which is the expanded form of one of our aliases that had been defined as: - +block-as-image. (Aliases are defined in - the first section of the actions file and typically used to combine more - than one action.) - - - - Any one of these would have done the trick and blocked this as an unwanted - image. This is unnecessarily redundant since the last case effectively - would also cover the first. No point in taking chances with these guys - though ;-) Note that if you want an ad or obnoxious - URL to be invisible, it should be defined as ad.doubleclick.net - is done here -- as both a +block{} - and an - +handle-as-image. - The custom alias +block-as-image just - simplifies the process and make it more readable. - - - - One last example. Let's try http://www.example.net/adsl/HOWTO/. - This one is giving us problems. We are getting a blank page. Hmmm ... - - - - - - Matches for http://www.example.net/adsl/HOWTO/: - - In file: default.action [ View ] [ Edit ] - - {-add-header - -block - +change-x-forwarded-for{block} - -client-header-filter{hide-tor-exit-notation} - -content-type-overwrite - -crunch-client-header - -crunch-if-none-match - -crunch-incoming-cookies - -crunch-outgoing-cookies - -crunch-server-header - +deanimate-gifs - -downgrade-http-version - +fast-redirects {check-decoded-url} - -filter {js-events} - -filter {content-cookies} - -filter {all-popups} - -filter {banners-by-link} - -filter {tiny-textforms} - -filter {frameset-borders} - -filter {demoronizer} - -filter {shockwave-flash} - -filter {quicktime-kioskmode} - -filter {fun} - -filter {crude-parental} - -filter {site-specifics} - -filter {js-annoyances} - -filter {html-annoyances} - +filter {refresh-tags} - -filter {unsolicited-popups} - +filter {img-reorder} - +filter {banners-by-size} - +filter {webbugs} - +filter {jumping-windows} - +filter {ie-exploits} - -filter {google} - -filter {yahoo} - -filter {msn} - -filter {blogspot} - -filter {no-ping} - -force-text-mode - -handle-as-empty-document - -handle-as-image - -hide-accept-language - -hide-content-disposition - +hide-from-header{block} - +hide-referer{forge} - -hide-user-agent - -overwrite-last-modified - +prevent-compression - -redirect - -server-header-filter{xml-to-html} - -server-header-filter{html-to-xml} - +session-cookies-only - +set-image-blocker{blank} } - / - - { +block{Path contains "ads".} +handle-as-image } - /ads - - - - - Ooops, the /adsl/ is matching /ads in our - configuration! But we did not want this at all! Now we see why we get the - blank page. It is actually triggering two different actions here, and - the effects are aggregated so that the URL is blocked, and &my-app; is told - to treat the block as if it were an image. But this is, of course, all wrong. - We could now add a new action below this (or better in our own - user.action file) that explicitly - un blocks ( - {-block}) paths with - adsl in them (remember, last match in the configuration - wins). There are various ways to handle such exceptions. Example: - - - - - - { -block } - /adsl - - - - - Now the page displays ;-) - Remember to flush your browser's caches when making these kinds of changes to - your configuration to insure that you get a freshly delivered page! Or, try - using Shift+Reload. - - - - But now what about a situation where we get no explicit matches like - we did with: - - - - - - { +block{Path starts with "ads".} +handle-as-image } - /ads - - - - - That actually was very helpful and pointed us quickly to where the problem - was. If you don't get this kind of match, then it means one of the default - rules in the first section of default.action is causing - the problem. This would require some guesswork, and maybe a little trial and - error to isolate the offending rule. One likely cause would be one of the - +filter actions. - These tend to be harder to troubleshoot. - Try adding the URL for the site to one of aliases that turn off - +filter: - - - - - - { shop } - .quietpc.com - .worldpay.com # for quietpc.com - .jungle.com - .scan.co.uk - .forbes.com - - - - - { shop } is an alias that expands to - { -filter -session-cookies-only }. - Or you could do your own exception to negate filtering: - - - - - - - { -filter } - # Disable ALL filter actions for sites in this section - .forbes.com - developer.ibm.com - localhost - - - - - This would turn off all filtering for these sites. This is best - put in user.action, for local site - exceptions. Note that when a simple domain pattern is used by itself (without - the subsequent path portion), all sub-pages within that domain are included - automatically in the scope of the action. - - - - Images that are inexplicably being blocked, may well be hitting the -+filter{banners-by-size} - rule, which assumes - that images of certain sizes are ad banners (works well - most of the time since these tend to be standardized). - - - - { fragile } is an alias that disables most - actions that are the most likely to cause trouble. This can be used as a - last resort for problem sites. - - - - - { fragile } - # Handle with care: easy to break - mail.google. - mybank.example.com - - - - - Remember to flush caches! Note that the - mail.google reference lacks the TLD portion (e.g. - .com). This will effectively match any TLD with - google in it, such as mail.google.de., - just as an example. - - - If this still does not work, you will have to go through the remaining - actions one by one to find which one(s) is causing the problem. - - - - - - - + + + - Revision 1.123.2.40 2004/02/27 12:48:49 hal9 - Add comment re: redirecting to local file system for set-image-blocker may - is dependent on browser. + + shockwave-flash + + + A filter for shockwave haters. As the name suggests, this filter strips code + out of web pages that is used to embed shockwave flash objects. + + + + + - Revision 1.123.2.39 2004/01/30 22:31:40 oes - Added a hint re bookmarklets to Quickstart section + + quicktime-kioskmode + + + Change HTML code that embeds Quicktime objects so that kioskmode, which + prevents saving, is disabled. + + + - Revision 1.123.2.38 2004/01/30 16:47:51 oes - Some minor clarifications + + fun + + + Text replacements for subversive browsing fun. Make fun of your favorite + Monopolist or play buzzword bingo. + + + - Revision 1.123.2.37 2004/01/29 22:36:11 hal9 - Updates for no longer filtering text/plain, and demoronizer default settings, - and copyright notice dates. + + crude-parental + + + A demonstration-only filter that shows how Privoxy + can be used to delete web content on a keyword basis. + + + - Revision 1.123.2.36 2003/12/10 02:26:26 hal9 - Changed the demoronizer filter description. + + ie-exploits + + + An experimental collection of text replacements to disable malicious HTML and JavaScript + code that exploits known security holes in Internet Explorer. + + + Presently, it only protects against Nimda and a cross-site scripting bug, and + would need active maintenance to provide more substantial