Recent documents menu is always empty

[Pam]

I noticed that the My Recent Documents menu contained only
documents that I opened last week, so I cleared the list
from the Properties dialog of the Start menu. Now the list
is always empty. Any suggestions about how I can get
recently opened documents to display in the list? Thanks.

 

[Carrie Garth]

| "Pam" <[email protected]>
| wrote in message | I noticed that the My Recent Documents menu contained only
| documents that I opened last week, so I cleared the list
| from the Properties dialog of the Start menu. Now the list
| is always empty. Any suggestions about how I can get
| recently opened documents to display in the list? Thanks.

Make certain that the "Show your most recently used documents on
the Start menu" setting is enabled. For more information search
the Windows XP Help and Support Center for the phrase in
double-quotes (with the quotes) and read the Full-text Search
Match by that title.

And if the setting is already enabled, try clicking to clear the
"List my most recently opened documents" check box. Then
clicking the OK, and Apply button. Then go back and enable the
setting as outlined in the Help topic.

 

[Pam]

Hi, Carrie --

I've tried that, and even tried rebooting, but it doesn't
help. The My Recent Documents item does display on the
Start menu, but the list continues to be empty. Thanks anyway!

Any other suggestions?

Pam

 

[Carrie Garth]

||| "Pam" <[email protected]>
||| wrote in message ||| <SNIP> My Recent Documents menu <SNIP> is always empty.
||| <SNIP>

|| "Carrie Garth" <[email protected]>
|| wrote in message || Make certain that the "Show your most recently used documents
|| on the Start menu" setting is enabled. <SNIP>

| "Pam" <[email protected]>
| wrote in message | I've tried that, and even tried rebooting, but it doesn't
| help. The My Recent Documents item does display on the
| Start menu, but the list continues to be empty. Thanks anyway!
|
| Any other suggestions?

If your computer is a member of a corporate network I suggest
that you discuss this issue with your Systems Administrator. If
this is your home computer, a Windows XP Professional stand-alone
computer that you administer, then:

Run the Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc), locate the following
policy and set it to "Not Configured":

Local Computer Policy\User Configuration\Administrative
Templates\Start Menu and Taskbar:
Remove Documents menu from Start Menu

NOTE: If the policy is already set to "Not Configured" try
toggling the setting. That is, click to select Disabled, then
click the Apply button. Then click to select "Not Configured"
and then click the Apply button.

Keep in mind that for a Windows XP Professional stand-alone
computer, only one local Group Policy object exists. As such,
every policy set using the Group Policy console will effect every
user of the computer, including the built-in Administrator.

For more information about Group Policies and a Windows XP
Professional stand-alone computer search the Windows XP
Professional Help and Support Center for "Client operating
systems" (with the quotes) and read the "Note" in the Full-text
Search Match by that title.

And if you have any more question about Group Policy you will
find the experts in the following newsgroup:

Windows: Group Policy
microsoft.public.windows.group_policy

The following page has links you can click to access the
newsgroup with your Web browser, or with a Network News Transfer
Protocol (NNTP)-based newsreader such as Outlook Express.

Microsoft Windows Server 2003
Management Technologies Newsgroups
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/community/newsgroups/management/default.mspx

And here are some links to some documentation about
Registry-Based Group Policy:

Microsoft Windows XP - Resources about Group Policy and related
technologies
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/gpe_resources.mspx

Group Policy Settings Reference for Windows Server 2003
(PolicySettings.xls)
http://microsoft.com/downloads/deta...2F-DA15-438D-8E48-45915CD2BC14&displaylang=en

PolicySettings.xls is a detailed spreadsheet that lists the full
set of Group Policy settings described in Administrative Template
(.adm) files. Fields included in the spreadsheet are: *.adm
File, Computer/User Node, Policy Path, Full Policy Name,
Supported on, Help/Explain Text, Registry Settings. For anyone
interested in Registry-Based Group Policy, I highly recommend
downloading PolicySettings.xls

 

[Carrie Garth]

||| "Pam" <[email protected]>
||| wrote in message ||| <SNIP> My Recent Documents menu <SNIP> is always empty.
||| <SNIP>

|| "Carrie Garth" <[email protected]>
|| wrote in message || Make certain that the "Show your most recently used documents
|| on the Start menu" setting is enabled. <SNIP>

| "Pam" <[email protected]>
| wrote in message | I've tried that, and even tried rebooting, but it doesn't
| help. The My Recent Documents item does display on the
| Start menu, but the list continues to be empty. Thanks anyway!
|
| Any other suggestions?


| "Carrie Garth" <[email protected]>
| wrote in message | <SNIP>
| Local Computer Policy\User Configuration\Administrative
| Templates\Start Menu and Taskbar:
| Remove Documents menu from Start Menu <SNIP>

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

----- Begin Original Message -----
From: "Ramesh [MVP]" <[email protected]@mvps.org>
Newsgroups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.configuration_manage
Sent: Monday, August 02, 2004 10:43 PM
Subject: Re: My recent documents is empty
Message ID:
<SNIP>

You may also TweakUI to enable/disable this feature.

--
Ramesh, Microsoft MVP
Windows XP Shell/User
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k

----- End Original Message -----

 

[Guest]

Your suggestions worked. I used TweakUI to disable this
feature, and then set to Not Configured as you suggested,
and my Recent Documents item now displays a list. Thanks!

