Recent files list

[Trevor:]

Hi all,

I highly doubt that this can be done but....

Any chance of creating and saving a file without it being added to the recent files list.

Trevor

[Peter Kahrel]

Maybe temporarily disable the recent file list in the preferences (app.generalPreferences.openRecentLength = ).

Peter

[Trevor:]

Nice thought Peter, but I tried setting it to 0 and then back to 10 after saving the file. The list is now empty, I don't know if it would be possible to  store the documents on the list and reopen (hidden) them and then close them to rebuild the list but I defiantly would not want to do that.

The script I am writing creates tens of documents which will wipe the recent file list.

I have come up with a partial solution of saving them all with the same name and renaming each file after it's creation so it only enters 1 entry in the list.

I don't think I can get around that.  Incrementing the list length is not an option.

Thanks for your input.

Trevor

[Guest]

Would it be possible to find all of the InDesign shortcuts from the Recent Items folder and save them to a temp folder somewhere? Then restore them when your script is finished making the new docs.

Might run into some kind of folder access issue, I just don't know.

[Trevor:]

Hi Robert

I'm not to sure what you mean there.

As I hinted in the first paragraph of 2 above restoring the list by opening them and closing them I think is dangerous.

And I don't think one can add to the recent list by adding menu items to it.

To be honest I don't even think one can access the list at all.  I have made a list of all menu items and the entries are not on it.

I'd be very suprised to be able to solve this one.

Thanks

Trevor

[Guest]

I'm by no means an expert in these matters, but what I was trying to say is in Windows 7:

var recentItemsFolder = Folder("~/AppData/Roaming/Microsoft/Windows/Recent");

var recentItemsArray = recentItemsFolder.getFiles();

Produces a list of all the items that appear in the Recent Documents lists of the applications that need it. Each item appears to be an alias. Some of them have names ending with ".indd."

So if I had to do what you are trying to do, I might:

1) move all of the .indd items to a temporary folder. Maybe .indl and .indt, too.

2) set app.generalPreferences.openRecentLength to zero

3) run the script that makes the new documents

4) restore app.generalPreferences.openRecentLength to what it was at step 2

5) move the ".indd" aliases back to the RecentItems folder

Never done it. Don't know how dangerous it might be. But it's crazy enough that it just might work.

[Trevor:]

Here's a few reasons not to do that.

1) There could be some very long files there (up to 30 of them) and it could take a long time to open them

2) Some of them could be corrupt and crash the application (won't make the user's day 😉

3) Could be from a different version of ID, I have cs5, cs6 and cc on my system I could end up with the cs5 list on my cc version and might have converted them in the process (oops a few law suites there), This is likely to be more of a common problem with cc as people will update more frequently.

4) As above, could cs5 opening and failing to open cc documents.

Those are some of the dangers.

Too much for me

Either way thanks for the thought.

Trevor

[Trevor:]

The above said. You have given me the idea of finding the application recent files list file.

My guess is that some where in the application folder is a recent files xml file which could be backed up before running the script and then replace the new one with the old one . That way should be pretty safe.

I've know idea where (and if) such a file is so I'll resort to desperate measure.

ANNOUNCEMENT:

The Grand Forum Challenge Of The Decade.

Find the above mentioned xml or whatever file.

1st Prize: Fame , glory , appreciation and $2.00 paid (via paypal) within 1 working day for the 1st person to post the file location.

TIA

Trevor

P.s. Please take note of the dot between the 2 and the 0 in the prize money.

[Guest]

OK, whatever.

But I never suggested that any files be opened. Just move some aliases from one folder to another. Then do the same thing in reverse.

But good luck with finding the xml.

[myDavey]

Hi Trevor

There is an XML (plist) file, however it is not limited to InDesign

Also, it doesnt seem like editing it makes any difference

But, I guess I can leave it to you to try it out.

On mac, the file path is:

~/Library/Preferences/com.adobe.mediabrowser.plist

There is an InDesign tag in the file

Each time a file is changed, the date tag of that file listing gets updated.

Good Luck!

[Marc Autret]

…and on Windows recent files are managed under the following Registry key:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Adobe\MediaBrowser\MRU\indesign\FileList

@+

Marc

[Trevor:]

Thanks myDavey and Marc

You can both claim your $2 prize by sending me a PM with you paypal mails (I'm feeling generous so I won't split the prize money )

The big question would be what next?

The Mac file is at least a normalish file which could be edited but I don't know how.  I don't know how you tried changing it.  On my system I have entries like this:

So it looks a bit complicated to know how to deal with that.

The Windows file C:\Windows\System32\config\systemprofile\ntuser.dat is going to be even more tough to deal with and possibly trigger of alerts from anti virus software not to mention the possibility of messing up the users registry which could leave him a little agravated to say the least.

One would also have to sort out which recent files belong to which indesign version.

Edit

I changed the file name using regedit and it didn't change the recent files list.

I think I'll just try keep my file entries to 2 by using the rename method but if either of you or anyone else can come up with a method that works on both Mac and Windows then I'd be happy to move the decimal point one place to the right (offer stands for one month).

Don't put too much time into it.

Thanks again

Trevor