protection. + + + - Revision 1.123.2.35 2003/11/06 13:36:37 oes - Updated link to nightly CVS tarball + + site-specifics + + + Some web sites have very specific problems, the cure for which doesn't apply + anywhere else, or could even cause damage on other sites. + + + This is a collection of such site-specific cures which should only be applied + to the sites they were intended for, which is what the supplied + default.action file does. Users shouldn't need to change + anything regarding this filter. + + + - Revision 1.123.2.34 2003/06/26 23:50:16 hal9 - Add a small bit on filtering and problems re: source code being corrupted. + + google + + + A CSS based block for Google text ads. Also removes a width limitation + and the toolbar advertisement. + + + - Revision 1.123.2.33 2003/05/08 18:17:33 roro - Use apt-get instead of dpkg to install Debian package, which is more - solid, uses the correct and most recent Debian version automatically. + + yahoo + + + Another CSS based block, this time for Yahoo text ads. And removes + a width limitation as well. + + + - Revision 1.123.2.32 2003/04/11 03:13:57 hal9 - Add small note about only one filterfile (as opposed to multiple actions - files). + + msn + + + Another CSS based block, this time for MSN text ads. And removes + tracking URLs, as well as a width limitation. + + + - Revision 1.123.2.31 2003/03/26 02:03:43 oes - Updated hard-coded copyright dates + + blogspot + + + Cleans up some Blogspot blogs. Read the fine print before using this one! + + + This filter also intentionally removes some navigation stuff and sets the + page width to 100%. As a result, some rounded corners would + appear to early or not at all and as fixing this would require a browser + that understands background-size (CSS3), they are removed instead. + + + - Revision 1.123.2.30 2003/03/24 12:58:56 hal9 - Add new section on Predefined Filters. + + xml-to-html + + + Server-header filter to change the Content-Type from xml to html. + + + - Revision 1.123.2.29 2003/03/20 02:45:29 hal9 - More problems with \-\-chroot causing markup problems :( + + html-to-xml + + + Server-header filter to change the Content-Type from html to xml. + + + - Revision 1.123.2.28 2003/03/19 00:35:24 hal9 - Manual edit of revision log because 'chroot' (even inside a comment) was - causing Docbook to hang here (due to double hyphen and the processor thinking - it was a comment). + + no-ping + + + Removes the non-standard ping attribute from + anchor and area HTML tags. + + + - Revision 1.123.2.27 2003/03/18 19:37:14 oes - s/Advanced|Radical/Adventuresome/g to avoid complaints re fun filter + + hide-tor-exit-notation + + + Client-header filter to remove the Tor exit node notation + found in Host and Referer headers. + + + If &my-app; and Tor are chained and &my-app; + is configured to use socks4a, one can use http://www.example.org.foobar.exit/ + to access the host www.example.org through the + Tor exit node foobar. + + + As the HTTP client isn't aware of this notation, it treats the + whole string www.example.org.foobar.exit as host and uses it + for the Host and Referer headers. From the + server's point of view the resulting headers are invalid and can cause problems. + + + An invalid Referer header can trigger hot-linking + protections, an invalid Host header will make it impossible for + the server to find the right vhost (several domains hosted on the same IP address). + + + This client-header filter removes the foo.exit part in those headers + to prevent the mentioned problems. Note that it only modifies + the HTTP headers, it doesn't make it impossible for the server + to detect your Tor exit node based on the IP address + the request is coming from. + + + - Revision 1.123.2.26 2003/03/17 16:50:53 oes - Added documentation for new chroot option + + - Revision 1.123.2.25 2003/03/15 18:36:55 oes - Adapted to the new filters + - Revision 1.123.2.24 2002/11/17 06:41:06 hal9 - Move default profiles table from FAQ to U-M, and other minor related changes. - Add faq on cookies. + +External filter syntax + + External filters are scripts or programs that can modify the content in + case common filters + aren't powerful enough. + + + External filters can be written in any language the platform &my-app; runs + on supports. + + + They are controlled with the + external-filter action + and have to be defined in the filterfile + first. + + + The header looks like any other filter, but instead of pcrs jobs, external + filters contain a single job which can be a program or a shell script (which + may call other scripts or programs). + + + External filters read the content from STDIN and write the rewritten + content to STDOUT. + The environment variables PRIVOXY_URL, PRIVOXY_PATH, PRIVOXY_HOST, + PRIVOXY_ORIGIN, PRIVOXY_LISTEN_ADDRESS can be used to get some details + about the client request. + + + &my-app; will temporary store the content to filter in the + temporary-directory. + - Revision 1.123.2.23 2002/10/21 02:32:01 hal9 - Updates to the user.action examples section. A few new ones. + +EXTERNAL-FILTER: cat Pointless example filter that doesn't actually modify the content +/bin/cat - Revision 1.123.2.22 2002/10/12 00:51:53 hal9 - Add demoronizer to filter section. +# Incorrect reimplementation of the filter above in POSIX shell. +# +# Note that it's a single job that spans multiple lines, the line +# breaks are not passed to the shell, thus the semicolons are required. +# +# If the script isn't trivial, it is recommended to put it into an external file. +# +# In general, writing external filters entirely in POSIX shell is not +# considered a good idea. +EXTERNAL-FILTER: cat2 Pointless example filter that despite its name may actually modify the content +while read line; \ +do \ + echo "$line"; \ +done + +EXTERNAL-FILTER: rotate-image Rotate an image by 180 degree. Test filter with limited value. +/usr/local/bin/convert - -rotate 180 - + +EXTERNAL-FILTER: citation-needed Adds a "[citation needed]" tag to an image. The coordinates may need adjustment. +/usr/local/bin/convert - -pointsize 16 -fill white -annotate +17+418 "[citation needed]" - + - Revision 1.123.2.21 2002/10/10 04:09:35 hal9 - s/Advanced/Radical/ and added very brief note. + + + Currently external filters are executed with &my-app;'s privileges! + Only use external filters you understand and trust. + + + + External filters are experimental and the syntax may change in the future. + + - Revision 1.123.2.20 2002/10/10 03:49:21 hal9 - Add notes to session-cookies-only and Quickstart about pre-existing - cookies. Also, note content-cookies work differently. + - Revision 1.123.2.19 2002/09/26 01:25:36 hal9 - More explanation on Privoxy patterns, more on content-cookies and SSL. + - Revision 1.123.2.18 2002/08/22 23:47:58 hal9 - Add 'Documentation' to Privoxy Menu shot in Configuration section to match - CGIs. - Revision 1.123.2.17 2002/08/18 01:13:05 hal9 - Spell checked (only one typo this time!). - Revision 1.123.2.16 