The "Open Recent Files" option?
3DScreencraft
Posts: 486
in The Commons
Okay, own up, who stole the "Open Recent Files" option in DS? And why? (I hope you're giving it a good dinner before sending it back! :) ,,, seriously, has it moved, or been REmoved? TIA!
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I noticed this too! I thought maybe it was related to me changing the theme on accident, but even after changing back I couldn't but find it. So it's not something I messed up? I use this a lot! Is it a 4.22 change?
I use it all the time, too - really hop[e it's just an oversight and the Powers That Be are planning a swift return, lol!
No, swift return is planned, AFIK. Daz intentionally moved the Recent Files functionality to the File/New menu item in 4.22. It now opens a whole dialog with scene thumbnails and store ads.
If OP does want it back and ever saved a Layout with 4.21, just try to load the saved Layout... Open Recent Files could be back.
PS: I didn't like new "New..." in 4.22 but in fact I was not happy there's no option in Preferences for the users to choose which way they prefer... (just a simple Checkbox will do..) . Now it seems that I'm getting used to it though the performance of new "New.." is still not good on my side...
It has been moved - File>New, or cmd/ctrl n, then go to the recent files tab and double-click the one you want.
Ugh, that's too many clicks. Might was well just click open and select it from list of files.
What a waste of resources. makes me even less excited about installing 4.22 on my new PC
Strange, I've had it in all 4.22 versions, also the current 4.22.0.9 (which the screenshot is from).
It even seems to have been improved with Set Max Recent Files and Clear Recent Files options, I don't recall having seen these before and always wanted them.
Could it have something to do with the Workspace Theme you're using? I've never backed up / restored my layout (like @crosswind talks about).
Yeah, actually I did not load saved Layout either after updating DS to 4.22... that menu item was still there. I just told some people who lost the menu item to load Layout back, then it was back.
And those Set Max... feature were there since a certain 4.21.1.x DS version.
OK. I've never used any 4.21 version later than 4.21.0.5 so I guess that's why I've never seen these features before.
Thanks Richard. But why, dahleeeng? Why make an upgrade less intuitive? I fear it's all about their advertising in the new dialogue box. But making us have to click more often to simply open a file... is not user friendly.
It also doesn't make sense to me that to open an existing previously created scene, I should select File/New. I don't want to create a New scene file, I want to Open an existing scene file. So, I never click New to open a recent file now. I just click File/Open and select a recent scene from the list of existing scenes. When sorted by Date Modified, the recent scenes are at the top of the list and easily accessible. I am not limited to a certain number of recent scenes. I don't have to wait for the New dialog to open and populate. I don't have to wait for or look at the very stale Store selections. I don't have to wait for advertisements to load or look at them.
It looks like people either haven't read some of the latest posts, or misunderstood them. File > Open Recent has not been removed! It just looks like, for some unknown reason, it disappears for some when they update to 4.22.
I also expressed the same thought and feeling... however if I had no way to change it ultimately, I would embrace it otherwise it would bring me no happy rendering.
Well I presume it must be a bug, and that it can be fixed for those who have the issue..
It has been removed - from the default menu resources. It remains in the File menu if you have updated to 4.22 but have not done Window -> Workspace -> Update and Merge Menus. As soon as you do this Update and Merge Menus, the complete Open Recent submenu in the File menu will disappear. But, well, we do not put our pants on with a crane.
To get back the File -> Open Recent permanently (at least until the next update of Daz Studio):
In Daz Studio installation folder -> resources -> menus, edit the two files "Default Advanced.dsx" and "Default Simple.dsx". Make sure that DS is not running!
Search for the line <Action Class="DzOpenAction"/> (for DS 4.22.0.1 it should be line 857)
After this line, insert a new line <SubMenu Type="OpenRecent" Label="Open Recent"/>
Save the file, open Daz Studio and do the Window -> Workspace -> Update and Merge Menus.
After that, the Open Recent submenu will be back.
Bear in mind that these default files will be overwritten with every update of Daz Studio, so you will have to edit them again after an update.
Yea, since both of us did see it was still there, I also presume it's a sort of "conditional bug" or sth...
That should be the reason... since I've never ever done Update and Merge Menus.... but I always save Layout and backup %AppData%\DAZ 3D\Studio4\, just in case...
I feel; like many of you missed Richard's post - he's right, it has simply moved, see above quote. Works for me. :)
Ah, OK. That (or at least the file editing part) should be easy to automate with a script. Thanks!
I've never done the "Update and Merge Menus" thing though, is this really necessary to complete an update (I mean in general, not just in this context)?
If you don't update and merge menus, I think your menus coiuld be missing new features that have been added to the menus.
A test will be needed though... but actually I never miss a single new function / feature from menu items, panes, toolbar, etc. after upgrade as I always check change log before updating to new version.. then experiment with the new features.
And I believe the intaller / manisfest should enable new features to UI naturally or as default. If each time one has to merge these things after upgrade... it doesn't make sense in terms of "an upgrade". At least I myself haven't seen such a needed operation or "logic" from other software...
Yes, which is why the command is there - it should allow you to add new commands without breaking your own customisations.
I am not going to, it would seem a bit of a conflict of something, but as far as I can see it would be quite simple to write a dialogue that would show the recent files list 9only) and fairly simple to have clicking on one of the entries close the dialogue and open the file - though the New scene dialogue does have the advantage of allowing mutli-selection and merging. [Not to mention - which I didn't without prompting - that the icons/thumbnails can be bigger, and it is more practical to have a large number of recent files to pick from.]
But people don't like enforced changes, this would make every change enforced (and would also lack a warning of the change, while being instructed to use update and merge menus is a clear signal)
I understand that though I don't do that. However, no offense, Daz seemingly always forces people to accept changes... n'est-ce pas ? Haha ~ like that new "New...dialogue" this time... and gave people no other option of using "old way"...
The default prsentation has chnaged, but as you have found yourself and as i have suggested for a script that doesn't mean that the underlying feature is wholly gone.
Yup, I'm with you on this point
OK.
I tried this and it did not do anything.v22.0.15. Off to the "New" screen, which I do find useful.
Btw, after getting my last post deleted due to not adding to the discussion helpfully I assume, and that's fair enough, what is the best place to send feedback ?
This. I spent an hour of frustration thinking something had gotten corrupted. The word "New" in all application user's minds means "create something new", not "find something existing". Therefore, the recent files thumbnail list (which IS an improvement, for sure) should at least have gone in the "Open" menu somewhere. This fundamental standard of application design overrides any other considerations that Daz or other users may have about why "New" is being used here. The length of this thread should validate this argument.