Help desired- saving files...

[Fourier]

So:

Whenever I go to save something, y'know right-click, save as... etc., there's an arrow to the right which will display the last ~20 files saved, ostensibly to make it easier to save files with similar names. (Incidentally there's extreme redundancy between that and auto-complete.) I would like to disable this feature, mostly because people are always snooping in my computer, as well as the fact that I'm always accidentally clicking it.

Of course, I can merely save many files in the same format to overwrite the one on the drop-down, but that doesn't really solve the problem of my accidental clicking.

I suspect this is impossible, however, any help is appreciated.

 

[johngalt]

Are you talking about saving files from your browser to your local machine?

 

[Fourier]

Yes, I am.

 

[johngalt]

Sorry, I should also have asked - IE, or Firefox, or another browser? I have IE with the default installation in Vista and it does not do that, and nor does my Firefox, which is my default browser....

So, I am wondering if you have something installed (IE Pro, an Fx extension, etc) that might be causing this behavior....

 

[Fourier]

well I suppose it's my fault for not being specific.
Hence:
yes, firefox.
no, no add-ons.

but also: the arrow appears to the right of the file name input area, which I don't think I made clear.

sorry, all tired. or something.

 

[johngalt]

If you're using Firefox, do you have it set to always ask you where to download, or do you have a specific download folder specified as the default download folder? I have Fx always ask me....so I want to set my Fx up like yours before I can say one way or another. I am a whiz at making test profiles, and since you said no extensions, this ought to be easy - but I want to try to duplicate your problem so I can suggest a true solution as I have never seen anything like that in Fx.

 

[Chappy]

John - I don't think he's talking about saving d'loads from his browser, I think he's talking about saving just any old file somewhere in is computer...am I right?
I think he got confused after your first question because how I read his OP is that he's just right clicking on a file somewhere in his computer and selecting "Save As", and then the name list that pops down once you type the first letter, if there are files in the target location with files names starting with the same letter.

Fourier - That name history is stored somewhere in the registry if I remember correctly, but I can't remember where the key is right now or if there is a way to disable it. I would think that there is but I can't be sure. I'll do some searching and see what I can find on Google and in my registry.

 

[johngalt]

He said he was - and I specifically asked that....but I can see your point as well.

 

[Fourier]

Okay. Chappy is right, in that I'm just saving files. It's part of the windows saving window (which is why I'm almost certain there's no way to disable it).

But, in case it's unclear: it's not the auto-complete feature. That's not what I'm talking about.

I'll give you a specific example. Say I google "explosion", and find a picture I want to save. I then right-click the picture, and select save image. I then decide to call the image "superbig explosion". On the far right of the input area in which I wrote "superbig explosion" is a button with a triangle pointing down. Were I to click upon it, it would display the filepath of the last 20 files saved in that format (jpg in this example). So one of the filepaths shown might be "C:\Users\User\Pictures\Lovecraft\Ktulu.jpg". And it would show 19 others as well.

Now. As I stated at the start of this post, the little down-arrow thing is so ingrained in windows, that I doubt I could disable it. But I would like to know how to clear it.

Finally, apologies for being imprecise.

 

[Chappy]

Yep, I know what you're talking about Fourier. I know Spybot Search & Destroy will allow you to delete this history of stored file paths and names. I don't know of a way to disable it completely tho, I was thiking if I could remember the key where this history is stored that there may be a way to disable it there.

Like I said tho, I believe Spybot will allow you to clear this history out. In the advanced setup, I believe you just need to select Clear Tracking History or something like that. I don't have Spybot installed anymore so I can't test it for you, but I remember that it can find and clear just about any saved history section like this.

 

[johngalt]

And CCleaner will also do this. I hate MRUs, and thus I never see them as I run CCleaner probably on a weekly basis....

 

[Chappy]

Being an only user on this machine, MRU's aren't a big issue for me, but I can definitely see where on a multi-user machine these would be a problem.

Only thing is that I don't like recommending registry cleaners to people. I've seen far too many needed keys accidentally listed as "Removable" and it takes an experienced eye to catch those before a problem is caused. Since one can never know what the other user's experience level is, I never recommend them.
Anyway, orphaned keys don't cause slowdowns simply because...it's orphaned and nothing is trying to access it, and 500 keys adds up to a whole 800KB's of space so I don't see a whole lotta space saved by these things either. I just see them as another way for newer users to screw up their system, and I've certainly seen many 100's of them screwed up by reg cleaners in my 13 years doing Tech boards.

I've never had the need for one but I've tested a few before, and every single one threw a false positive in the claen list now & then, and 1 is more than enough to mess up a system.

 

[Fourier]

Thank you!
(insert insipid internet trend like giving cookies, or hugs, or whatever).

I do have Spybot installed, so it shouldn't be a problem once I find the command. Thus remains two follow-up questions:

1. Do you know the actual way to do it in Spybot? Haven't found it yet.
2. Any potential collateral damage to the system?

In any case, my sincere thanks.