2002/08/09 19:20:54 david__schmidt - Update to Mac OS X startup script name + - Revision 1.123.2.15 2002/08/07 17:32:11 oes - Converted some internal links from ulink to link for PDF creation; no content changed + +Privoxy's Template Files + + All Privoxy built-in pages, i.e. error pages such as the + 404 - No Such Domain + error page, the BLOCKED + page + and all pages of its web-based + user interface, are generated from templates. + (Privoxy must be running for the above links to work as + intended.) + - Revision 1.123.2.14 2002/08/06 09:16:13 oes - Nits re: actions file download + + These templates are stored in a subdirectory of the configuration + directory called templates. On Unixish platforms, + this is typically + /etc/privoxy/templates/. + - Revision 1.123.2.13 2002/08/02 18:23:19 g_sauthoff - Just 2 small corrections to the Gentoo sections + + The templates are basically normal HTML files, but with place-holders (called symbols + or exports), which Privoxy fills at run time. It + is possible to edit the templates with a normal text editor, should you want + to customize them. (Not recommended for the casual + user). Should you create your own custom templates, you should use + the config setting templdir + to specify an alternate location, so your templates do not get overwritten + during upgrades. + + + Note that just like in configuration files, lines starting + with # are ignored when the templates are filled in. + - Revision 1.123.2.12 2002/08/02 18:17:21 g_sauthoff - Added 2 Gentoo sections + + The place-holders are of the form @name@, and you will + find a list of available symbols, which vary from template to template, + in the comments at the start of each file. Note that these comments are not + always accurate, and that it's probably best to look at the existing HTML + code to find out which symbols are supported and what they are filled in with. + - Revision 1.123.2.11 2002/07/26 15:20:31 oes - - Added version info to title - - Added info on new filters - - Revised parts of the filter file tutorial - - Added info on where to get updated actions files + + A special application of this substitution mechanism is to make whole + blocks of HTML code disappear when a specific symbol is set. We use this + for many purposes, one of them being to include the beta warning in all + our user interface (CGI) pages when Privoxy + is in an alpha or beta development stage: + - Revision 1.123.2.10 2002/07/25 21:42:29 hal9 - Add brief notes on not proxying non-HTTP protocols. + +<!-- @if-unstable-start --> - Revision 1.123.2.9 2002/07/11 03:40:28 david__schmidt + ... beta warning HTML code goes here ... - Updated Mac OS X sections due to installation location change +<!-- if-unstable-end@ --> - Revision 1.123.2.8 2002/06/09 16:36:32 hal9 - Clarifications on filtering and MIME. Hardcode 'latest release' in index.html. + + If the "unstable" symbol is set, everything in between and including + @if-unstable-start and if-unstable-end@ + will disappear, leaving nothing but an empty comment: + - Revision 1.123.2.7 2002/06/09 00:29:34 hal9 - Touch ups on filtering, in actions section and Anatomy. + <!-- --> - Revision 1.123.2.6 2002/06/06 23:11:03 hal9 - Fix broken link. Linkchecked all docs. + + There's also an if-then-else construct and an #include + mechanism, but you'll sure find out if you are inclined to edit the + templates ;-) + - Revision 1.123.2.5 2002/05/29 02:01:02 hal9 - This is break out of the entire config section from u-m, so it can - eventually be used to generate the comments, etc in the main config file - so that these are in sync with each other. + + All templates refer to a style located at + http://config.privoxy.org/send-stylesheet. + This is, of course, locally served by Privoxy + and the source for it can be found and edited in the + cgi-style.css template. + - Revision 1.123.2.4 2002/05/27 03:28:45 hal9 - Ooops missed something from David. + - Revision 1.123.2.3 2002/05/27 03:23:17 hal9 - Fix FIXMEs for OS2 and Mac OS X startup. Fix Redhat typos (should be Red Hat). - That's a wrap, I think. + - Revision 1.123.2.2 2002/05/26 19:02:09 hal9 - Move Amiga stuff around to take of FIXME in start up section. - Revision 1.123.2.1 2002/05/26 17:04:25 hal9 - -Spellcheck, very minor edits, and sync across branches - Revision 1.123 2002/05/24 23:19:23 hal9 - Include new image (Proxy setup). More fun with guibutton. - Minor corrections/clarifications here and there. + - Revision 1.122 2002/05/24 13:24:08 oes - Added Bookmarklet for one-click pre-filled access to show-url-info +Contacting the Developers, Bug Reporting and Feature +Requests - Revision 1.121 2002/05/23 23:20:17 oes - - Changed more (all?) references to actions to the - style. - - Small fixes in the actions chapter - - Small clarifications in the quickstart to ad blocking - - Removed from s since the new doc CSS - renders them red (bad in TOC). +<!-- Include contacting.sgml boilerplate: --> + &contacting; +<!-- end boilerplate --> - Revision 1.120 2002/05/23 19:16:43 roro - Correct Debian specials (installation and startup). +</sect1> - Revision 1.119 2002/05/22 17:17:05 oes - Added Security hint +<!-- ~ End section ~ --> - Revision 1.118 2002/05/21 04:54:55 hal9 - -New Section: Quickstart to Ad Blocking - -Reformat Actions Anatomy to match new CGI layout - Revision 1.117 2002/05/17 13:56:16 oes - - Reworked & extended Templates chapter - - Small changes to Regex appendix - - #included authors.sgml into (C) and hist chapter +<!-- ~~~~~ New section ~~~~~ --> +<sect1 id="copyright"><title>Privoxy Copyright, License and History - Revision 1.116 2002/05/17 03:23:46 hal9 - Fixing merge conflict in Quickstart section. + + ©right; + - Revision 1.115 2002/05/16 16:25:00 oes - Extended the Filter File chapter & minor fixes + + Privoxy is free software; you can + redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the + GNU General Public License, version 2, + as published by the Free Software Foundation and included in + the next section. + - Revision 1.114 2002/05/16 09:42:50 oes - More ulink->link, added some hints to Quickstart section + +License - Revision 1.113 2002/05/15 21:07:25 oes - Extended and further commented the example actions files + - Revision 1.112 2002/05/15 03:57:14 hal9 - Spell check. A few minor edits here and there for better syntax and - clarification. + + - Revision 1.111 2002/05/14 23:01:36 oes - Fixing the fixes - Revision 1.110 2002/05/14 19:10:45 oes - Restored alphabetical order of actions + - Revision 1.109 2002/05/14 17:23:11 oes - Renamed the prevent-*-cookies actions, extended aliases section and moved it before the example AFs +History + + &history; + + - Revision 1.108 2002/05/14 15:29:12 oes - Completed proofreading the actions chapter +Authors + + &p-authors; + + - Revision 1.107 2002/05/12 03:20:41 hal9 - Small clarifications for 127.0.0.1 vs localhost for listen-address since this - apparently an important distinction for some OS's. + - Revision 1.106 