Import MRU list from portable version?

[Paultx]

I decided to install LO 64-bit and delete the portable 32-bit version I’ve been using for months. But I need to keep the MRU list so I can quickly access the files I’ve been working on during that time.

Is there a way I can import the MRU list from the portable version? TIA.

Version: 7.2.1.2 (x64) / LibreOffice Community
Build ID: 87b77fad49947c1441b67c559c339af8f3517e22
CPU threads: 8; OS: Windows 10.0 Build 19043; UI render: Skia/Raster; VCL: win
Locale: pt-BR (pt_BR); UI: pt-BR
Calc: threaded

[ajlittoz]

MRU = most recently used?

[Paultx]

Yes! Check the portable version screenshots. There are 22 files I’ve been and I’m working on for some weeks now.
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[LeroyG]

As a workaround, in Windows 10.0 (and Windows 6.1, known as 7), you can find your recent files in the following directory:¹
C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Recent (replace username accordingly)

Just sort them by date, then open and close each one of the ODF files, starting with the last one.

¹ Also in C:\Users\username\Reciente (may vary with UI language, this sample is for Spanish).

[KamilLanda]

Look here:

Export of recently used files list?

I recently had to do a complete OS reinstall and have lost my extensive list of recently used files from Libre Office? Is it possible to backup these up so they are available in a similar situation in future?

Export of recently used files list?

The recent files list is in the registrymodifications.xcu file. On my Linux machine with LibreOffice 5, this file is in ~/.config/libreoffice/4/user/. (The “4” subdir may be a leftover from my previous LO version?). On Windows, I would expect that file to be somewhere under %APPDATA% (usually C:\Users\YourUserName\Appdata\Roaming). The best is probably to copy the whole libreoffice directory to the new install.

[Paultx]

I moved the registrymodifications.xcu file from the portable version folder to the correspondent folder of the installed version, opened the latter and the MRU showed all the 22 files, just like I wanted.

I started to open some of the files and at first they opened fast, but then got slow and Writer froze. I reversed the operation.

[KamilLanda]

You can try to edit the file registrymodifications.xcu manually - and find the line with the word histories. I used the PSPad editor (www.pspad.com) for it:

Select the Histories lines and copy/paste it to the 64bit registrymodifications.xcu.

[ajlittoz]

Since the Recent Documents list is in registrymodifications.xcu, I would rather be extremely cautious about copying the file.

This file is an internal file for LO with which users are not expected to interfere. From what I saw, there is binary data in it. If your change from Portable to “standard” version spans a “significant” number of releases (and I think going from 32-bit to 64-bit can be qualified as “significant”), I’d fear to break system settings fixed during installation.

I don’t know how you are organised in your work (you didn’t describe it). Relying on the recent files list, which is limited in length, is not a good method. Instead, I suggest you group by themes your files in one or several directories (folders). Open your files by double-clicking on their icons.

This is safer and more reliable than the recent files list because this list is not updated when you move, rename or delete the files. In addition, when you overflow the list, older entries are replaced without consideration for their “human” importance.

[Paultx]

@ajlittoz

I don’t know how you are organised in your work (you didn’t describe it). Relying on the recent files list, which is limited in length, is not a good method. Instead, I suggest you group by themes your files in one or several directories (folders). Open your files by double-clicking on their icons.

Thanks, ajlittoz. I am a very experienced Windows user (since 3.1) and I organize my files in proper folders. In this case, these are files from a client and their clients, that is, I have a folder named Jobs with a subfolder with the name of this client under which there is a subfolder for each of their clients.

I just wanted to know if there was a way to speed up things. It’s not exactly laziness, I just find it boring to open files one by one from different folders, even if they’re easy to find.

When I thought of such a solution, I had in mind that import/export favorites function that browsers have. I wondered if there could be something like that for MRU stuff.

Anyway, your answers gave me some clues and now I can say I know LO (at least Writer) a bit more.

Thanks again, y’all!

[EarnestAl]

Isn’t it easier and safer to use File Explorer to create a higher level folder, then copy a selection of files and Paste as shortcut, continue until you have permanent shortcuts to all the files you are working on for that client?

[Paultx]

@EarnestAl

Isn’t it easier and safer to use File Explorer to create a higher level folder…

My question was not about using Windows or File Explorer ways to organize and access files, I know a lot about it, believe me.

The point was if or not it is possible to import (or export) the Writer’s MRU list, and other people here showed it’s possible, though it can be tricky and may not work perfectly.

Anyway, thanks for your attention.

[EarnestAl]

@Paultx

I need to keep the MRU list so I can quickly access the files I’ve been working on during that time.

I was addressing the stated goal, rather then the specific question. A workflow that relies on something as ephemeral as a recently used list will fail at some point.
You may have a different level of knowledge and unstated goal, but someone else reading this looking to quickly access files for a project would be well advised not to start hacking the registrymodifications.xcu file