Internet Explorer maintains a cache of Web pages in a folder named Temporary Internet Files within the Windows folder. You can look into this either through Windows Explorer or Internet Explorer itself. To see the files using Internet Explorer go to View | Options | Advanced | View files. Also, from the Advanced | Settings option you can alter the cache size in terms of percentage of disk space, and the frequency of updating those files held in the cache.
These cached pages are a history of your journey through the Internet, and can be used to recreate that journey offline. Text, sounds, video and graphics can be re-run, saving telephone charges, bandwidth and time online. The obvious advantages for this are for research, and demonstrating Internet use in a classroom or training situation.
UnMozify uses the Internet Explorer to revisit and view those pages offline, permitting selection of pages to be saved in an index file. By default the entire cache is selected and, since this can easily reach thousands of files if not frequently monitored, will almost certainly benefit from editing. Selection criteria include Domains, File Types, File Ages, and the number of files to archive. Items can be selected for inclusion in, or removal from, an archive. The appearance of this archive can be set to show a short summary of HTML and text pages, facilitating identification of the item. A search function enables a keyword search of either URLs or document text in the cache for quick location of sought after items.
Opening UnMozify for the first time I am informed that my current cache contains 135 Text or HTML files, 670 Image/Sound/Video media files and 6 Other files. The right panel named Archive/Delete lists every domain within the cache. Clicking Archive lists all the files within these domains in an index. Any domains not wanted for inclusion in this index should first be moved into the left panel named Available Domains where they remain available for use at a later time.
On completion of the index I am told its name and location and given the option of opening it immediately. Internet Explorer then opens with this index page on the address line. A frame down the left side of the screen lists every domain in the index. A right frame simply holds icons identifying the different file types as: Domain Item, Text File, Image File, Audio File, Video File and Other File.
Choosing CNN as my domain changes the right frame, showing the icons for file types across the top and a list of files below. The text icon is highlighted by default and Text/HTML files are grouped in this frame. There are several items, each with a title and a line of explanatory text below which is the URL for that item.
Clicking any of these recalls the full screen page exactly as I first viewed it, complete with text, logos, line drawings and photographs. These were all part of the CNN front page news. Links from these pages are struck through if I did not follow them, as they are obviously not available in the cache.
Returning to the index by using the program's Back button, and then clicking the Image File icon gives me a screen full of .JPG and .GIF files that appeared in my pages, and I can open these by clicking on them. The same procedure applies to Sound or Video files in the index, giving me complete coverage of my recent Internet history.
Being able to browse your Internet history this way makes the cache a profitable investment.
UnMozify for Internet Explorer or Netscape is available as shareware from Tucows or www.evolve.co.uk/unmozify.
Enjoy your computing.
Terry Bibo.
Copyright © Terry Bibo
tbibo@pcug.org.au December 1997
(This item was broadcast on 18th December, 1997)