2002/05/10 01:48:20 hal9 - This is mostly proposed copyright/licensing additions and changes. Docs - are still GPL, but licensing and copyright are more visible. Also, copyright - changed in doc header comments (eliminate references to JB except FAQ). + - Revision 1.105 2002/05/05 20:26:02 hal9 - Sorting out license vs copyright in these docs. - Revision 1.104 2002/05/04 08:44:45 swa - bumped version + +See Also + + &seealso; + + - Revision 1.103 2002/05/04 00:40:53 hal9 - -Remove the TOC first page kludge. It's fixed proper now in ldp.dsl.in. - -Some minor additions to Quickstart. - Revision 1.102 2002/05/03 17:46:00 oes - Further proofread & reactivated short build instructions - Revision 1.101 2002/05/03 03:58:30 hal9 - Move the user-manual config directive to top of section. Add note about - Privoxy needing read permissions for configs, and write for logs. + +Appendix - Revision 1.100 2002/04/29 03:05:55 hal9 - Add clarification on differences of new actions files. - Revision 1.99 2002/04/28 16:59:05 swa - more structure in starting section + + +Regular Expressions + + Privoxy uses Perl-style regular + expressions in its actions + files and filter file, + through the PCRE and + + PCRS libraries. + - Revision 1.98 2002/04/28 05:43:59 hal9 - This is the break up of configuration.html into multiple files. This - will probably break links elsewhere :( + + If you are reading this, you probably don't understand what regular + expressions are, or what they can do. So this will be a very brief + introduction only. A full explanation would require a book ;-) + - Revision 1.97 2002/04/27 21:04:42 hal9 - -Rewrite of Actions File example. - -Add section for user-manual directive in config. + + Regular expressions provide a language to describe patterns that can be + run against strings of characters (letter, numbers, etc), to see if they + match the string or not. The patterns are themselves (sometimes complex) + strings of literal characters, combined with wild-cards, and other special + characters, called meta-characters. The meta-characters have + special meanings and are used to build complex patterns to be matched against. + Perl Compatible Regular Expressions are an especially convenient + dialect of the regular expression language. + - Revision 1.96 2002/04/27 05:32:00 hal9 - -Add short section to Filter Files to tie in with +filter action. - -Start rewrite of examples in Actions Examples (not finished). + + To make a simple analogy, we do something similar when we use wild-card + characters when listing files with the dir command in DOS. + *.* matches all filenames. The special + character here is the asterisk which matches any and all characters. We can be + more specific and use ? to match just individual + characters. So dir file?.text would match + file1.txt, file2.txt, etc. We are pattern + matching, using a similar technique to regular expressions! + - Revision 1.95 2002/04/26 17:23:29 swa - bookmarks cleaned, changed structure of user manual, screen and programlisting cleanups, and numerous other changes that I forgot + + Regular expressions do essentially the same thing, but are much, much more + powerful. There are many more special characters and ways of + building complex patterns however. Let's look at a few of the common ones, + and then some examples: + - Revision 1.94 2002/04/26 05:24:36 hal9 - -Add most of Andreas suggestions to Chain of Events section. - -A few other minor corrections and touch up. + + + . - Matches any single character, e.g. a, + A, 4, :, or @. + + - Revision 1.92 2002/04/25 18:55:13 hal9 - More catchups on new actions files, and new actions names. - Other assorted cleanups, and minor modifications. + + + ? - The preceding character or expression is matched ZERO or ONE + times. Either/or. + + - Revision 1.91 2002/04/24 02:39:31 hal9 - Add 'Chain of Events' section. + + + + - The preceding character or expression is matched ONE or MORE + times. + + - Revision 1.90 2002/04/23 21:41:25 hal9 - Linuxconf is deprecated on RH, substitute chkconfig. + + + * - The preceding character or expression is matched ZERO or MORE + times. + + - Revision 1.89 2002/04/23 21:05:28 oes - Added hint for startup on Red Hat + + + \ - The escape character denotes that + the following character should be taken literally. This is used where one of the + special characters (e.g. .) needs to be taken literally and + not as a special meta-character. Example: example\.com, makes + sure the period is recognized only as a period (and not expanded to its + meta-character meaning of any single character). + + - Revision 1.88 2002/04/23 05:37:54 hal9 - Add AmigaOS install stuff. + + + [ ] - Characters enclosed in brackets will be matched if + any of the enclosed characters are encountered. For instance, [0-9] + matches any numeric digit (zero through nine). As an example, we can combine + this with + to match any digit one of more times: [0-9]+. + + - Revision 1.87 2002/04/23 02:53:15 david__schmidt - Updated Mac OS X installation section - Added a few English tweaks here an there + + + ( ) - parentheses are used to group a sub-expression, + or multiple sub-expressions. + + - Revision 1.86 2002/04/21 01:46:32 hal9 - Re-write actions section. + + + | - The bar character works like an + or conditional statement. A match is successful if the + sub-expression on either side of | matches. As an example: + /(this|that) example/ uses grouping and the bar character + and would match either this example or that + example, and nothing else. + + - Revision 1.85 2002/04/18 21:23:23 hal9 - Fix ugly typo (mine). + + These are just some of the ones you are likely to use when matching URLs with + Privoxy, and is a long way from a definitive + list. This is enough to get us started with a few simple examples which may + be more illuminating: + - Revision 1.84 2002/04/18 21:17:13 hal9 - Spell Redhat correctly (ie Red Hat). A few minor grammar corrections. + + /.*/banners/.* - A simple example + that uses the common combination of . and * to + denote any character, zero or more times. In other words, any string at all. + So we start with a literal forward slash, then our regular expression pattern + (.*) another literal forward slash, the string + banners, another forward slash, and lastly another + .*. We are building + a directory path here. This will match any file with the path that has a + directory named banners in it. The .* matches + any characters, and this could conceivably be more forward slashes, so it + might expand into a much longer looking path. For example, this could match: + /eye/hate/spammers/banners/annoy_me_please.gif, or just + /banners/annoying.html, or almost an infinite number of other + possible combinations, just so it has banners in the path + somewhere. + - Revision 1.83 2002/04/18 18:21:12 oes - Added RPM install detail + + And now something a little more complex: + - Revision 1.82 2002/04/18 12:04:50 oes - Cosmetics + + /.*/adv((er)?ts?|ertis(ing|ements?))