M14: Preferences sets how many recent files to keep (#5572) (#5675)

The list was fixed at 12. Preferences ▸ Documents and view now takes a
number from 0 to 50, with 12 as the default. At 0 Home has no Recent
section and File ▸ Open Recent is disabled.

The list is cut when Preferences closes, so the number can pass through
0 on its way to another. Until then Home and saved settings already
leave out what is past it. A settings file can't ask for more than 50.

The control channel and launch options take it as recent-files. The two
new strings go in every catalog as English copies.

ROADMAP.md

@@ -219,6 +219,8 @@ Ranked; detail and the full milestone table in [docs/roadmap.md](docs/roadmap.md
 
 ## Progress log
 
+- **2026-11-01 (M14, #5572):** Preferences ▸ Documents and view sets how many recent files to keep, from 0 to 50 with 12 by default. At 0 Home has no Recent section and File ▸ Open Recent is disabled. The list is cut when Preferences closes, so the number can pass through 0 on its way to another.
+
 - 2026-11-01: PR #2155 further review preserves inherited Form text state and soft-mask chronology during Arrange, composes crop-group moves in the proper scope, and uses affine/press-relative image resize plus a shared rotation pivot. No-op script buttons preserve hidden source text; paste coordinates, visible selection ownership, and Snapshot/Export permissions have dedicated regressions. Candidate only; estimates unchanged.
 
 - 2026-11-01: PR #2155 latest follow-up handles explicit image-paste events without release-time guesses, refreshes the font-size field when a selection becomes mixed, and specifies mixed-script normalization with exact Undo restoration. Candidate only; estimates unchanged.

apps/pdfcraft/src/main.rs

@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 //!  --theme light|dark|system  --language auto|<code>  --mode all|read|edit|convert|sign  --tool <catalogue id>  --left open|closed
 //!  --organize on  --fields on  --dialog properties|shortcuts|about  --palette <query>  --home on
 //!  --cover on|off  --default-layout single|continuous|two-up|two-page  --default-continuous on|off  --default-zoom fit-width|fit-page|<percent>  --always-default-view on|off
-//!  --page-gaps on|off  --default-page-gaps on|off
+//!  --page-gaps on|off  --default-page-gaps on|off  --recent-files 0..50
 //!  --combine-view grid|list  --combine-zoom 60..200`
 //!
 //! `--new-window` opens a window of its own. Without it, on Windows, a launch that only names files

crates/ui-egui/src/app.rs

@@ -118,6 +118,7 @@ impl PdfCraftApp {
             all_tools_query: String::new(),
             all_tools_tab: (None, false),
             recent: Vec::new(),
+            recent_limit: crate::RECENT_FILES_DEFAULT,
             reopen_last_session: false,
             restore_last_view: true,
             last_views: Vec::new(),

crates/ui-egui/src/app/control.rs

@@ -170,6 +170,12 @@ impl PdfCraftApp {
                     _ => return Err("default-page-gaps must be on or off".into()),
                 };
             }
+            ("recent-files", _) => {
+                let max = crate::RECENT_FILES_MAX;
+                let limit = value.parse().ok().filter(|n| *n <= max).ok_or_else(|| format!("recent-files must be between 0 and {max}"))?;
+                self.recent_limit = limit;
+                self.recent.truncate(limit);
+            }
             ("cover", Some(v)) => {
                 let on = match value {
                     "on" => true,

crates/ui-egui/src/app/files.rs

@@ -333,7 +333,7 @@ impl PdfCraftApp {
             macos_association::repair(std::path::Path::new(&p));
             self.recent.retain(|r| r.path != p);
             self.recent.insert(0, RecentFile { name: name.to_string(), path: p, pages, size });
-            self.recent.truncate(12);
+            self.recent.truncate(self.recent_limit);
         }
         // What the form's scripts said while it opened (messages, errors) shows now, not with
         // the next edit.

crates/ui-egui/src/app/prefs.rs

@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ impl PdfCraftApp {
         let mut v = serde_json::json!({
             "side_panels": self.side_panels.to_json(self.left_open),
             "docking_right": self.right,
-            "recent": self.recent,
+            "recent": self.recent.iter().take(self.recent_limit).collect::<Vec<_>>(),
             "reopen_last_session": self.reopen_last_session,
             "restore_last_view": self.restore_last_view,
             "last_views": self.last_views_to_save(),
@@ -139,6 +139,7 @@ impl PdfCraftApp {
         });
         // Set apart: one more key inside the macro above passes serde_json's recursion limit.
         v["default_page_gaps"] = serde_json::Value::Bool(self.view_defaults.show_page_gaps);
+        v["recent_limit"] = serde_json::json!(self.recent_limit);
         v["fill_text_color"] = serde_json::json!(self.fill_text_color);
         v["redact_prefs"] = self.redact_defaults.to_json();
         v["pinned_tools"] = serde_json::json!(self.pinned_tools);
@@ -181,6 +182,11 @@ impl PdfCraftApp {
             let r: Vec<RecentFile> = r.into_iter().filter(|f| std::path::Path::new(&f.path).exists()).collect();
             self.recent = r;
         }
+        // Nonsense keeps the limit it had; settings from before the limit have none.
+        if let Some(limit) = v["recent_limit"].as_u64() {
+            self.recent_limit = usize::try_from(limit).map_or(crate::RECENT_FILES_MAX, |n| n.min(crate::RECENT_FILES_MAX));
+        }
+        self.recent.truncate(self.recent_limit);
         self.restore_layout_prefs(&v);
         self.restore_behavior_prefs(&v);
         self.restore_view_prefs(&v);

