cannot display recently used files

[Guest]

Hi

I can't display the recenlty used files list on the File Menu in Word (or Excel) on my desktop machine. Laptop is fine, both have same copy of 2003 installed. The option to display the files is grayed out, can't select it. Anyone know what I did to cause this

Thanks

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

The usual cause of this is suppressing the MRU list on the Start menu using
TweakUI or a similar utility.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA

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all may benefit.

Hi,

I can't display the recenlty used files list on the File Menu in Word (or

Excel) on my desktop machine. Laptop is fine, both have same copy of 2003
installed. The option to display the files is grayed out, can't select it.
Anyone know what I did to cause this?

 

[Graham Mayor]

Have you been messing with the paranoia settings in TweakUI?

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Graham Mayor - Word MVP

Web site www.gmayor.com
Word MVP web site www.mvps.org/word
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[Graham Mayor]

TweakUI > paranoia > uncheck clear document history.

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<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>>< ><<>
Graham Mayor - Word MVP

Web site www.gmayor.com
Word MVP web site www.mvps.org/word
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[Guest]

I have TweakUI 2.00.1.0 installed, and there is no "Paranoia" option, though "clear document history on exit" exists under Explorer. 1) It isn't checked and 2) Why would an Explorer setting affect Word, etc.?

 

[Graham Mayor]

I have TweakUI 2.00.1.0 installed, and there is no "Paranoia" option,
though "clear document history on exit" exists under Explorer. 1) It
isn't checked and 2) Why would an Explorer setting affect Word, etc.?

There have been several implementations of TweakUI. Mine has this setting
under the paranoia tab.
Explorer controls the way files are handled by the operating system. It
affects everything.

--
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Graham Mayor - Word MVP

Web site www.gmayor.com
Word MVP web site www.mvps.org/word
<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>>< ><<>

 

[Guest]

OK. Well, the version I have wasn't set, and nothing I've done yet has had any effect

Any other ideas? Short of reinstall, that is.

 

[Graham Mayor]

There is no guarantee that a re-install will fix it. Re-installing Word does
not affect the user settings in any useful way. If the cause is attributable
to Word, then renaming normal.dot and deleting the Word data key in the
registry (as shown at http://www.gmayor.com/my_toolbars_are_missing.htm)
will be more effective than reinstalling.
However after some more digging I have come up with the following KB article
from Microsoft

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=284896

Which suggests a few things to try.

--
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Graham Mayor - Word MVP

Web site www.gmayor.com
Word MVP web site www.mvps.org/word
<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>>< ><<>

 

[Guest]

Thanks, Graham. The KB must like you better, because I tried searching and couldn't find anything relevant. I'll give that a try and let you know what happens.

 

[Guest]

I've seen a lot of posts that point to Tweak UI as the problem, but I think it's a bug is some of the Office 2003 apps. In Excel and Word 2003, the "Recently used files" option is greyed out. However, in Project 2003 and Visio 2003, the option is available. So, it's not a global setting that's the problem, unless of course Project and Visio are buggy and not responding to a global setting

Also, the "Recently used files" feature worked fine in Word 2000 and Excel 2000. The problem only appeared when I upgraded.

 

[Jay Freedman]

Hi, Coral Sea,

See http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=301691 for a description of the
specific registry setting affected by TweakUI.

You're correct that -- in general terms -- Project, Visio, and the Office
2000 apps are "buggy". Technically, they aren't in compliance with the
Microsoft Logo Requirements on this issue. While it doesn't say much for
Microsoft's adherence to their own logo program, it's certainly a minor bug
(i.e., it can't cause data loss).

 

[Guest]

Thanks. Before reading your post, I actually played around with the document settings in Tweak UI and now the Recently used files feature works. It's ironic that previous bugs were actually helpful in avoiding a problem. Also, you have to wonder when MS will standardize their apps so they're compliant with MS's own standards.