?/ - + We have several literal forward slashes again (/), so we are + building another expression that is a file path statement. We have another + .*, so we are matching against any conceivable sub-path, just so + it matches our expression. The only true literal that must + match our pattern is adv, together with + the forward slashes. What comes after the adv string is the + interesting part. + - Revision 1.81 2002/04/18 11:50:24 oes - Extended Install section - needs fixing by packagers + + Remember the ? means the preceding expression (either a + literal character or anything grouped with (...) in this case) + can exist or not, since this means either zero or one match. So + ((er)?ts?|ertis(ing|ements?)) is optional, as are the + individual sub-expressions: (er), + (ing|ements?), and the s. The | + means or. We have two of those. For instance, + (ing|ements?), can expand to match either ing + OR ements?. What is being done here, is an + attempt at matching as many variations of advertisement, and + similar, as possible. So this would expand to match just adv, + or advert, or adverts, or + advertising, or advertisement, or + advertisements. You get the idea. But it would not match + advertizements (with a z). We could fix that by + changing our regular expression to: + /.*/adv((er)?ts?|erti(s|z)(ing|ements?))?/, which would then match + either spelling. + - Revision 1.80 2002/04/18 10:45:19 oes - Moved text to buildsource.sgml, renamed some filters, details + + /.*/advert[0-9]+\.(gif|jpe?g) - Again + another path statement with forward slashes. Anything in the square brackets + [ ] can be matched. This is using 0-9 as a + shorthand expression to mean any digit one through nine. It is the same as + saying 0123456789. So any digit matches. The + + means one or more of the preceding expression must be included. The preceding + expression here is what is in the square brackets -- in this case, any digit + one through nine. Then, at the end, we have a grouping: (gif|jpe?g). + This includes a |, so this needs to match the expression on + either side of that bar character also. A simple gif on one side, and the other + side will in turn match either jpeg or jpg, + since the ? means the letter e is optional and + can be matched once or not at all. So we are building an expression here to + match image GIF or JPEG type image file. It must include the literal + string advert, then one or more digits, and a . + (which is now a literal, and not a special character, since it is escaped + with \), and lastly either gif, or + jpeg, or jpg. Some possible matches would + include: //advert1.jpg, + /nasty/ads/advert1234.gif, + /banners/from/hell/advert99.jpg. It would not match + advert1.gif (no leading slash), or + /adverts232.jpg (the expression does not include an + s), or /advert1.jsp (jsp is not + in the expression anywhere). + - Revision 1.79 2002/04/18 03:18:06 hal9 - Spellcheck, and minor touchups. + + We are barely scratching the surface of regular expressions here so that you + can understand the default Privoxy + configuration files, and maybe use this knowledge to customize your own + installation. There is much, much more that can be done with regular + expressions. Now that you know enough to get started, you can learn more on + your own :/ + - Revision 1.78 2002/04/17 18:04:16 oes - Proofreading part 2 + + More reading on Perl Compatible Regular expressions: + http://perldoc.perl.org/perlre.html + - Revision 1.77 2002/04/17 13:51:23 oes - Proofreading, part one + + For information on regular expression based substitutions and their applications + in filters, please see the filter file tutorial + in this manual. + + - Revision 1.76 2002/04/16 04:25:51 hal9 - -Added 'Note to Upgraders' and re-ordered the 'Quickstart' section. - -Note about proxy may need requests to re-read config files. + - Revision 1.75 2002/04/12 02:08:48 david__schmidt - Remove OS/2 building info... it is already in the developer-manual - Revision 1.74 2002/04/11 00:54:38 hal9 - Add small section on submitting actions. + + +Privoxy's Internal Pages - Revision 1.73 2002/04/10 18:45:15 swa - generated + + Since Privoxy proxies each requested + web page, it is easy for Privoxy to + trap certain special URLs. In this way, we can talk directly to + Privoxy, and see how it is + configured, see how our rules are being applied, change these + rules and other configuration options, and even turn + Privoxy's filtering off, all with + a web browser. + - Revision 1.72 2002/04/10 04:06:19 hal9 - Added actions feedback to Bookmarklets section + + The URLs listed below are the special ones that allow direct access + to Privoxy. Of course, + Privoxy must be running to access these. If + not, you will get a friendly error message. Internet access is not + necessary either. + - Revision 1.71 2002/04/08 22:59:26 hal9 - Version update. Spell chkconfig correctly :) + - Revision 1.70 2002/04/08 20:53:56 swa - ? + + + Privoxy main page: + +
+ + http://config.privoxy.org/ + +
+ + There is a shortcut: http://p.p/ (But it + doesn't provide a fall-back to a real page, in case the request is not + sent through Privoxy) + + - Revision 1.69 2002/04/06 05:07:29 hal9 - -Add privoxy-man-page.sgml, for man page. - -Add authors.sgml for AUTHORS (and p-authors.sgml) - -Reworked various aspects of various docs. - -Added additional comments to sub-docs. + + + Show information about the current configuration, including viewing and + editing of actions files: + +
+ + http://config.privoxy.org/show-status + +
+ - Revision 1.68 2002/04/04 18:46:47 swa - consistent look. reuse of copyright, history et. al. + + + Show the source code version numbers: + +
+ + http://config.privoxy.org/show-version + +
+ - Revision 1.67 2002/04/04 17:27:57 swa - more single file to be included at multiple points. make maintaining easier + + + Show the browser's request headers: + +
+ + http://config.privoxy.org/show-request + +
+ - Revision 1.66 2002/04/04 06:48:37 hal9 - Structural changes to allow for conditional inclusion/exclusion of content - based on entity toggles, e.g. 'entity % p-not-stable "INCLUDE"'. And - definition of internal entities, e.g. 'entity p-version "2.9.13"' that will - eventually be set by Makefile. - More boilerplate text for use across multiple docs. + + + Show which actions apply to a URL and why: + +
+ + http://config.privoxy.org/show-url-info + +
+ - Revision 1.65 2002/04/03 19:52:07 swa - enhance squid section due to user suggestion + + + Toggle Privoxy on or off. This feature can be turned off/on in the main + config file. When toggled off, Privoxy + continues to run, but only as a pass-through proxy, with no actions taking + place: + +
+ + http://config.privoxy.org/toggle + +
+ + Short cuts. Turn off, then on: + +
+ + http://config.privoxy.org/toggle?set=disable + +
+
+ + http://config.privoxy.org/toggle?set=enable + +