crates/ui-egui/src/dialogs.rs

@@ -1931,6 +1931,8 @@ fn finish_close(app: &mut PdfCraftApp, dialog: Dialog, modal_closed: bool, req:
     // Protect / Remove security replace the Properties dialog.
     let replaces = req.link_command.is_some_and(|c| c.starts_with("protect.")) || req.open_revision.is_some();
     if modal_closed || req.close || replaces {
+        // Only now: the number in Preferences can pass through 0 on its way to the one wanted.
+        app.recent.truncate(app.recent_limit);
         app.dialog = None;
         app.props_draft = None;
         app.view_draft = None;

crates/ui-egui/src/home.rs

@@ -186,25 +186,28 @@ pub fn show(app: &mut PdfCraftApp, ui: &mut egui::Ui) {
                 crate::folders_ui::section(app, ui);
             }
 
-            ui.add_space(26.0);
             let mut clear = false;
-            ui.horizontal(|ui| {
-                ui.label(egui::RichText::new(tl!("Recent")).font(theme::semibold(17.0)));
-                if !app.recent.is_empty() {
-                    ui.with_layout(egui::Layout::right_to_left(egui::Align::Center), |ui| {
-                        let resp = widgets::ghost_button(ui, "trash-2", tl!("Clear"));
-                        resp.widget_info(|| egui::WidgetInfo::labeled(egui::Role::Button, true, tl!("Clear Recent Files")));
-                        clear = resp.on_hover_text(tl!("Clear Recent Files")).clicked();
-                    });
+            // Preferences can turn the list off (#5572).
+            if app.recent_limit > 0 {
+                ui.add_space(26.0);
+                ui.horizontal(|ui| {
+                    ui.label(egui::RichText::new(tl!("Recent")).font(theme::semibold(17.0)));
+                    if !app.recent.is_empty() {
+                        ui.with_layout(egui::Layout::right_to_left(egui::Align::Center), |ui| {
+                            let resp = widgets::ghost_button(ui, "trash-2", tl!("Clear"));
+                            resp.widget_info(|| egui::WidgetInfo::labeled(egui::Role::Button, true, tl!("Clear Recent Files")));
+                            clear = resp.on_hover_text(tl!("Clear Recent Files")).clicked();
+                        });
+                    }
+                });
+                ui.add_space(8.0);
+                if app.recent.is_empty() {
+                    ui.label(egui::RichText::new(tl!("Files you open in PdfCraft appear here. Drop a PDF anywhere to open it.")).color(t.text_muted));
                 }
-            });
-            ui.add_space(8.0);
-            if app.recent.is_empty() {
-                ui.label(egui::RichText::new(tl!("Files you open in PdfCraft appear here. Drop a PDF anywhere to open it.")).color(t.text_muted));
             }
             let mut open = None;
             let mut remove = None;
-            for r in &app.recent {
+            for r in app.recent.iter().take(app.recent_limit) {
                 let (rect, resp) = ui.allocate_exact_size(vec2(ui.available_width(), 46.0), Sense::click());
                 resp.widget_info(|| egui::WidgetInfo::labeled(egui::Role::Button, true, &r.name));
                 let press = theme::Press::track(ui, &resp);

crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/ar.tsv

@@ -20,6 +20,10 @@
 # reorders each line with UAX #9, so preordering here would reverse right-to-left text twice.
 # Spaces and a colon at either end of an entry stay at that end, next to what the code appends.
 
+# Untranslated: English text until a translator fills these in.
+	Lowering this forgets the oldest files. At 0 there is no list.	Lowering this forgets the oldest files. At 0 there is no list.
+	Recent files to keep	Recent files to keep
+
 	Menu	القائمة
 	File	ملف
 	Edit	تحرير

crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/bg.tsv

@@ -7,6 +7,10 @@
 # Product and technology names (PdfCraft, PDF, Acrobat JavaScript ...) stay in Latin letters;
 # the trailing "…" of dialog commands is kept.
 
+# Untranslated: English text until a translator fills these in.
+	Lowering this forgets the oldest files. At 0 there is no list.	Lowering this forgets the oldest files. At 0 there is no list.
+	Recent files to keep	Recent files to keep
+
 	About	За програмата
 	Contributors	Сътрудници
 	Models	Модели

crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/ca.tsv

@@ -9,6 +9,10 @@
 # Product and technology names (PdfCraft, PDF, Acrobat JavaScript ...) are not translated;
 # the trailing "…" of dialog commands is kept.
 
+# Untranslated: English text until a translator fills these in.
+	Lowering this forgets the oldest files. At 0 there is no list.	Lowering this forgets the oldest files. At 0 there is no list.
+	Recent files to keep	Recent files to keep
+
 	Menu	Menú
 	File	Fitxer
 	Edit	Edita

crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/ckb.tsv

@@ -20,6 +20,10 @@
 # reorders each line with UAX #9, so preordering here would reverse right-to-left text twice.
 # Spaces and a colon at either end of an entry stay at that end, next to what the code appends.
 
