Where can I find the deleted content?
Like Scrivenner’s trash can
Deleted content is deleted — it’s gone.
Instead, you can create a container named “Trash”, and move content into that.
Later, if you wanted, you could have an agent that automatically deletes notes that have been in the trash for 30 days. Or 60 days, unless they’re References, in which case they get 90 days. Or whatever you find useful!
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To accomplish @eastgate reccomendation, which I agree with, there are many approaches.
- Create a folder called Trash Folder
- Manually move items to the Trash Folder
- Use Action Code in stamp, rule, or edict to move item to Trash Folder
Here are some options.
- Trash Folder 1: Move to Trash Folder
Moves selected note to “Trash Folder”.
$Container="/Trash Folder";
- Trash Folder 2: Move to Trash Folder based on condition
Create a boolean $IsTrash.
Create a prototype “pNote”.
Use as Stamp, $Rule, or $Edict. If you set $IsTrue to true, i.e., check it, the note will automatically move.
‘if($IsTrash==true){$Container="/Trash Folder"};’
- Trash Folder 3: Put note back in original location
Create string $OrigContainer.
Create boolean $IsTrash.
Create prototype “pNote”.
if($IsTrash==true){
$OrigContainer=$Container;
$Container="/Trash Folder";
}else{
$Container=$OrigContainer;
$OrigContainer="";
};
For larger files, this could be put into rules, edicts, functions, use variables, etc.
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In addition to all the good advice above, if you accidentally delete note(s) using the keypad, then trying Undo (⌘+Z) immediately will in many cases return your delete data. But it likely won’t find the note you deleted—whether deliberately or accidentally—several hours ago. As has been noted, there is no in-app/doc ‘trash’. Being used to using it in [some other app] doesn’t mean it should be an expectation here. An in-app trash is—looking at the many Mac apps I have installed the exception rather then the rule. A note this note to be rude, but to make the point that relying on in-app trash is not a safe assumption to make.
Why do I say ‘using the keypad’? If you use automation, e.g. action code, there is definitely no ‘undo’.
But, like others, I make mistakes and delete stuff I didn’t mean to (or did so without considering the consequences. So, if we lose something really important? There are some other fall-backs, though be aware these mean doc-level changes so to get your deleted item(s) you will also lose all later indented edits. Still, sometime, getting the lost note back is more important…
In-session (i.e whilst the Tinderbox app is still open), try menu File ▸ Revert To.
If that fails, look to the macOS TimeMachine—if you have it set up. That will allow you to recall a previous version of the file. Top: rather than revert, save old and new. That way you can recover the ‘lost’ notes and add them to your current file.
No TimeMachine? That may be then end unless you use other forms of back-up but if the file is stored in the Cloud (iCloud, OneDrive, Dropbox, etc.) it may offer some history—akin to using timeMachine—that will let you recover your lost notes.
HTH 
This is a strange design
There are many trash cans in the city
Trash bin is standard for all applications
Why is it designed like this?
This is simply not the case, even if some other apps you use a lot have an in-app trash bin that doesn’t make it standard. Even Scrivener’s sister app Scapple has no trash bin!
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Actually, I do this all the time and the Undo (⌘+Z) is a savior.
Revert To is also great. I do find that TBX almost immediately crashes after exertion, but when I reopen the file most of the time I’ve been successful in removing my stuff.
My other fallback is that I use Arq backup, https://www.arqbackup.com/. It is awesome. It backups up my TBX directory every hour, as well s gives daily and weekly snapshots. So, if I really mess up I can pull from one of my backups (something I do about once a month).
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Once I grokked the power of TInderbox I simply love that it does not try to do things for me but lets me do it for myself. I’ve found that once I scratch a couple of layers deep my personal use cases and work flows quickly defer to standard software logic. I love that Tinderbox lets me align to my personal way o thinking and realign as my thinking evolves.
Tinderbox is elegant in it logical purity, it is very well aligned to how the computer functions, unlike other software that tries to think for you. Tinderbox has helped me unlearn decades of unhelpful thinking, behaviors, patterns, and muscle memory, So very grateful.
That is great! This is the solution I need! thank you!
However, the data security is still worrying. I have deleted things by mistake several times and can’t find them back
Yes, I understand. On the surface this can be quite concerning, however, as discussed above there are ways to compensate for this concern. I find quantifying the concern helps. I’ve reflected on exactly how often this really happens. Every day multiple times? Every once in a while, e.g. once a week or so? I find that inadvertently deleting happens less often that I really think, at leas for me, especially as I become more aware.
Anway, here is my approach for deleting:
Conscious Deleting
- Just delete, I know I want it gone
- Trash Can, move stuff to a track can, manually or with action code
Inadvertent Deleting
Here are some options.
- Using CMD+Z (undo) with minutes to undo deletes, I’ve not quantified it but I find I can go back quite a few steps
- Use RevertTo, this reverts to an internal backup or last saved. Pretty reliable.
- Maintain a Timemachine or Arq backup, this AWESOME, worst case I lose an hour of changes, but this rarely happens as the first step above address any changes within the last hour, if after an hour I have 100% recovery with Arq.
What I’ve found is I’ve become less reliant on software and more reliant on myself. What I mean but that I pick the tools for the job I need done and understand what these tools actually do for me, rather than expecting them to do something for me. Learning this self-reliance has taken time, but over time the background noise has subsided and I’m much more confident in what is happening and what I’m doing.
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This is a strange design
There are many trash cans in the city
Trash bin is standard for all applications
Why is it designed like this?
A quick look at some common desktop applications that writers and researchers often use:
Scrivener has a trash
Word doesn’t
In Design doesn’t
Twine doesn’t
BBEdit doesn’t
Pages doesn’t
Notes doesn’t
Xcode doesn’t
Coda doesn’t
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Mellel, Nisus Writer Pro, OmniOutliner, OmniGraffle, Marked 2, TestEdit, also all no trash (and loads more I didn’t check)
DEVONthink does have trash, but it is the sort of app where that exception to the norm makes sense owing to the type of task.
If I had to hazard a guess, as to why Scrivener has in-app’s trash, it is less to to with the type of task as it is with its user base which includes a lot of people who are write Rbut aren’t particularly interested in or skilled with computers (not do they need to be—it’s an app specifically for writers after all). Such a type of user is more predictably likely to have mistaken deletion issues and so the extra afforrdance of in-app trash makes more sense.
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