+ - Revision 1.64 2002/04/03 03:53:43 hal9 - A few minor bug fixes, and touch ups. Ready for review. + - Revision 1.63 2002/04/01 16:24:49 hal9 - Define entities to include boilerplate text. See doc/source/*. + - Revision 1.62 2002/03/30 04:15:53 hal9 - - Fix privoxy.org/config links. - - Paste in Bookmarklets from Toggle page. - - Move Quickstart nearer top, and minor rework. - Revision 1.61 2002/03/29 01:31:08 hal9 - Minor update. + + +Chain of Events + + Let's take a quick look at how some of Privoxy's + core features are triggered, and the ensuing sequence of events when a web + page is requested by your browser: + - Revision 1.60 2002/03/27 01:57:34 hal9 - Added more to Anatomy section. + + + + First, your web browser requests a web page. The browser knows to send + the request to Privoxy, which will in turn, + relay the request to the remote web server after passing the following + tests: + + + + + Privoxy traps any request for its own internal CGI + pages (e.g http://p.p/) and sends the CGI page back to the browser. + + + + + Next, Privoxy checks to see if the URL + matches any +block patterns. If + so, the URL is then blocked, and the remote web server will not be contacted. + +handle-as-image + and + +handle-as-empty-document + are then checked, and if there is no match, an + HTML BLOCKED page is sent back to the browser. Otherwise, if + it does match, an image is returned for the former, and an empty text + document for the latter. The type of image would depend on the setting of + +set-image-blocker + (blank, checkerboard pattern, or an HTTP redirect to an image elsewhere). + + + + + Untrusted URLs are blocked. If URLs are being added to the + trust file, then that is done. + + + + + If the URL pattern matches the +fast-redirects action, + it is then processed. Unwanted parts of the requested URL are stripped. + + + + + Now the rest of the client browser's request headers are processed. If any + of these match any of the relevant actions (e.g. +hide-user-agent, + etc.), headers are suppressed or forged as determined by these actions and + their parameters. + + + + + Now the web server starts sending its response back (i.e. typically a web + page). + + + + + First, the server headers are read and processed to determine, among other + things, the MIME type (document type) and encoding. The headers are then + filtered as determined by the + +crunch-incoming-cookies, + +session-cookies-only, + and +downgrade-http-version + actions. + + + + + If any +filter action + or +deanimate-gifs + action applies (and the document type fits the action), the rest of the page is + read into memory (up to a configurable limit). Then the filter rules (from + default.filter and any other filter files) are + processed against the buffered content. Filters are applied in the order + they are specified in one of the filter files. Animated GIFs, if present, + are reduced to either the first or last frame, depending on the action + setting.The entire page, which is now filtered, is then sent by + Privoxy back to your browser. + + + If neither a +filter action + or +deanimate-gifs + matches, then Privoxy passes the raw data through + to the client browser as it becomes available. + + + + + As the browser receives the now (possibly filtered) page content, it + reads and then requests any URLs that may be embedded within the page + source, e.g. ad images, stylesheets, JavaScript, other HTML documents (e.g. + frames), sounds, etc. For each of these objects, the browser issues a + separate request (this is easily viewable in Privoxy's + logs). And each such request is in turn processed just as above. Note that a + complex web page will have many, many such embedded URLs. If these + secondary requests are to a different server, then quite possibly a very + differing set of actions is triggered. + + - Revision 1.59 2002/03/27 00:54:33 hal9 - Touch up intro for new name. + - Revision 1.58 2002/03/26 22:29:55 swa - we have a new homepage! + + NOTE: This is somewhat of a simplistic overview of what happens with each URL + request. For the sake of brevity and simplicity, we have focused on + Privoxy's core features only. + - Revision 1.57 2002/03/24 20:33:30 hal9 - A few minor catch ups with name change. + - Revision 1.56 2002/03/24 16:17:06 swa - configure needs to be generated. - Revision 1.55 2002/03/24 16:08:08 swa - we are too lazy to make a block-built - privoxy logo. hence removed the option. + + +Troubleshooting: Anatomy of an Action - Revision 1.54 2002/03/24 15:46:20 swa - name change related issue. + + The way Privoxy applies + actions and filters + to any given URL can be complex, and not always so + easy to understand what is happening. And sometimes we need to be able to + see just what Privoxy is + doing. Especially, if something Privoxy is doing + is causing us a problem inadvertently. It can be a little daunting to look at + the actions and filters files themselves, since they tend to be filled with + regular expressions whose consequences are not + always so obvious. + - Revision 1.53 2002/03/24 11:51:00 swa - name change. changed filenames. + + One quick test to see if Privoxy is causing a problem + or not, is to disable it temporarily. This should be the first troubleshooting + step (be sure to flush caches afterward!). Looking at the + logs is a good idea too. (Note that both the toggle feature and logging are + enabled via config file settings, and may need to be + turned on.) + + + Another easy troubleshooting step to try is if you have done any + customization of your installation, revert back to the installed + defaults and see if that helps. There are times the developers get complaints + about one thing or another, and the problem is more related to a customized + configuration issue. + - Revision 1.52 2002/03/24 11:01:06 swa - name change + + Privoxy also provides the + http://config.privoxy.org/show-url-info + page that can show us very specifically how actions + are being applied to any given URL. This is a big help for troubleshooting. + - Revision 1.51 2002/03/23 15:13:11 swa - renamed every reference to the old name with foobar. - fixed "application foobar application" tag, fixed - "the foobar" with "foobar". left junkbustser in cvs - comments and remarks to history untouched. + + First, enter one URL (or partial URL) at the prompt, and then + Privoxy will tell us + how the current configuration will handle it. This will not + help with filtering effects (i.e. the +filter action) from + one of the filter files since this is handled very + differently and not so easy to trap! It also will not tell you about any other + URLs that may be embedded within the URL you are testing. For instance, images + such as ads are expressed as URLs within the raw page source of HTML pages. So + you will only get info for the actual URL that is pasted into the prompt area + -- not any sub-URLs. If you want to know about embedded URLs like ads, you + will have to dig those out of the HTML source. Use your browser's View + Page Source option for this. Or right click