Regularly wipe message history on OS X at configurable intervals — Uses applescript to completley remove conversations from app

chatwipe

#!/bin/bash

# removes various files related to stored iChat/Messages data on disk
# ran through launchd. relies on compiled applescript to fully remove all conversation traces

# will not run if the system is in use, unless the system has been idle for the amount of minutes below

TIMEOUT=15

## start ##
IDLE=$(echo $((`ioreg -c IOHIDSystem | sed -e '/HIDIdleTime/ !{ d' -e 't' -e '}' -e 's/.* = //g' -e 'q'` / 1000000000)))
SECONDS=$(($TIMEOUT * 60))

if [[ $SECONDS -gt $IDLE ]]; then
	echo "skipping. idle for "$IDLE"s, timeout "$SECONDS"s"
	exit
fi

killall -9 "Messages"

sleep 0.5

open "$HOME/Applications/Chatwipe.app" --wait-apps
rm -Rf "$HOME/Library/Messages/"
rm -Rf "$HOME/Library/Containers/com.apple.iChat/"
rm -f "$HOME/Library/Containers/com.apple.corerecents.recentsd/Data/Library/SyncedPreferences/recentsd-com.apple.messages.recents.plist"
rm -f "$HOME/Library/SyncedPreferences/recentsd-com.apple.messages.recents.plist"
find /var/folders -d -iname "com.apple.iChat" -exec rm -Rf {} \;

chatwipe.applescript

-- Save as an app via Script Editor, then add to the 'Accessibility' list in Security & Privacy

property currentFocus : ""
property buddyCount : 100

on focus()
	tell application "System Events" to tell application process currentFocus to set frontmost to true
end focus

tell application "System Events"
	set currentFocus to name of first application process whose frontmost is true -- store currently focused app name
	
	tell application "Messages"
		activate -- open the app
		
		my focus() -- bring our original window to front
		
		set buddyCount to (count of buddies) -- set our buddy count here, as we can't access it in the 'process' block
	end tell
	
	tell process "Messages"
		set position of window 1 to {2048, 2048} -- move messages out the way
		
		repeat buddyCount times
			set frontmost to true -- set messages to front
			click menu item "Delete Conversation" of menu 1 of menu bar item "File" of menu bar 1
			my focus() -- bring our original window to front
			
			delay 0.2
		end repeat
	end tell
	
	tell application "Messages" to quit -- quit after removal
end tell

local.stnvh.chatwipe.plist

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
	<key>Label</key>
	<string>local.stnvh.chatwipe</string>
	<key>ProgramArguments</key>
	<array>
		<string>/bin/sh</string>
		<string>-c</string>
		<string>~/bin/chatwipe</string>
	</array>
	<key>StartInterval</key>
	<integer>300</integer>
	<key>RunAtLoad</key>
	<true/>
</dict>
</plist>