 

[deepkent]

I am having the same problem - My Recent Documents suddenly stoppe
updating itself, and I emptied it. Now it doesn't show anything, eve
after I have opened a few documents. I have not selected "Clear recen
documents on reboot", and anyway, this is happening without rebooting.
I have trawled through TweakUI, as advised, and can find nothing abou
Recent Documents there. Can you tell me where to find this provisio
in TweakUI?

Thank

 

[Wesley Vogel]

Start Menu Most Frequently Used programs (MFU) list is empty
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/startmfu.htm

Using TweakUI

TweakUI
[+] Explorer

Allow Recent Documents on Start menu
[[This check box enables the display of “Documents” on the classic start
menu and enables the “List my most recently opened documents” checkbox on
the Start menu customization dialog.]]

Clear document history on exit
[[This check box will control whether Explorer will clear the recent
documents history, run dialog history and typed-URL history when
you log off]]

Maintain document history
[[This enables the tracking of recently opened documents on the Start menu
and on the file menu of many applications. (Note that some applications do
not respect this setting). ]]

Registry settings for TweakUI tweaks:

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
Value Name: NoRecentDocsMenu
Value Type: REG_DWORD
Value Data: 0 or 1
0 = Yes, allow recent docs
1 = No, do not allow recent docs

Value Name: ClearRecentDocsOnExit
Value Type: REG_DWORD
Value Data: 0 or 1
0 = No don't clear
1 = Yes clear them

Value Name: NoRecentDocsHistory
Value Type: REG_DWORD
Value Data: 0 or 1
0 = Yes history
1 = No history
------

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

 

[deepkent]

Yes, the Registry tweak seems to have done it, Wes - thank you! I
couldn't use Tweak UI as you suggested, because I could find nothing
under IE that related to the problem. I then realised I did not have
the up-to-date version. So I downloaded the latest version of Tweak
UI, and unzipped it, but when I click on tweakui.inf, all I get is a
Notepad file beginning "; Author: Win95 Shell Team", not an installer.

I also tried clicking on tweakui.cpl, and received the message "Tweak
UI should be run from the Control Panel. Would you like to install it
now?" I chose Yes, and nothing happened. It's not in the Control
Panel. (By the way, nor was my earlier version.) Just as a side
issue, I'd be grateful if you can tell me what I'm doing wrong in
trying to install Tweak UI.

But thanks for the Recent Docs help - I'm very grateful.

 

[Wesley Vogel]

[[New versions will not install, or will not install correctly, unless you
completely uninstall the earlier version first.]]

Go to Add or Remove Programs in the Control Panel and uninstall anything
listed as TweakUI. Then reboot. Then do a Search for TweakUI.exe on your
machine and delete any that you find. Do the same for tweakui.cpl.
tweakui.cpl is from an old version.

Download TweakUI here...

Microsoft PowerToys for Windows XP
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/downloads/powertoys.asp

Tweak UI
This PowerToy gives you access to system settings that are not
exposed in the Windows XP default user interface, including
mouse settings, Explorer settings, taskbar settings, and more.

Version 2.10 requires Windows XP Service Pack 1 or above or Windows
Server 2003.

Scroll down the right hand side and look for...
Tweak UI
TweakUI.exe

TweakUiPowertoySetup.exe is what you get.

If you have Windows XP without any Service Packs, download Version 2.00.
http://download.microsoft.com/download/whistler/Install/2/WXP/EN-US/TweakUiPowertoySetup.exe

-----

Some good info here...

Tweak UI for Windows XP Guide
http://www.winxpsolution.com/Tweakuixppro.aspx

TweakUI for Windows XP - Tips
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/twktips.htm

TweakUI PowerTips
http://weblogs.asp.net/jkey/archive/2003/08/01/22303.aspx

TweakUI Registry Settings here...

Microsoft® Windows® XP Registry Guide
Chapter 5: Mapping Tweak UI
http://www.microsoft.com/mspress/books/sampchap/6232.asp

All of Ch 5 is included!!
-----

You can also add TweakUI to the Control Panel with
xp_AddTweakUItoControlPanel.vbs from
here...
1. Add XP TweakUI Icon to the Control Panel
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

 

[deepkent]

I don't have any service packs, so I did as you suggest here:

If you have Windows XP without any Service Packs, download Version
2.00.
http://download.microsoft.com/download/whistler/Install/2/WXP/EN-US/TweakUiPowertoySetup.exe

I also used the Kelly's Korner script, and it is now in the Control
Panel. However, I can still find nothing about Recent Docs in TweakUI
- the attached screenshot shows what I see when I click on the IE
branch.

Thanks for your trouble.


+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
|Filename: Tweak IE.jpg |
|Download: http://www.pcbanter.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=2908 |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+

 

[Wesley Vogel]

Wrong place.

Open TweakUI. Then go down to...

[+] About
[+] General
[+] Mouse
[+] Explorer <==== Here. Click on Explorer.

In the Settings window, move the slider to see...
 Allow Recent Documents on Start menu (Check the box)
 Clear document history on exit (UNCheck the box)
 Maintain document history (Check the box)

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

 

[deepkent]

Thank you yet again! My apologies for being so dumb.

 

[Wesley Vogel]

You're welcome. Keep having fun. ;-)

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In