Clear Recent Project items from Start Page

[Maarten van Stam [MVP VSTO]]

I posted a feedback item in Microsoft Connect:
https://connect.microsoft.com/VisualStudio/feedback/ViewFeedback.aspx?FeedbackID=277761

Please have a look at this, as I think it is a relative small feature
request that could be easily solved but was rejected all the time in the VS
2005 cycle. I just hate doing demo's with all the Recent Project garbage in
my face :-(

If you agree (or don't agree) please submit your vote on this feature
request!

---------------- here is the feedback, feature request ------------------
https://connect.microsoft.com/VisualStudio/feedback/ViewFeedback.aspx?FeedbackID=277761
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A feature that was often requested, and rejected every time in the Visual
Studio 2005 development cycle:
Add an option to:
- Clear the MRU Project List on the Start page
- Delete single project entries from the MRU Project List on the Start page
- Define how many recent projects to be visible on the MRU Project List on
the Start page

If you just do a little Googling -oops- I mean Live Search ... you will
notice this is a hot feature request and was promised to get fixed for the
'next' version.

Please do not close this feature request 'as duplicate' as I will try to get
you a solid voting number on this feature. If I'm right you will get a lot
of votes for this feature....

BTW, all duplicates are concerning VS 2005, this is the first Orcas feature
request.

 

[Ignacio Machin \( .NET/ C# MVP \)]

Hi,

A feature that was often requested, and rejected every time in the Visual
Studio 2005 development cycle:
Add an option to:
- Clear the MRU Project List on the Start page
- Delete single project entries from the MRU Project List on the Start
page
- Define how many recent projects to be visible on the MRU Project List on
the Start page

I was under the impression that you could determine how many items to see in
the MRU list

I will vote to include all the above features thogh/

 

[Maarten van Stam [MVP VSTO]]

There is an option to set the MRU file list count but in there
- zero items is no option
- and you can't make a selection

-= Maarten=-
MVP - Visual Developer - VSTO
http://blogs.officezealot.com/maarten

 

[Jon Davis]

No feature request is needed.

1. Open Notepad.
2. Paste:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\VisualStudio\8.0\ProjectMRUList]

3. Save as "clear_vsprojmru.reg".
4. Add a shortcut to this file to your Quick Launch toolbar or Start Menu.

Jon

 

[Maarten van Stam [MVP VSTO]]

Obviously you haven't been reading the feature request as by doing this your
way:
- You are messing with the registry, error prone
- You remove the complete list
- You can't delete single project entries from the MRU Project List (other
than going in manually and delete single entries)
- You can't define how many recent projects to be visible on the MRU Project
List

BTW, Your solution is not working for Visual Studio Orcas as this is 9.0 not
8.0, that's Visual Studio 2005.

For VS 2005 there is this other addin avialable to do the job.
http://www.csharper.net/blog/mru_cleaner_v1_0_0_5___now_serving_your_file_cleaning_needs.aspx
This addin is what should be in there out of the box. I tested it for Orcas,
didn't work (yet). Most likely due to the 9.0 difference.

So the questions is not -can- you remove the items, but do you -want- to get
into the registry every time you have to remove entries from you recent
project list.

I agree with you that it is no huge feature request, but that's basically
why I want it in there out of the box! It is such a small feature to be
added without too much effort.

So... Everybody, get the votes in (even when you don't agree)
https://connect.microsoft.com/VisualStudio/feedback/ViewFeedback.aspx?FeedbackID=277761

Thanks for your response, it's good to hear all sides!

-= Maarten =-

 

[Jon Davis]

Obviously you haven't been reading the feature request as by doing this
your way:
- You are messing with the registry, error prone

This is a huge pet peeve of mine: the registry is there for advanced users
and developers to USE, for god's sake, quit repeating this oft-misunderstood
diatribe. Why do you think PowerShell treats the Registry like a file
system? Regarding "error prone": That key is exactly where the items are
stored in VS2005; for Orcas, look it up. Regarding system stability (the
real source of controversy), the rule of thumb is: edit the registry on an
occasional basis for Windows apps only (i.e. not on services and not
repeatedly over a short timespan) and try to stay out of system keys.

Were Microsoft to add the features you asked for, they would simply edit the
registry all the same.

- You remove the complete list

You asked for it. It was on your list and a key issue you said you had when
you were doing demos.

- You can't delete single project entries from the MRU Project List (other
than going in manually and delete single entries)

You're a developer; create a Windows Forms app to show a list of key values
in a list and tick them off. Maybe Microsoft didn't add this feature because
it's so simple to throw together in 5 minutes--what a great introduction to
Visual Studio for newbies.

- You can't define how many recent projects to be visible on the MRU
Project List

The "# of recently used items" feature is already in the Options dialog.

BTW, Your solution is not working for Visual Studio Orcas as this is 9.0
not 8.0, that's Visual Studio 2005.

So change the key path. I was only demonstrating the use of thoughtpower.

Jon

 

[Maarten van Stam [MVP VSTO]]

Well you've been served, the suggestion
(https://connect.microsoft.com/feedback/viewfeedback.aspx?FeedbackID=277761)
has been killed: Status Resolved (Won't Fix)

Same response as three years ago (for Whidbey):

Quote:
Thanks for reporting this suggestion. Unfortunately, we will not have
time to address this in upcoming release (code name Orcas). However, we
will consider this for a future release.
End Quote

Everybody who voted, thanks.

-= Maarten=-
MVP - Visual Developer - VSTO
http://blogs.officezealot.com/maarten

 

[Jon Davis]

For the record, I did try to go there to vote (positively) before I posted,
but it was already closed.

Now it seems it's been deleted (?) ...

Jon

 

[Maarten van Stam [MVP VSTO]]

Weird, I get the same error when I click the link in the last mail, but when
I copy and paste this it appears as it should.
https://connect.microsoft.com/VisualStudio/feedback/ViewFeedback.aspx?FeedbackID=277761

For the record, I did try to go there to vote (positively) before I
posted, but it was already closed.

That's why I requested to leave the option open for some time longer to get
a solid vote count but they closed it anyway :-(

Anyway, I offered Bobby to test his tool he created for Orcas so the feature
that should have been in the product will be available soon at:
http://www.csharper.net/blog/mru_cleaner_v1_0_0_5___now_serving_your_file_cleaning_needs.aspx

-= Maarten=-
MVP - Visual Developer - VSTO
http://blogs.officezealot.com/maarten