+# Untranslated: English text until a translator fills these in.
+	Lowering this forgets the oldest files. At 0 there is no list.	Lowering this forgets the oldest files. At 0 there is no list.
+	Recent files to keep	Recent files to keep
+
 	Menu	پێڕست
 	File	فایل
 	Edit	دەستکاریکردن

crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/cs.tsv

@@ -19,6 +19,10 @@
 # commands is kept. Messages with a count but no `@plural` entry use count-neutral wording
 # ("Vybráno stránek: {n}"), because Czech has three plural forms.
 
+# Untranslated: English text until a translator fills these in.
+	Lowering this forgets the oldest files. At 0 there is no list.	Lowering this forgets the oldest files. At 0 there is no list.
+	Recent files to keep	Recent files to keep
+
 	Menu	Nabídka
 	File	Soubor
 	Rotation:	Otočení:

crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/de.tsv

@@ -9,6 +9,10 @@
 # Product and technology names (PdfCraft, PDF, Acrobat JavaScript ...) are not translated;
 # the trailing "…" of dialog commands is kept.
 
+# Untranslated: English text until a translator fills these in.
+	Lowering this forgets the oldest files. At 0 there is no list.	Lowering this forgets the oldest files. At 0 there is no list.
+	Recent files to keep	Recent files to keep
+
 	Menu	Menü
 	File	Datei
 	Edit	Bearbeiten

crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/el.tsv

@@ -2,6 +2,11 @@
 # Partial, clean-room initial contribution. Entries not yet translated fall back to English.
 # Translate from English meanings; retain placeholders and trailing ellipses.
 # Greek plural forms: one (1) | other (0, 2+).
+
+# Untranslated: English text until a translator fills these in.
+	Lowering this forgets the oldest files. At 0 there is no list.	Lowering this forgets the oldest files. At 0 there is no list.
+	Recent files to keep	Recent files to keep
+
 	Menu	Μενού
 	File	Αρχείο
 	Edit	Επεξεργασία

crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/es.tsv

@@ -9,6 +9,10 @@
 # Product and technology names (PdfCraft, PDF, Acrobat JavaScript ...) are not translated;
 # the trailing "…" of dialog commands is kept.
 
+# Untranslated: English text until a translator fills these in.
+	Lowering this forgets the oldest files. At 0 there is no list.	Lowering this forgets the oldest files. At 0 there is no list.
+	Recent files to keep	Recent files to keep
+
 	Menu	Menú
 	File	Archivo
 	Edit	Edición

crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/fa.tsv

@@ -19,6 +19,10 @@
 # each rendered line. The Persian comma \u060c and question mark \u061f are used, and \u200c (ZWNJ) joins
 # compound words.
 
+# Untranslated: English text until a translator fills these in.
+	Lowering this forgets the oldest files. At 0 there is no list.	Lowering this forgets the oldest files. At 0 there is no list.
+	Recent files to keep	Recent files to keep
+
 	Menu	منو
 	File	فایل
 	Edit	ویرایش

crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/fi.tsv

@@ -16,6 +16,11 @@
 # Labels use sentence case. Product and technology names (PdfCraft, PDF, OCR, JavaScript ...)
 # stay in Latin letters; the trailing "…" of dialog commands is kept. Calendar headings use the
 # nominative month (`Lokakuu 2026`); dates use the partitive (`14. lokakuuta 2026`).
+
+# Untranslated: English text until a translator fills these in.
+	Lowering this forgets the oldest files. At 0 there is no list.	Lowering this forgets the oldest files. At 0 there is no list.
+	Recent files to keep	Recent files to keep
+
 	Menu	Valikko
 	File	Tiedosto
 	Edit	Muokkaa

crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/fr.tsv

@@ -9,6 +9,10 @@
 # Product and technology names (PdfCraft, PDF, Acrobat JavaScript ...) are not translated;
 # the trailing "…" of dialog commands is kept.
 
+# Untranslated: English text until a translator fills these in.
+	Lowering this forgets the oldest files. At 0 there is no list.	Lowering this forgets the oldest files. At 0 there is no list.
+	Recent files to keep	Recent files to keep
+
 	Menu	Menu
 	File	Fichier
 	Edit	Édition

crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/hi.tsv

@@ -2,6 +2,11 @@
 #   context <TAB> English source <TAB> translation
 #   Clean-room translation written from the English source's meaning.
 #   License: MIT OR Apache-2.0.
+
+# Untranslated: English text until a translator fills these in.
+	Lowering this forgets the oldest files. At 0 there is no list.	Lowering this forgets the oldest files. At 0 there is no list.
+	Recent files to keep	Recent files to keep
+
 	Menu	मेनू
 	File	फ़ाइल
 	Edit	संपादित करें

crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/hu.tsv

@@ -9,6 +9,11 @@
 # consulted or copied; add entries the same way.
 # Product and technology names (PdfCraft, PDF, Acrobat JavaScript ...) are not translated;
 # the trailing "…" of dialog commands is kept.
+
+# Untranslated: English text until a translator fills these in.
+	Lowering this forgets the oldest files. At 0 there is no list.	Lowering this forgets the oldest files. At 0 there is no list.
+	Recent files to keep	Recent files to keep
+
 	Menu	Menü
 	File	Fájl
 	Edit	Szerkesztés

crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/id.tsv

@@ -3,6 +3,11 @@
 # Clean-room translations of PdfCraft's English UI labels. Use standard Indonesian computing
 # terms; keep product and format names (PdfCraft, PDF, PDF/A, OCR, XFA, Word...) unchanged.
 # Indonesian does not inflect nouns for number, so @plural entries list one form.
+
+# Untranslated: English text until a translator fills these in.
+	Lowering this forgets the oldest files. At 0 there is no list.	Lowering this forgets the oldest files. At 0 there is no list.
+	Recent files to keep	Recent files to keep
+
 	Menu	Menu
 	Edit	Edit
 	Pages	Halaman

crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/it.tsv

@@ -15,6 +15,10 @@
 # Product and technology names (PdfCraft, PDF, Acrobat JavaScript ...) stay in Latin letters;
 # the trailing "…" of dialog commands is kept.
 
+# Untranslated: English text until a translator fills these in.
+	Lowering this forgets the oldest files. At 0 there is no list.	Lowering this forgets the oldest files. At 0 there is no list.
+	Recent files to keep	Recent files to keep
+
 	Menu	Menu
 	File	File
 	Edit	Modifica

crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/ja.tsv

@@ -15,6 +15,10 @@
 # Product and technology names (PdfCraft, PDF, Acrobat JavaScript ...) stay in Latin letters;
 # the trailing "…" of dialog commands is kept.
 
+# Untranslated: English text until a translator fills these in.
+	Lowering this forgets the oldest files. At 0 there is no list.	Lowering this forgets the oldest files. At 0 there is no list.
+	Recent files to keep	Recent files to keep
+
 	Menu	メニュー
 	File	ファイル
 	Edit	編集

crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/kk.tsv

@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+# Untranslated: English text until a translator fills these in.
+	Lowering this forgets the oldest files. At 0 there is no list.	Lowering this forgets the oldest files. At 0 there is no list.
+	Recent files to keep	Recent files to keep
+
 	Menu	Мәзір
 	File	Файл
 	Edit	Түзету

crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/ko.tsv

@@ -2,6 +2,11 @@
 #   context <TAB> English source <TAB> translation
 #   Clean-room translation written from the English source's meaning.
 #   License: MIT OR Apache-2.0.
+
+# Untranslated: English text until a translator fills these in.
+	Lowering this forgets the oldest files. At 0 there is no list.	Lowering this forgets the oldest files. At 0 there is no list.
+	Recent files to keep	Recent files to keep
+
 	Menu	메뉴
 	File	파일
 	Edit	편집

crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/lo.tsv

@@ -15,6 +15,10 @@
 # Product and technology names (PdfCraft, PDF, Acrobat JavaScript ...) stay in Latin letters;
 # the trailing "..." of dialog commands is kept.
 
+# Untranslated: English text until a translator fills these in.
+	Lowering this forgets the oldest files. At 0 there is no list.	Lowering this forgets the oldest files. At 0 there is no list.
+	Recent files to keep	Recent files to keep
+
 	Menu	ເມນູ
 	File	ໄຟລ໌
 	Edit	ແກ້ໄຂ

crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/lt.tsv

@@ -4,6 +4,10 @@
 # consult the Lietuvos Respublikos terminų bankas (terminai.vlkk.lt) when selecting terminology.
 # Product and format names (PdfCraft, PDF, PDF/A, OCR, XFA, Word…) remain unchanged.
 
+# Untranslated: English text until a translator fills these in.
+	Lowering this forgets the oldest files. At 0 there is no list.	Lowering this forgets the oldest files. At 0 there is no list.
+	Recent files to keep	Recent files to keep
+
 	Menu	Meniu
 	Edit	Redaguoti
 	Pages	Puslapiai

crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/nb.tsv

@@ -7,6 +7,10 @@
 # Product and technology names (PdfCraft, PDF, Acrobat JavaScript ...) are not translated;
 # the trailing "…" of dialog commands is kept.
 
+# Untranslated: English text until a translator fills these in.
+	Lowering this forgets the oldest files. At 0 there is no list.	Lowering this forgets the oldest files. At 0 there is no list.
+	Recent files to keep	Recent files to keep
+
 	Allow	Tillat
 	Cancel	Avbryt
 	Only allow this if you trust the source document.	Tillat dette bare hvis du stoler på kildedokumentet.

crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/pl.tsv

@@ -15,6 +15,10 @@
 # Product and technology names (PdfCraft, PDF, Acrobat JavaScript ...) stay in Latin letters;
 # the trailing "…" of dialog commands is kept.
 
+# Untranslated: English text until a translator fills these in.
+	Lowering this forgets the oldest files. At 0 there is no list.	Lowering this forgets the oldest files. At 0 there is no list.
+	Recent files to keep	Recent files to keep
+
 	Menu	Menu
 	File	Plik
 	Edit	Edycja

crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/pt-br.tsv

@@ -8,6 +8,10 @@
 # Product and technology names (PdfCraft, PDF, Acrobat JavaScript ...) are not translated;
 # the trailing "…" of dialog commands is kept.
 
