How to increase number of recent files in Sublime Text 2? - sublimetext2

Question

Currently, Sublime 2 displays 8 items under File > Open Recent. I was hoping to double that to 16. I've searched and haven't found anything yet, except for increasing the Open Projects list, and this isn't the correct solution since I don't utilize projects. Can anyone offer any help?

Answer 1

As far as I'm aware, there is no setting that controls this. However by modifying the menu contents you can extend the number of items that are shown there.
To do this, you can follow these steps:
Install PackageResourceViewer if it is not already installed
From the Command Palette, select PackageResourceViewer: Open Resource
Select the Default package
Select the Main.sublime-menu resource
This opens up the file that controls what the menu contains. Near the top you will see something similar to this:
{
"caption": "Open Recent",
"mnemonic": "R",
"children":
[
{ "command": "reopen_last_file", "caption": "Reopen Closed File" },
{ "caption": "-" },
{ "command": "open_recent_file", "args": {"index": 0 } },
{ "command": "open_recent_file", "args": {"index": 1 } },
{ "command": "open_recent_file", "args": {"index": 2 } },
{ "command": "open_recent_file", "args": {"index": 3 } },
{ "command": "open_recent_file", "args": {"index": 4 } },
{ "command": "open_recent_file", "args": {"index": 5 } },
{ "command": "open_recent_file", "args": {"index": 6 } },
{ "command": "open_recent_file", "args": {"index": 7 } },
{ "caption": "-" },
{ "command": "open_recent_folder", "args": {"index": 0 } },
{ "command": "open_recent_folder", "args": {"index": 1 } },
{ "command": "open_recent_folder", "args": {"index": 2 } },
{ "command": "open_recent_folder", "args": {"index": 3 } },
{ "command": "open_recent_folder", "args": {"index": 4 } },
{ "command": "open_recent_folder", "args": {"index": 5 } },
{ "command": "open_recent_folder", "args": {"index": 6 } },
{ "command": "open_recent_folder", "args": {"index": 7 } },
{ "caption": "-" },
{ "command": "clear_recent_files", "caption": "Clear Items" }
]
},
From here you can extend the number of recent files out to 16 by adding additional lines for open_recent_file with indexes from 8 to 15 (since the indexes are 0 based), and then save the file.
As a side note, this will work for both Sublime Text 2 and Sublime Text 3.
In Sublime Text 3 this creates a package override for Default/Main.sublime-menu, which Sublime will use instead of the shipped version of the menu. If a future version of ST3 updates the main menu in any way, you won't be told and may potentially miss other menu changes and features. You can install OverrideAudit, which will warn you if that ever happens.
This is potentially also a worry for Sublime Text 2 (although OverrideAudit is ST3 only and cannot help you here), but it is unlikely that ST2 will be updated any further so this is probably of no real consequence.

Answer 2

I found you don't actually need to override the main menu;
just add your own menu which will appear in the end.
Create this new file (path for me in linux, in Sublime Text 3):
~/.config/sublime-text-3/Packages/User/Main.sublime-menu
In that file put something similar to OdatNurd previous answer;
(and I copy paste the same content into the files:
Context.sublime-menu
Side Bar.sublime-menu
to have the same submenu show up there)
I just made my own submenu from my own initials "elm" and put all stuff I personally use there with various "children" subtrees.
As a bonus, it will automatically show keyboard shortcuts to the same command behind it,
so I also use it as a reminder for actions that I don't use very often and forget the keyboard shortcut of.
Caveat: after posting this I realised I this works for Sublime Text 3, while the question was for Sublime Text 2. Perhaps someone can test if this also works for Sublime Text 2?
My file looks something like this:
(also added some more ideas (beside plenty recent files) for inspiration)
[
{
"caption" : "elm",
"mnemonic": "M",
"children": [
{
"caption": "Open Recent",
"mnemonic": "R",
"children": [
{ "command": "reopen_last_file", "caption": "Reopen Closed File" },
{ "caption": "-" },
{ "command": "open_recent_file", "args": {"index": 0 } },
{ "command": "open_recent_file", "args": {"index": 1 } },
// ... etc.
{ "command": "open_recent_file", "args": {"index": 29 } },
],
},
{
"caption": "Multi Line/Caret editing",
"children": [
{
"caption": "split_selection_into_lines",
"command": "split_selection_into_lines",
},
{
"caption": "Add caret above (select_lines)",
"command": "select_lines",
"args": {"forward": false},
},
{
"caption": "Add caret below (select_lines)",
"command": "select_lines",
"args": {"forward": true},
},
]
},
{
"caption": "Bookmarks",
"children": [
{
"caption": "toggle_bookmark",
"command": "toggle_bookmark",
},
{
"caption": "prev_bookmark",
"command": "prev_bookmark",
},
{
"caption": "next_bookmark",
"command": "next_bookmark",
},
]
},
{
"caption": "paste_from_history",
"command": "paste_from_history",
},
{
"caption": "Jump to matching bracket",
"command": "move_to", "args": {"to": "brackets"},
},
// ... etc. etc.
],
},
]
Bit off topic for just more recent files, but I thought this approach might also improve other usability and maintainability aspects at the same time :)