I use Excel 2007. When I click the Orb in the upper left corner, I should see a list of recent documents I've worked on especially if I've clicked on the push pin as article http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/ex...010075984.aspx explains. In the past I would also adjust how many files can be displayed and I would usually change this to be 9 (I think the default was 4).



But what happens is the file list goes away. It even happen on the same day (and I might have had 3 files there).

Why is this happening and what setting can I look at to ensure these files stay there?

Thanks!

Hi,
Just for reference: in Excel 2007 the number of recent documents can be customised in Orb button > advanced > display section > show this number of recent documents.
I don't think this has anything to do with Excel. The recent documents is a jump list stored in your Office recent documents folder. Do you have a piece of software which is cleaning out that folder?

Colin,
Thanks for the setting. I think at one time I had it at 17 (since I think in previous versions you couldn't go above 9).

I do use a program called CCleaner occasionally but don't remove Recent Documents as I don't ever want that cleared. Thanks for confirming I didn't miss anything in Excel.

I will keep watch in case some other 3rd party program is trying to do me any favors.

Can you tell me what the location of that folder is supposed to be? Presently the lnk files do exist here:

• C:\users\username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Office \Recent
• C:\users\username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Window s\Recent

(ignore the extra spacing in the above paths)

Thanks.

I use CCleaner too (it's fantastic!) and it can definitely be responsible for this. You could give it a try - get a couple of recent documents remembered and then run CCleaner to see if it clears them out. Any other cleaning software would also be a potential culprit.


To get the recent documents folder location you can

• click on the Orb > Open
• choose My Recent Documents on the left
• then at the top there's a drop down box which should say "Recent". If you click on that it should expand and it will show you the full path.

On my PC it's under C:\Documents and Settings\Colin\Application Data\Microsoft\Office\Recent

Colin,

I don't see the Recent Documents folder just Places. Wonder if it has to do with the version of Office or the OS?



What do you think?

I'm gonna keep my eye on CCleaner when I use it.

Thanks.

Yeah, the filepath I gave earlier is for Win XP. I don't know where it is in Vista.

However, I just tested on my other PC (using XL 2010 on Windows 7) and CCleaner did wipe the recent workbooks section. Here are the screenshots to prove it...

Attached Images

	Before.png (57.1 KB, 13 views)
	During.png (21.6 KB, 15 views)
	After.png (47.0 KB, 13 views)

So, after a bit of playing around I think I've found the setting to prevent CCleaner from cleaning out your recent workbooks. Open up CCleaner, go to the Application tab and then untick the Office 2003-10 checkboxes. Note that unticking the Recent Documents checkbox on the Windows tab will not stop CCleaner from cleaning out the recent workbooks.

Attached Images

Untitled.png (6.4 KB, 27 views)

Bing! Bing! Bing! Bing! Bing! Bing!

CCleanerOffice2007.jpg

I have removed this 'hidden' setting.

Appreciate your finding it.

I hope I can return the favor or at least pay it forward.

As an aside ...

Your thumbnails were created how?

thumbnails.jpg

I use http://imageshack.us/ when forum doesn't offer something.

No magic there - I just attached them as PNG files to the post.

I'll have to try that next time.

Thanks for all your help!