+# Untranslated: English text until a translator fills these in.
+	Lowering this forgets the oldest files. At 0 there is no list.	Lowering this forgets the oldest files. At 0 there is no list.
+	Recent files to keep	Recent files to keep
+
 	Menu	Menu
 	File	Arquivo
 	Rotation:	Rotação:

crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/ro.tsv

@@ -9,6 +9,10 @@
 # the trailing "…" of dialog commands is kept. Commands use the noun form ("Salvare", "Deschidere…"),
 # messages address the user formally ("Alegeți", "dvs.").
 
+# Untranslated: English text until a translator fills these in.
+	Lowering this forgets the oldest files. At 0 there is no list.	Lowering this forgets the oldest files. At 0 there is no list.
+	Recent files to keep	Recent files to keep
+
 	Menu	Meniu
 	Edit	Editare
 	Pages	Pagini

crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/ru.tsv

@@ -8,6 +8,10 @@
 # Product and technology names (PdfCraft, PDF, Acrobat JavaScript ...) are not translated;
 # the trailing "…" of dialog commands is kept.
 
+# Untranslated: English text until a translator fills these in.
+	Lowering this forgets the oldest files. At 0 there is no list.	Lowering this forgets the oldest files. At 0 there is no list.
+	Recent files to keep	Recent files to keep
+
 	Menu	Меню
 	File	Файл
 	Edit	Редактирование

crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/sl.tsv

@@ -8,6 +8,10 @@
 # Product and technology names (PdfCraft, PDF, Acrobat JavaScript ...) are not translated;
 # the trailing "…" of dialog commands is kept.
 
+# Untranslated: English text until a translator fills these in.
+	Lowering this forgets the oldest files. At 0 there is no list.	Lowering this forgets the oldest files. At 0 there is no list.
+	Recent files to keep	Recent files to keep
+
 	Menu	Meni
 	File	Datoteka
 	Edit	Urejanje

crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/sq.tsv

@@ -8,6 +8,10 @@
 # Product and technology names (PdfCraft, PDF, Acrobat JavaScript ...) are not translated;
 # the trailing "…" of dialog commands is kept.
 
+# Untranslated: English text until a translator fills these in.
+	Lowering this forgets the oldest files. At 0 there is no list.	Lowering this forgets the oldest files. At 0 there is no list.
+	Recent files to keep	Recent files to keep
+
 	Menu	Menyja
 	File	Skedari
 	Edit	Redakto

crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/te.tsv

@@ -12,6 +12,10 @@
 # Product and technology names (PdfCraft, PDF, Acrobat JavaScript ...) are not translated;
 # the trailing "…" of dialog commands is kept.
 
+# Untranslated: English text until a translator fills these in.
+	Lowering this forgets the oldest files. At 0 there is no list.	Lowering this forgets the oldest files. At 0 there is no list.
+	Recent files to keep	Recent files to keep
+
 	Menu	మెనూ
 	File	ఫైల్
 	Edit	సవరణ

crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/th.tsv

@@ -7,6 +7,10 @@
 # names stay in Latin letters; the trailing ellipsis of dialog commands is kept. Thai has one
 # plural form.
 
+# Untranslated: English text until a translator fills these in.
+	Lowering this forgets the oldest files. At 0 there is no list.	Lowering this forgets the oldest files. At 0 there is no list.
+	Recent files to keep	Recent files to keep
+
 	Menu	เมนู
 	File	ไฟล์
 	Edit	แก้ไข

crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/tr.tsv

@@ -4,6 +4,10 @@
 #
 # Clean-room: clean-room translations of PdfCraft's English UI labels, no proprietary localisation resources.
 
+# Untranslated: English text until a translator fills these in.
+	Lowering this forgets the oldest files. At 0 there is no list.	Lowering this forgets the oldest files. At 0 there is no list.
+	Recent files to keep	Recent files to keep
+
 	Menu	Menü
 	File	Dosya
 	Edit	Düzen

crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/uk.tsv

@@ -18,6 +18,10 @@
 # Integer plurals (CLDR uk): one (1, 21) | few (2–4, 22–24) | many (0, 5–19); 11–14 take many.
 # Commands use infinitives. Fixed-count templates use count-neutral wording.
 
+# Untranslated: English text until a translator fills these in.
+	Lowering this forgets the oldest files. At 0 there is no list.	Lowering this forgets the oldest files. At 0 there is no list.
+	Recent files to keep	Recent files to keep
+
 	Menu	Меню
 	File	Файл
 	Edit	Редагування

crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/vi.tsv

@@ -7,6 +7,11 @@
 # Plural rule: `plural_none` — every @plural row lists exactly one form.
 # Context-sensitive wording and intentional unchanged strings are regression-tested in i18n/mod.rs.
 #
+
+# Untranslated: English text until a translator fills these in.
+	Lowering this forgets the oldest files. At 0 there is no list.	Lowering this forgets the oldest files. At 0 there is no list.
+	Recent files to keep	Recent files to keep
+
 	Menu	Trình đơn
 	Edit	Chỉnh sửa
 	Pages	Trang

crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/zh-hans.tsv

@@ -8,6 +8,10 @@
 # Product and technology names (PdfCraft, PDF, Acrobat JavaScript ...) stay in Latin letters;
 # the trailing "…" of dialog commands is kept.
 
