HOW-TO: Enable and Disable the Recently Used Menu in Gnome

[audax321]

To disable the recent documents menu in Gnome:

- Open '/home/username/.recently-used' in gedit:

gedit /home/username/.recently-used

- Empty the contents of the file, save, and exit.

- Make the file read-only:

chmod 400 /home/username/.recently-used

To re-enable the recent documents menu in Gnome:

- Make the file readable and writeable by the owner:

chmod 600 /home/username/.recently-used

AN EASIER ALTERNATIVE TO THE ABOVE!!!
Use the script below by adding it to the nautilus script menu:

- Open a blank text document and copy/paste the following:

#!/bin/sh

# Enable/Disable Recent Documents Menu in Gnome

if [ ! -f "$HOME/.recently-used" ]; then
	echo "" > "$HOME/.recently-used"
	chmod 600 "$HOME/.recently-used"
fi

if [ -w "$HOME/.recently-used" ]; then
	echo "" > "$HOME/.recently-used"
	chmod 400 "$HOME/.recently-used"
	if [ "$?" = "0" ]; then
		zenity --title="Disabled" --info --text="The 'Recent Documents' menu item has been disabled."
	else
		zenity --title="Error" --error --text="There was an error disabling the 'Recent Documents' menu."
	fi
elif [ -f "$HOME/.recently-used" ]; then
	chmod 600 "$HOME/.recently-used"
	if [ "$?" = "0" ]; then
		zenity --title="Enabled" --info --text="The 'Recent Documents' menu item has been enabled."
	else
		zenity --title="Error" --error --text="There was an error enabling the 'Recent Documents' menu."
	fi
else
	zenity --title="Error" --error --text="It appears the file '$HOME/.recently-used' does not exist and could not be created."
fi

- Save the file and exit.

- Set the proper permissions:

chmod 755 /path/to/saved/file

- Copy the file to the nautilus script directory located at:

/home/username/.gnome2/nautilus-scripts

[stfu]

How about in Edgy?

/home/user/.recently-used.xbel pops up and resurrects no matter what you do.

[phoqueyoo]

Yeah, this doesn't work in edgy. I REALLY want to get rid of this so if anyone has found a way, post it.

[stfu]

anyone?

[cariboũ]

$ rm .recently-used.xbel
$ mkdir .recently-used.xbel

this works, but you'll get gtk-warnings in console..

[dolphinsonar]

$ rm .recently-used.xbel
$ mkdir .recently-used.xbel

this works, but you'll get gtk-warnings in console..

Thanks for that, I haven't seen this solution anywhere else. This is a good way to disable the recent documents menu in edgy.

[microsafe17]

$ rm .recently-used.xbel
$ mkdir .recently-used.xbel

this works, but you'll get gtk-warnings in console..

It definitely does work, thanks for the great idea.

[dolphinsonar]

Thanks for that, I haven't seen this solution anywhere else. This is a good way to disable the recent documents menu in edgy.

Yeah, still works in Feisty. Just did a clean install, and my Recently Used Documents menu is clean as well. That function is weird. Good riddance.

[toastysquirrel]

It definitely does work, thanks for the great idea.

Question 1) Does this work in Gutsy?
Question 2) Do you still need to edit the .recently-used file?

[Oleq]

It works very well, thanks!