History not working

Gregor

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After some time after starting the browser, the visited websites do not appear in the history panel. After restarting the browser, they are visible, but then they stop showing up again. Same in History panel and window.
This has been happening since 3405.3 snapshot (where changes were made to the history), a month ago.
I've done these things and nothing helps:

cleaning the history from the browser
deleting History file
deleting different files/folders from AppData\Local\Vivaldi\User Data\Default
deleting different files/folders from AppData\Local\Vivaldi\User Data

On clean profile (renaming AppData\Local\Vivaldi folder) look like there is no problem, but I haven't tested it for too long.

V 6.9.3425.3

mib2berlin

@Gregor
Hi, i cant find a bug report at moment but we have reports in the forum about this issue.
I fear something in your profile is broken or, even it sounds obscure, an extension.
What is "some time", hours or days?
A user post a workaround, change the sorting or something but I cant remember.

Gregor

VB-107980
With all extensions disabled the problem still occurs.
After some time, that is, from a minute to several hours. I don't know if it depends on time or the number of pages visited.
Changing sorting doesn't help.
Another strange thing is that clearing the entire history from the browser does not change the size of the History file, it is still 27MB.

DoctorG

@Gregor Could not be reproduced with 6.9 and 6.9 internal version.

How long lasts the History? 3 Months? Longer?

Gregor

It was always set to 3 months.

mib2berlin

@Gregor
Hi, your report VB-107980 is closed from a developer as "Cant reproduce".
Try to copy your history file over to a clean profile, I bet it is a profile issue.

Gregor

Then what? I can't use the browser on clean profile.
I noticed that the history always stops working at midnight...
Any idea how to fix it without breaking the browser?

DoctorG

@Gregor I guess now:
Something shutting down your PC at Midnight?
Some privacy extension accessing/cleaning history?
Some external privacy app accessing/cleaning history?
Some external security app accessing/cleaning history?

mib2berlin

@Gregor
This is for testing the problem, if history work in the clean profile your default profile is broken and you have to start from scratch anyway.
If not it is one of Some ... @DoctorG mentioned.

DoctorG

@Gregor Not easy to repair!
Backup all your Vivaldi profile!
Work only on copy of History file (database) from Vivaldi profile folder
Download SQLitebrowser as a Zip (no install needed) and unzip app to a folder of your choice
Ctrl+O to open History file
Check consistence of History file ⇒ https://github.com/sqlitebrowser/sqlitebrowser/wiki/Running-an-Integrity-Check
Export database as SQL file: File → Export → Database to SQL → tables "Select All" and tick all "Options"
Save the SQL file
Close database Ctrl+F4 and do not save any changes
Import SQL file to create a new database for a test: File → Import → Database from SQL

Sorry for short desciption.
I think @Pathduck can explain for you how to repair.

I never had done such workflow.

Pathduck

@DoctorG said in History not working:

I think @Pathduck can explain for you how to repair.

Whaaat?
No, I can't help with a broken History file. If it broke, it's broken.

For an integrity check to fail in a relational DB that would mean a seriously broken DB, not just "failing sometimes". It might help but I doubt it.

What I can help with is a script to anonymize a History database so it can be shared or sent as an attachment to a bug report.
https://pathduck.github.io/vivaldi/tools/anonymize-history.sql
This SQL can be run with the sqlite3 tool like this:
sqlite3 History ".read anonymize-history.sql"
Of course, if user is not worried about what's in History, this is not needed.

To reproduce an issue and maybe create a fix in code, developers need to see the problem on their own machine. That's the ONLY way an issue can be fixed. Developers need the exact steps to make the issue happen, starting from a clean profile. A bug description of "Use the browser with opening the sites for some time." is just not good enough.

My recommendation would be to just delete the History file and start over.
But I do notice the first post states they've already done that as well as clearing History. So I'm assuming that this also happens with a very small history. Unless Sync is involved of course, and it just syncs back all the "broken" records?

This stuff's complicated...

DoctorG

@Pathduck said in History not working:

@DoctorG said in History not working:

I think @Pathduck can explain for you how to repair.

Whaaat?
No, I can't help with a broken History file. If it broke, it's broken.

Sorry, i thought you are a SuperDucky.

What I can help with is a script to anonymize a History database so it can be shared or sent as an attachment to a bug report.
https://pathduck.github.io/vivaldi/tools/anonymize-history.sql
This SQL can be run with the sqlite3 tool like this:
sqlite3 History ".read anonymize-history.sql"
Of course, if user is not worried about what's in History, this is not needed.

Yes, @Gregor could send anonymised history to dev team.

This stuff's complicated...

Yes, it is.

Gregor

@DoctorG said in History not working:

@Gregor I guess now:
Something shutting down your PC at Midnight?
Some privacy extension accessing/cleaning history?
Some external privacy app accessing/cleaning history?
Some external security app accessing/cleaning history?

No, no, no, no. This seems to have been broken after installing 3405.3.

I'm thinking about making a backup of AppData\Local\Vivaldi\User Data, completely uninstalling the browser, installing the latest snapshot and gradually restoring settings using these tips https://forum.vivaldi.net/topic/51704/guide-v-backup-extra-steps. But even that is as complicated as reinstalling the operating system. And even then I can restore some file that causes the problem.
Or maybe installing some snapshot earlier than 3405.3 on the current 3425.3 (without uninstalling)...

DoctorG

@Gregor said in History not working:

maybe installing some snapshot earlier than 3405.3 on the current 3425.3

You installed a older Snapshot version over a newer? That can cause weird effects and unfixable issues on profile data.
Such Downgrade is not recommended by Vivaldi Team.

Gregor

No, I was just thinking about such a downgrade.