+# Untranslated: English text until a translator fills these in.
+	Lowering this forgets the oldest files. At 0 there is no list.	Lowering this forgets the oldest files. At 0 there is no list.
+	Recent files to keep	Recent files to keep
+
 # About, contributor/model credits, and multiline interface guidance.
 	About	关于
 	Contributors	贡献者

crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/zh-hant.tsv

@@ -8,6 +8,10 @@
 # Product and technology names (PdfCraft, PDF, Acrobat JavaScript ...) stay in Latin letters;
 # the trailing "…" of dialog commands is kept.
 
+# Untranslated: English text until a translator fills these in.
+	Lowering this forgets the oldest files. At 0 there is no list.	Lowering this forgets the oldest files. At 0 there is no list.
+	Recent files to keep	Recent files to keep
+
 	Menu	選單
 	File	檔案
 	Edit	編輯

crates/ui-egui/src/lib.rs

@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ use state::CopyPage;
 use state::OpenRequest;
 pub use state::{
     CustomDraft, Dialog, DuplicateDraft, LeftPanel, LinkOrigin, Mode, NumberDraft, OpenOutcome, PageClip, PagePropsDraft, PasswordPrompt,
-    PendingLink, PendingRemoteLink, PropsTab, QuickTool, RecentFile, RightPanel, UnlockPrompt,
+    PendingLink, PendingRemoteLink, PropsTab, QuickTool, RECENT_FILES_DEFAULT, RECENT_FILES_MAX, RecentFile, RightPanel, UnlockPrompt,
 };
 use state::{DocumentCopyJob, GridFile};
 pub use tools::bulk_fields;
@@ -346,6 +346,8 @@ pub struct PdfCraftApp {
     /// tab coming to the front (Home, a document, Combine files) puts the view away.
     all_tools_tab: (Option<DocId>, bool),
     pub recent: Vec<RecentFile>,
+    /// How many recent files to keep, 0 for no list (Preferences ▸ Documents and view, #5572).
+    pub recent_limit: usize,
     /// Preferences: reopen the files that were open when PdfCraft last closed (#442).
     pub reopen_last_session: bool,
     /// Restore last view settings when reopening documents (Preferences ▸ Documents and view;

crates/ui-egui/src/persist/last_session.rs

@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ impl PdfCraftApp {
     /// the Recovery dialog offers, so neither opens twice.
     ///
     /// Only one password prompt can wait at a time: the first encrypted file asks for its
-    /// password and later ones stay closed (they are in the recent-files list).
+    /// password and later ones stay closed (in the recent-files list, if there is one).
     pub fn reopen_last_files(&mut self, skip: &[String]) {
         let last = std::mem::take(&mut self.last_session);
         #[cfg(not(target_arch = "wasm32"))]

crates/ui-egui/src/state.rs

@@ -365,6 +365,11 @@ impl UnlockPrompt {
     }
 }
 
+/// How many recent files are kept until Preferences says otherwise.
+pub const RECENT_FILES_DEFAULT: usize = 12;
+/// The most Preferences can ask to keep.
+pub const RECENT_FILES_MAX: usize = 50;
+
 #[derive(serde::Serialize, serde::Deserialize)]
 pub struct RecentFile {
     pub name: String,

crates/ui-egui/src/workflows/js_ui.rs

@@ -492,6 +492,15 @@ pub(crate) fn preferences_body(ui: &mut egui::Ui, app: &mut PdfCraftApp, t: &Tok
         }
     });
     ui.label(egui::RichText::new(tl!("For page sizes and margins.")).small().color(t.text_muted));
+    // The web build has no file paths to list.
+    #[cfg(not(target_arch = "wasm32"))]
+    {
+        ui.horizontal(|ui| {
+            let label = ui.label(tl!("Recent files to keep"));
+            ui.add(egui::DragValue::new(&mut app.recent_limit).range(0..=crate::RECENT_FILES_MAX)).labelled_by(label.id);
+        });
+        ui.label(egui::RichText::new(tl!("Lowering this forgets the oldest files. At 0 there is no list.")).small().color(t.text_muted));
+    }
     // The web build has no file paths to reopen.
     #[cfg(not(target_arch = "wasm32"))]
     ui.add(widgets::checkbox(&mut app.reopen_last_session, tl!("Reopen the files that were open when PdfCraft last closed")));

crates/ui-egui/tests/it/main.rs

@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ mod prepare;
 mod print;
 mod protect;
 mod reading_colors;
+mod recent_files;
 mod recovery;
 mod redact;
 mod reload;

