Why is the program generating a "_private_data.tar" file

[Nikon1]

I've noticed lately that when I rip an ISO file of a movie using Make MKV, there is a "_private_data.tar" file created in the sub directory when the MKV file is placed. What is the purpose of this file and can I block it from being created?

[preserve]

From the UHD section of the forum:

Starting from version 1.12.0 MakeMKV creates a file called _private_data.tar in program data directory. This is not a dump, do not share this file with anyone (this file contains no sensitive information, but nothing in it needs to be shared).

[Woodstock]

Maybe the reason some Mac users see it on their desktop is that they are running from the .dmg file, rather than doing a formal install that would create a program directory?

[mike admin]

MakeMKV uses a so-called "data directory" where it keeps various stuff. Settings are kept there, SVQs are downloaded there, dumps are created there. Over time this folder gets really polluted - so starting with 1.12.0 MakeMKV keeps all of its internal data in a single file. For example all SVQs are now there, various state files are inside this file as well. So now, instead of hundreds of small files your data directory contains only dumps and _private_data.tar .

[Nikon1]

Thank you for all the knowledge. One last question for me - Is it OK to delete this file, as I have been deleting these whenever i see them in my mkv directory and everything seem to be running fine.

Again - Thank You All!

[Woodstock]

Deleting them would mean that MakeMKV starts out as if it were the first time was run, with all of the things Mike mentioned needing to be recreated/downloaded as needed.