on the ad, and grab the + URL. + - Revision 1.50 2002/03/23 05:06:21 hal9 - Touch up. + + Let's try an example, google.com, + and look at it one section at a time in a sample configuration (your real + configuration may vary): + - Revision 1.49 2002/03/21 17:01:05 hal9 - New section in Appendix. + + Matches for http://www.google.com: - Revision 1.48 2002/03/12 06:33:01 hal9 - Catching up to Andreas and re_filterfile changes. + In file: default.action [ View ] [ Edit ] - Revision 1.47 2002/03/11 13:13:27 swa - correct feedback channels + {+change-x-forwarded-for{block} + +deanimate-gifs {last} + +fast-redirects {check-decoded-url} + +filter {refresh-tags} + +filter {img-reorder} + +filter {banners-by-size} + +filter {webbugs} + +filter {jumping-windows} + +filter {ie-exploits} + +hide-from-header {block} + +hide-referrer {forge} + +session-cookies-only + +set-image-blocker {pattern} +/ - Revision 1.46 2002/03/10 00:51:08 hal9 - Added section on JB internal pages in Appendix. + { -session-cookies-only } + .google.com - Revision 1.45 2002/03/09 17:43:53 swa - more distros + { -fast-redirects } + .google.com - Revision 1.44 2002/03/09 17:08:48 hal9 - New section on Jon's actions file editor, and move some stuff around. +In file: user.action [ View ] [ Edit ] +(no matches in this file) + - Revision 1.43 2002/03/08 00:47:32 hal9 - Added imageblock{pattern}. + + This is telling us how we have defined our + actions, and + which ones match for our test case, google.com. + Displayed is all the actions that are available to us. Remember, + the + sign denotes on. - + denotes off. So some are on here, but many + are off. Each example we try may provide a slightly different + end result, depending on our configuration directives. + + + The first listing + is for our default.action file. The large, multi-line + listing, is how the actions are set to match for all URLs, i.e. our default + settings. If you look at your actions file, this would be the + section just below the aliases section near the top. This + will apply to all URLs as signified by the single forward slash at the end + of the listing -- / . + - Revision 1.42 2002/03/07 18:16:55 swa - looks better + + But we have defined additional actions that would be exceptions to these general + rules, and then we list specific URLs (or patterns) that these exceptions + would apply to. Last match wins. Just below this then are two explicit + matches for .google.com. The first is negating our previous + cookie setting, which was for +session-cookies-only + (i.e. not persistent). So we will allow persistent cookies for google, at + least that is how it is in this example. The second turns + off any +fast-redirects + action, allowing this to take place unmolested. Note that there is a leading + dot here -- .google.com. This will match any hosts and + sub-domains, in the google.com domain also, such as + www.google.com or mail.google.com. But it would not + match www.google.de! So, apparently, we have these two actions + defined as exceptions to the general rules at the top somewhere in the lower + part of our default.action file, and + google.com is referenced somewhere in these latter sections. + - Revision 1.41 2002/03/07 16:46:43 hal9 - Fix a few markup problems for jade. + + Then, for our user.action file, we again have no hits. + So there is nothing google-specific that we might have added to our own, local + configuration. If there was, those actions would over-rule any actions from + previously processed files, such as default.action. + user.action typically has the last word. This is the + best place to put hard and fast exceptions, + - Revision 1.40 2002/03/07 16:28:39 swa - provide correct feedback channels + + And finally we pull it all together in the bottom section and summarize how + Privoxy is applying all its actions + to google.com: + - Revision 1.39 2002/03/06 16:19:28 hal9 - Note on perceived filtering slowdown per FR. + + Final results: - Revision 1.38 2002/03/05 23:55:14 hal9 - Stupid I did it again. Double hyphen in comment breaks jade. + -add-header + -block + +change-x-forwarded-for{block} + -client-header-filter{hide-tor-exit-notation} + -content-type-overwrite + -crunch-client-header + -crunch-if-none-match + -crunch-incoming-cookies + -crunch-outgoing-cookies + -crunch-server-header + +deanimate-gifs {last} + -downgrade-http-version + -fast-redirects + -filter {js-events} + -filter {content-cookies} + -filter {all-popups} + -filter {banners-by-link} + -filter {tiny-textforms} + -filter {frameset-borders} + -filter {demoronizer} + -filter {shockwave-flash} + -filter {quicktime-kioskmode} + -filter {fun} + -filter {crude-parental} + -filter {site-specifics} + -filter {js-annoyances} + -filter {html-annoyances} + +filter {refresh-tags} + -filter {unsolicited-popups} + +filter {img-reorder} + +filter {banners-by-size} + +filter {webbugs} + +filter {jumping-windows} + +filter {ie-exploits} + -filter {google} + -filter {yahoo} + -filter {msn} + -filter {blogspot} + -filter {no-ping} + -force-text-mode + -handle-as-empty-document + -handle-as-image + -hide-accept-language + -hide-content-disposition + +hide-from-header {block} + -hide-if-modified-since + +hide-referrer {forge} + -hide-user-agent + -limit-connect + -overwrite-last-modified + -prevent-compression + -redirect + -server-header-filter{xml-to-html} + -server-header-filter{html-to-xml} + -session-cookies-only + +set-image-blocker {pattern} + - Revision 1.37 2002/03/05 23:53:49 hal9 - jade barfs on '- -' embedded in comments. - -user option broke it. + + Notice the only difference here to the previous listing, is to + fast-redirects and session-cookies-only, + which are activated specifically for this site in our configuration, + and thus show in the Final Results. + - Revision 1.36 2002/03/05 22:53:28 hal9 - Add new - - user option. + + Now another example, ad.doubleclick.net: + - Revision 1.35 2002/03/05 00:17:27 hal9 - Added section on command line options. + + { +block{Domains starts with "ad"} } + ad*. - Revision 1.34 2002/03/04 19:32:07 oes - Changed default port to 8118 + { +block{Domain contains "ad"} } + .ad. - Revision 1.33 2002/03/03 19:46:13 hal9 - Emphasis on where/how to report bugs, etc + { +block{Doubleclick banner server} +handle-as-image } + .