crates/ui-egui/tests/it/recent_files.rs

@@ -0,0 +1,257 @@
+//! Preferences ▸ Recent files to keep (#5572): how many files the recent list holds, from none
+//! up to 50, on every path that adds to it, shows it or saves it.
+
+use egui::Key;
+use egui::accesskit::Role;
+use egui_kittest::Harness;
+use egui_kittest::kittest::Queryable;
+use pdfcraft_ui_egui::{Dialog, PdfCraftApp, RECENT_FILES_DEFAULT, RecentFile};
+
+use crate::support;
+
+const PDF: &[u8] = include_bytes!("../data/form.pdf");
+
+fn recent_file(name: &str) -> RecentFile {
+    RecentFile { name: name.into(), path: format!("/nowhere/{name}"), pages: 1, size: 0 }
+}
+
+fn names(app: &PdfCraftApp) -> Vec<&str> {
+    app.recent.iter().map(|r| r.name.as_str()).collect()
+}
+
+fn app_with(files: &[&str]) -> PdfCraftApp {
+    let mut app = PdfCraftApp::new();
+    app.set_option("language", "en").unwrap();
+    app.recent.extend(files.iter().map(|n| recent_file(n)));
+    app
+}
+
+/// Tall enough that the whole of Home is on screen without scrolling.
+fn harness(limit: usize, files: &[&str]) -> Harness<'static, PdfCraftApp> {
+    let files: Vec<String> = files.iter().map(ToString::to_string).collect();
+    let mut h = Harness::builder().with_size(egui::vec2(1400.0, 1600.0)).build_eframe(move |_cc| {
+        let mut app = app_with(&files.iter().map(String::as_str).collect::<Vec<_>>());
+        app.recent_limit = limit;
+        app
+    });
+    h.run_steps(4);
+    h
+}
+
+/// Open a document with a file behind it, as a file on disk is recorded.
+fn open(app: &mut PdfCraftApp, name: &str) {
+    app.open_bytes(name, Some(format!("/nowhere/{name}")), PDF.to_vec()).unwrap();
+}
+
+/// Typed the way a person does: click the field, type, Enter.
+fn type_limit(h: &mut Harness<'static, PdfCraftApp>, value: &str) {
+    h.get_by_role_and_label(Role::SpinButton, "Recent files to keep").click();
+    h.run_steps(2);
+    h.key_press_modifiers(egui::Modifiers::COMMAND, Key::A);
+    h.run_steps(1);
+    h.event(egui::Event::Text(value.into()));
+    h.run_steps(1);
+    h.key_press(Key::Enter);
+    h.run_steps(3);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn the_list_keeps_twelve_files_until_preferences_says_otherwise() {
+    let mut app = app_with(&[]);
+    assert_eq!(app.recent_limit, 12);
+    for n in 0..=RECENT_FILES_DEFAULT {
+        open(&mut app, &format!("{n}.pdf"));
+    }
+    assert_eq!(app.recent.len(), 12);
+    assert_eq!(app.recent[0].name, "12.pdf", "newest first");
+    assert_eq!(app.recent[11].name, "1.pdf", "the oldest of the thirteen went");
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn opening_a_file_keeps_the_newest_up_to_the_limit() {
+    let mut app = app_with(&[]);
+    app.recent_limit = 2;
+    for name in ["first.pdf", "second.pdf", "third.pdf"] {
+        open(&mut app, name);
+    }
+    assert_eq!(names(&app), ["third.pdf", "second.pdf"]);
+    open(&mut app, "second.pdf");
+    assert_eq!(names(&app), ["second.pdf", "third.pdf"], "a file opened again moves up and loses nothing");
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn at_zero_opening_a_file_records_nothing() {
+    let mut app = app_with(&[]);
+    app.recent_limit = 0;
+    open(&mut app, "first.pdf");
+    assert!(app.recent.is_empty());
+    let saved: serde_json::Value = serde_json::from_str(&app.persist()).unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(saved["recent"], serde_json::json!([]), "and the saved list is empty");
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn at_zero_home_has_no_recent_section() {
+    let h = harness(0, &[]);
+    assert!(h.query_by_label("Recent").is_none(), "no heading");
+    assert!(h.query_by_label_contains("Files you open in PdfCraft appear here").is_none(), "and no promise of a list");
+    h.get_by_label_contains("PdfCraft works offline");
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn above_zero_an_empty_list_still_says_what_it_is_for() {
+    let h = harness(1, &[]);
+    h.get_by_label("Recent");
+    h.get_by_label_contains("Files you open in PdfCraft appear here");
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn at_zero_the_menu_and_the_palette_have_nothing_to_open() {
+    let mut h = harness(0, &[]);
+    support::open_menu(&mut h, "File");
+    assert!(h.query_by(|n| n.label().as_deref() == Some("Open Recent") && n.is_disabled()).is_some(), "Open Recent is disabled");
+    assert!(h.state_mut().execute("file.open_recent"));
+    assert!(h.state().toast.as_ref().is_some_and(|(m, _)| m.contains("No recent files")));
+    assert!(h.state().views.is_empty(), "and nothing opened");
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn the_longest_list_scrolls_in_the_smallest_window_down_to_clear() {
+    let files: Vec<String> = (0..50).map(|n| format!("{n}.pdf")).collect();
