help disable private browsing

[rachejm]

I would like to disable private browsing as I want to monitor what sites my kids are going to. I have tried following the directions using interface builder, but I really have no experience using this tool. Can anyone walk me through the steps using terms a lay person can understand?
Thanks!

 

[Heb1228]

I wish I could help you with your specific question. I'm sure someone around here can.

You may also want to consider setting up a separate account for your kids with parental controls on Safari... which actually lets you prevent them form accessing sites in the first place. (They may know how to clear history files, etc... to hide what they've been doing.)

This also lets you limit iChat and other chat applications that can also get children into trouble with online predators and such.


EDIT: I think this should work....

1. Right-click on Safari(.app) and click on "Show Package Contents"
2. Follow the trail to Contents > Resources > English.Iproj > MainMenu.nib
3. Double-click MainMenu.nib to open Interface Builder.
4. Click on the "Safari" test menu that pops up, and highlight on "Private Browsing". 5. Press the Delete button.
6. File > Save.. and restart Safari.

 

[rachejm]

disable private browsing

I have tried this. I get to MainMenu.nib and I get classes.nib, objects.nib and info.nib. I am not getting safari test menu or maybe I just don't know what I am looking at.

It is just too difficult for our family to all have separate accounts and the parental controls often over blocks sites they need to get to. They are good kids and I don't mean to spy on them, but I just want to be sure...

Anyway thanks for your help and if anyone can give me more specific info. on how to disable private browsing I would appreciate it.

I do have X-code tools installed.

 

[Heb1228]

I'm not sure where you're getting off track. Let me see if I can give you the instructions a little more clearly.

1. Go to you Applications folder.
2. Find the Safari icon.
3. Control click on Safari and choose "Show Package Contents" and another Finder window will open.
4. Double click on "Contents"
5. Double click on "Resources"
6. Scroll down and double click on "English.lproj"
7. Scroll down and double click on "MainMenu.nib" This should open the interface builder application. You should see these windows:

The long window titled "Mainmenu.nib - MainMenu" is where you actually edit Safari's menus. In that window:

8. Click on "Safari" A menu will pop up looking like this:

9. Click on "Private Browsing" so that its highlighted.
10. Press delete. It should disappear.
11. Go up to the Interface Builder menu, click on File, and then click on Save.

Let me know if you're still having problems and what step you are able to get to before you can't figure out what to do.

 

[rachejm]

I guess the interface builder is not popping up when I get to MainMenu.nib. I am getting something else instead. Any ideas why?

Rachel

 

[tag]

I guess the interface builder is not popping up when I get to MainMenu.nib. I am getting something else instead. Any ideas why?

Rachel

Do you have the Developer Tools installed from your OS X cd/dvd? They need to be installed for you to have Interface Builder. If you do have dev tools & Interface builder but another app is opening instead, try control+click on the file and choosing Open with > Interface builder (or if its not on the list, click other, then find Interface Builder on your Harddrive)

 

[njmac]

How about uninstalling Safari and switching everyone to Firefox?

 

[rachejm]

I got it!! Thank you so much for your help!
rachel

 

[wellsomatic]

same problem

I am having the same problem as rachejm--the mainmenu only shows three files--no control panels as illustrated. Can anyone help? Rach?

 

[Big-in-Italy]

I am having the same problem as the last post...we apparently do not have Xcode with the Interface Builder. How can I get it? We have a 2006 MacBook. There was an Xcode on apple.com and we grabbed it, but it did not do anything. I didn't know what to do. I need some specific instructions from some knowledgeable soul who can help me out. Help! Thanks!

 

[hummingmom]

I

 

[Sayer]

First of all using separate accounts works a lot better than you may realize. It keeps your stuff out of the kids' prying eyes, and it lets them customize their own desktop, favorites, sounds, buddylist, email contacts etc.

In Leopard the Parental Controls are far more useful. You can get logs of activity, set time limits (duration and start/stop times), whitelist (pre-approve) web sites and block iChat, iTunes music store or just PG-13/R/Explicit rated material.

Lastly you should keep the family computer in a public area, where you can easily see what the kids are doing on it at any given time and also help them (instead of destroying the keyboard when something happens).

Editing the program may break it when you try to apply an update later on, or you may remove a feature you actually need. Also in Leopard Apple seems to be moving towards non-editable user interface files (nib) and code-signing of all Apple apps for security reasons. So changing the menu items may not be possible at all very soon.

 

[hummingmom]

That's unfortunate. I was disabling it for everyone involved, not just the kids.

I'm ready to get rid of the computer.

 

[iSee]

That's unfortunate. I was disabling it for everyone involved, not just the kids.

I'm ready to get rid of the computer.

At the risk of jumping to conclusions, where there are trust issues between adults, the root of the problem is not with Safari or a computer so you're not going to find a solution there.

 

[hummingmom]

This is just a part of the "solution." My job is to make my home safe for everyone.

 

[Desmond815]

Hi,
I have tried this but just can't make it work. I'm running OS X 10.4; that might be part of the problem. When I get to the last step, my folder doesn't look like the one on your display. I downloaded the Xcode, but it only works for 10.5, so it was worthless to me. Can anybody help?

 

[anonymous3025]

You downloaded Xcode 3.0 which only works on leapord. You will need Xcode 2.5 or lower heres the link http://developer.apple.com/tools/download/ make sure you download Xcode 2.5 (DMG)

 

[Maconfused]

Additional help for removing private browsing

These threads have been very helpful, especially the visuals! When I click on the MainMenu.nib, it does not open the interface builder and I cannot choose to open the main menu folder by selecting "open with" because it does not give me this option. I feel like I am very close, but missing a step. Any ideas?

Thanks>

 

[Cromulent]

This is just a part of the "solution." My job is to make my home safe for everyone.

At the risk of starting an argument. No one should be in charge of another adults safety except themselves.

Edit : Bah, old thread .

 

[hummingmom]

At the risk of starting an argument. No one should be in charge of another adults safety except themselves.

Edit : Bah, old thread .

How sad for you! We who are married like to look after each other, as iron sharpens iron.

 

[Cromulent]

We who are married like to look after each other, as iron sharpens iron.

Yes, but that is not being in charge of their safety and removal of privacy certainly does not fall under the banner of protecting an adult loved one. It falls under the banner of 'snooping' and 'prying'.

 

[lee1210]

Oy, gevolt. This should have stayed dead, and once it strayed from programming solutions to the problem and into a debate into privacy, etc. (a debate worth having, but not here) it should have been locked for good (if this forum even supports that). No one is going to change any one's mind here, and again... programming forum.

-Lee

 

[slw1983]

Hi, I am able to follow all the Interface Building steps to delete private browsing. However, when i click save a message appears saying it is a read-only file and cannot be saved. Any suggestions?

 

[Cromulent]

Hi, I am able to follow all the Interface Building steps to delete private browsing. However, when i click save a message appears saying it is a read-only file and cannot be saved. Any suggestions?

chmod it?

 

[alienapp]

Well i think the best solution for this problem is to use a keylogger. That way you will know which websites were visited regardless of the fact that private browsing is turned on or off.