Yup, I just checked this out. IE6 really does store a history of all docs opened on the computer.
Friggin Micro$loth!
I’ll have to look into this…
Yup, I just checked this out. IE6 really does store a history of all docs opened on the computer.
Friggin Micro$loth!
I’ll have to look into this…
You might look at this short article and see if it helps. I have not had a chance to try what it recommends.
http://www.pctipsbox.com/disabling-recent-documents-history/
:smack: Just come back to say this is happening in IE6 - forgot I was at work
Yes, my PC also tracks Excel in IE; I suppose IE knows more about what I want to keep track of than I do.
Are you opening it by going to the document using Explorer?
I don’t mean Internet Explorer, I mean, say, My Computer -> C: -> folder -> Document?
I think that’s your deal, being how Explorer and Internet Explorer are linked (which is why you can’t delete Internet Explorer). If you go to My Computer and type “http://www.google.com” into the address bar, you are on the Internet, no longer in My Computer. With IE 7 they seem to have linked it even further with this “recent documents” thing you’re seeing.
Anyway, let’s see if someone can tell you how to open your doc from the command line instead. That would eliminate you having to go through Explorer to open it.
That is my advice - but I don’t know how to tell you to do it
Are you running Vista? If so, you might try the procedure listed on this page:
http://www.pctipsbox.com/security-tips-for-vista-part-2/
…under “C. Recently run applications and documents.”
This seems to be working for me. But it gets rid of the recent documents from the file menu in word so I will probably change things back.
It’s funny, really. When you’re as old as I am, you remember all the clamoring demand for strict compatibility among Windows applications. The Holy Grail was at one time the seamless integration of documents and applications such that Word, Excel, or What-Have-You would be mere wrappers over documents that any arbitrary application could manipulate at will, and the document would be recognized the same by all.
Well, a consequence of docucentrism is that all applications will recognize a document’s history. Can’t have the cake and eat it too, you know. Yeah, I know. You guys didn’t ask for this; it was the old people. But let it get back to Word not knowing what Excel has done, and you’ll be clamoring just like we did, I bet.
You are correct. The real and true solution to the OPs problem is the he and the wife should have separate accounts on the computer. That way he would have his private stuff, and she hers. His doings would not affect her doings etc. But windows has only had decent multi user support for a few years and a lot of software does not play very well in a multi user environment. And almost nobody sets up user accounts on their personal machines.
Some of us do. I would hate to share a desktop with Mrs Marcus, Miss Marcus, and Master Marcus
Actually, this does work.
To get a command prompt, click Start and Run, then type CMD and [ENTER].
In the command window, type the complete path and filename for your document and [ENTER]. Include quotation marks around the whole thing if there are spaces anywhere in the path or filename.
Example:
“c:\Documents and Settings\LouisB\My Documents\myjournal.doc”
You could probably also put this in a batfile and create a shortcut if you didn’t want to type it out each time. I can tell you how to do that if you want.
Alternatively, setting up separate users like gazpacho suggested, would also work very well. We’ve got that setup on our home computer.
Or disable “Recent Documents” in the action bar properties.
Some apps ignore that feature, like QuickTime, for example.
IE is just weird when it comes to browsing histories. Even after deleting my entire history and all cookies, there are two ancient SDMB threads that pop up in the address bar every time I start typing “boards.str…”. I have no idea why they stick around after deleting everything else. (They’re not bookmarked, or anything like that.)
I’m using XP SP2 home Edition, IE6, and Word 2000
I found a clue:
The Browser History has a drop-down box with four options: By Date, By Size, By Most Visited, By Order Visited Today
If I choose any of the first three, I only see the websites that I have gone to. But if I choose the last one (By Order Visited Today) then it shows me, in sequence (from most recent at the top, to the beginning of the day at bottom) every website I’ve gone to, and every file I’ve opened - regardless of application. This includes Word docs in Word, text files in Notepad, and some JPGs that I don’t remember how I opened them.
Ditto what Liberal said about “docucentrism”. I don’t mind this “feature” much, but IE is a stupid place to put it. “My Computer” sounds much more appropriate.
Nope. Here’s the steps I took: Start > Open Office Document > navigated to the folder I keep Word docs in > opened one > closed it > Alt-Tabbed to IE > clicked the Favorites star icon > clicked the History button > clicked Today. Nothing but URLs.
I have in the past created separate accounts for my darling Marcie and me; she gets bored switching from one to the other and just uses mine. Otherwise, its a good idea. I will try a few of the suggestions offered here and I thank everyone for them. I expect, though, that I will simply have to remember to manually clear the damn thing OR break out one of my old computers and use it as a word processor; probably more trouble doing that, though. OR I could just save it to a floppy and have done with it.
Anyway, thanks for all the responses and if any of the suggestions work, I’ll let you know: This doesn’t mean that I don’t want more suggestions; if anyone has one, please post it.
So, what’s the diary about?
I can’t be the only one who’s dying to know.
Really, try my suggestion with redtail23’s instructions. If you avoid accessing the doc via Explorer, then it shouldn’t register in Explorer and there ya go.
A low tech suggestion:
Rename it something boring and then make the first page look like that boring stuff.
Insurance Warrenty Info
Copy the first page of one from the web.
You can also password protect the document itself in Word.
You know we’re all dying of curiosity, don’t you?