[a-vx-z]*.doubleclick.net + - Revision 1.32 2002/03/03 09:26:06 joergs - AmigaOS changes, config is now loaded from PROGDIR: instead of - AmiTCP:db/junkbuster/ if no configuration file is specified on the - command line. + + We'll just show the interesting part here - the explicit matches. It is + matched three different times. Two +block{} sections, + and a +block{} +handle-as-image, + which is the expanded form of one of our aliases that had been defined as: + +block-as-image. (Aliases are defined in + the first section of the actions file and typically used to combine more + than one action.) + - Revision 1.31 2002/03/02 22:45:52 david__schmidt - Just tweaking + + Any one of these would have done the trick and blocked this as an unwanted + image. This is unnecessarily redundant since the last case effectively + would also cover the first. No point in taking chances with these guys + though ;-) Note that if you want an ad or obnoxious + URL to be invisible, it should be defined as ad.doubleclick.net + is done here -- as both a +block{} + and an + +handle-as-image. + The custom alias +block-as-image just + simplifies the process and make it more readable. + - Revision 1.30 2002/03/02 22:00:14 hal9 - Updated 'New Features' list. Ran through spell-checker. + + One last example. Let's try http://www.example.net/adsl/HOWTO/. + This one is giving us problems. We are getting a blank page. Hmmm ... + - Revision 1.29 2002/03/02 20:34:07 david__schmidt - Update OS/2 build section + + Matches for http://www.example.net/adsl/HOWTO/: - Revision 1.28 2002/02/24 14:34:24 jongfoster - Formatting changes. Now changing the doctype to DocBook XML 4.1 - will work - no other changes are needed. + In file: default.action [ View ] [ Edit ] - Revision 1.27 2002/01/11 14:14:32 hal9 - Added a very short section on Templates + {-add-header + -block + +change-x-forwarded-for{block} + -client-header-filter{hide-tor-exit-notation} + -content-type-overwrite + -crunch-client-header + -crunch-if-none-match + -crunch-incoming-cookies + -crunch-outgoing-cookies + -crunch-server-header + +deanimate-gifs + -downgrade-http-version + +fast-redirects {check-decoded-url} + -filter {js-events} + -filter {content-cookies} + -filter {all-popups} + -filter {banners-by-link} + -filter {tiny-textforms} + -filter {frameset-borders} + -filter {demoronizer} + -filter {shockwave-flash} + -filter {quicktime-kioskmode} + -filter {fun} + -filter {crude-parental} + -filter {site-specifics} + -filter {js-annoyances} + -filter {html-annoyances} + +filter {refresh-tags} + -filter {unsolicited-popups} + +filter {img-reorder} + +filter {banners-by-size} + +filter {webbugs} + +filter {jumping-windows} + +filter {ie-exploits} + -filter {google} + -filter {yahoo} + -filter {msn} + -filter {blogspot} + -filter {no-ping} + -force-text-mode + -handle-as-empty-document + -handle-as-image + -hide-accept-language + -hide-content-disposition + +hide-from-header{block} + +hide-referer{forge} + -hide-user-agent + -overwrite-last-modified + +prevent-compression + -redirect + -server-header-filter{xml-to-html} + -server-header-filter{html-to-xml} + +session-cookies-only + +set-image-blocker{blank} } + / - Revision 1.26 2002/01/09 20:02:50 hal9 - Fix bug re: auto-detect config file changes. + { +block{Path contains "ads".} +handle-as-image } + /ads + - Revision 1.25 2002/01/09 18:20:30 hal9 - Touch ups for *.action files. + + Ooops, the /adsl/ is matching /ads in our + configuration! But we did not want this at all! Now we see why we get the + blank page. It is actually triggering two different actions here, and + the effects are aggregated so that the URL is blocked, and &my-app; is told + to treat the block as if it were an image. But this is, of course, all wrong. + We could now add a new action below this (or better in our own + user.action file) that explicitly + un blocks ( + {-block}) paths with + adsl in them (remember, last match in the configuration + wins). There are various ways to handle such exceptions. Example: + - Revision 1.24 2001/12/02 01:13:42 hal9 - Fix typo. + + { -block } + /adsl + - Revision 1.23 2001/12/02 00:20:41 hal9 - Updates for recent changes. + + Now the page displays ;-) + Remember to flush your browser's caches when making these kinds of changes to + your configuration to insure that you get a freshly delivered page! Or, try + using Shift+Reload. + - Revision 1.22 2001/11/05 23:57:51 hal9 - Minor update for startup now daemon mode. + + But now what about a situation where we get no explicit matches like + we did with: + - Revision 1.21 2001/10/31 21:11:03 hal9 - Correct 2 minor errors + + { +block{Path starts with "ads".} +handle-as-image } + /ads + - Revision 1.18 2001/10/24 18:45:26 hal9 - *** empty log message *** + + That actually was very helpful and pointed us quickly to where the problem + was. If you don't get this kind of match, then it means one of the default + rules in the first section of default.action is causing + the problem. This would require some guesswork, and maybe a little trial and + error to isolate the offending rule. One likely cause would be one of the + +filter actions. + These tend to be harder to troubleshoot. + Try adding the URL for the site to one of aliases that turn off + +filter: + - Revision 1.17 2001/10/24 17:10:55 hal9 - Catching up with Jon's recent work, and a few other things. + + { shop } + .quietpc.com + .worldpay.com # for quietpc.com + .jungle.com + .scan.co.uk + .forbes.com + - Revision 1.16 2001/10/21 17:19:21 swa - wrong url in documentation + + { shop } is an alias that expands to + { -filter -session-cookies-only }. + Or you could do your own exception to negate filtering: + - Revision 1.15 2001/10/14 23:46:24 hal9 - Various minor changes. Fleshed out SEE ALSO section. + + { -filter } + # Disable ALL filter actions for sites in this section + .forbes.com + developer.ibm.com + localhost + - Revision 1.13 2001/10/10 17:28:33 hal9 - Very minor changes. + + This would turn off all filtering for these sites. This is best + put in user.action, for local site + exceptions. Note that when a simple domain pattern is used by itself (without + the subsequent path portion), all sub-pages within that domain are included + automatically in the scope of the action. + - Revision 1.12 2001/09/28 02:57:04 hal9 - Ditto :/ + + Images that are inexplicably being blocked, may well be hitting the ++filter{banners-by-size} + rule, which assumes + that images of certain sizes are ad banners (works well + most of the time since these tend to be standardized). + - Revision 1.11 2001/09/28 02:25:20 hal9 - Ditto. + + { fragile } is an alias that disables most + actions that are the most likely to cause trouble. This can be used as a + last resort for problem sites. + - Revision 1.9 2001/09/27 23:50:29 hal9 - A few changes. A short section on regular expression in appendix. + + { fragile } + # Handle with care: easy to break + mail.google. + mybank.example.com - Revision 1.8 2001/09/25 00:34:59 hal9 - Some additions, and re-arranging. - Revision 1.7 2001/09/24 14:31:36 hal9 - Diddling. + + Remember to flush caches! Note that the + mail.google reference lacks the TLD portion (e.g. + .com). This will effectively match any TLD with + google in it, such as mail.google.de., + just as an example. + + + If this still does not work, you will have to go through the remaining + actions one by one to find which one(s) is causing the problem. + - Revision 1.6 2001/09/24 14:10:32 hal9 - Including David's OS/2 installation instructions. + - Revision 1.2 2001/09/13 15:27:40 swa - cosmetics + - Revision 1.1 2001/09/12 15:36:41 swa - source files for junkbuster documentation +