How do you delete Recent Places?

You modify the plist containing them. Recent places (and folders) are stored in the invisble file .GlobalPreferences copy.plist in the ~/Library/Preferences folder and favorite places is in the ~/Library/Favorites folder. Run this command in the Terminal app in /Applications/Utilities/:

defaults read ~/Library/Preferences/.GlobalPreferences

If you want to delete the NSNavRecentPlaces array, use the Property List Editor that's included in the XCode Tools installation.

Note: Recent Places has nothing to do with the settings in the Appearance prefPane. That's for Recent Items. Recent Places just depicts the latest folders you opened.

BTW, what problems are you having with Recent Places?

G4 450 MP Gigabit Mac OS X (10.4.9)

As noted in my earlier post, you have to install the XCode Tools. The {Proiperty List Editor is in /Developer/Applications/Utilities/. Since you've marked the topic answered, take a moment and mark the replies.

Launch Property List Editor

File->Open

That should bring up an Open dialog box, drill down to /Users/username/Library/Preferences/

Finally, type GlobalPreferences in the search box.

That should reveal the .GlobalPreferences.plist file.

Select it and click on Open.

Click on the root triangle, select NSNavRecentPlaces, click on the triangle, select each enclosed item, and delete it. Then, save the plist and quit PLE.

BTW, you never did state what problem you were having with recent places.

AFAIK, if you delete the individual recent places, then the new ones will pop up. However, if you delete the array, that should prevent any new ones from popping up. However, I'd probably make a copy of the current one, giving it a new name, such as .GlobalPreferences.bak, so you can restore things, if deleting the original array fouls things up. That's up to you, but I give no guarantees.

Thanks for the feedback. Good computing.