+    let mut h = Harness::builder().with_size(egui::vec2(1000.0, 520.0)).build_eframe({
+        let files = files.clone();
+        move |_cc| {
+            let mut app = app_with(&files.iter().map(String::as_str).collect::<Vec<_>>());
+            app.recent_limit = 50;
+            app.open_bytes("doc.pdf", None, PDF.to_vec()).unwrap();
+            app
+        }
+    });
+    h.run_steps(4);
+    support::open_menu(&mut h, "File");
+    support::menu_row(&h, "Open Recent").hover();
+    h.run_steps(3);
+    let foot = |h: &Harness<'static, PdfCraftApp>| support::menu_row(h, "Clear Recent Files").rect().max.y;
+    assert!(foot(&h) > 520.0, "fifty rows run past the smallest window");
+    support::menu_row(&h, "1.pdf").hover();
+    h.run_steps(2);
+    h.event(egui::Event::MouseWheel {
+        unit: egui::MouseWheelUnit::Point,
+        delta: egui::vec2(0.0, -5000.0),
+        phase: egui::TouchPhase::Move,
+        modifiers: egui::Modifiers::NONE,
+        source: egui::MouseWheelSource::Unknown,
+    });
+    h.run_steps(8);
+    assert!(foot(&h) <= 520.0, "the wheel brings the foot of the menu into view");
+    support::menu_row(&h, "Clear Recent Files").click();
+    h.run_steps(3);
+    assert!(h.state().recent.is_empty());
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn preferences_cuts_the_list_when_it_closes_and_not_before() {
+    let mut h = harness(12, &["first.pdf", "second.pdf", "third.pdf"]);
+    h.state_mut().dialog = Some(Dialog::Preferences);
+    h.run_steps(4);
+    type_limit(&mut h, "0");
+    assert_eq!(h.state().recent_limit, 0);
+    assert_eq!(h.state().recent.len(), 3, "0 on the way to another number forgets nothing");
+    assert!(h.query_by_label("first.pdf").is_none(), "though Home already leaves them out");
+    type_limit(&mut h, "2");
+    assert_eq!(h.state().recent.len(), 3);
+    h.get_by_label("OK").click();
+    h.run_steps(4);
+    assert_eq!(h.state().dialog, None);
+    assert_eq!(names(h.state()), ["first.pdf", "second.pdf"], "the newest two stay");
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn escape_closes_preferences_with_the_same_result_as_ok() {
+    let mut h = harness(12, &["first.pdf", "second.pdf"]);
+    h.state_mut().dialog = Some(Dialog::Preferences);
+    h.run_steps(4);
+    type_limit(&mut h, "1");
+    h.key_press(Key::Escape);
+    h.run_steps(4);
+    assert_eq!(h.state().dialog, None);
+    assert_eq!(names(h.state()), ["first.pdf"]);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn the_field_does_not_go_past_fifty() {
+    let mut h = harness(12, &[]);
+    h.state_mut().dialog = Some(Dialog::Preferences);
+    h.run_steps(4);
+    type_limit(&mut h, "999");
+    assert_eq!(h.state().recent_limit, 50);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn settings_saved_while_preferences_is_open_already_leave_the_rest_out() {
+    let mut app = app_with(&["first.pdf", "second.pdf"]);
+    app.recent_limit = 1;
+    let saved = app.persist();
+    assert!(saved.contains("first.pdf"));
+    assert!(!saved.contains("second.pdf"));
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn the_limit_is_saved_and_restored_and_cuts_a_longer_list() {
+    let dir = std::env::temp_dir().join(format!("pdfcraft-recent-limit-{}", std::process::id()));
+    std::fs::create_dir_all(&dir).unwrap();
+    let paths: Vec<String> = ["a.pdf", "b.pdf", "c.pdf"]
+        .iter()
+        .map(|n| {
+            let path = dir.join(n);
+            std::fs::write(&path, PDF).unwrap();
+            path.to_string_lossy().into_owned()
+        })
+        .collect();
+    let entries: Vec<RecentFile> = paths.iter().map(|p| RecentFile { name: "x.pdf".into(), path: p.clone(), pages: 1, size: 0 }).collect();
+    let json = serde_json::json!({ "recent": entries, "recent_limit": 2 }).to_string();
+    let mut restored = PdfCraftApp::new();
+    restored.restore(&json);
+    assert_eq!(restored.recent_limit, 2);
+    let kept: Vec<&str> = restored.recent.iter().map(|r| r.path.as_str()).collect();
+    assert_eq!(kept, [paths[0].as_str(), paths[1].as_str()]);
+    let mut again = PdfCraftApp::new();
+    again.restore(&restored.persist());
+    assert_eq!(again.recent_limit, 2);
+    assert_eq!(again.recent.len(), 2);
+    std::fs::remove_dir_all(&dir).unwrap();
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn a_settings_file_can_not_ask_for_a_limit_that_is_not_one() {
+    for (saved, want) in [
+        ("{}", 12),
+        ("{\"recent_limit\": null}", 12),
+        ("{\"recent_limit\": \"3\"}", 12),
+        ("{\"recent_limit\": -1}", 12),
+        ("{\"recent_limit\": 2.5}", 12),
+        ("{\"recent_limit\": 0}", 0),
+        ("{\"recent_limit\": 50}", 50),
+        ("{\"recent_limit\": 51}", 50),
+        ("{\"recent_limit\": 18446744073709551615}", 50),
+    ] {
+        let mut app = PdfCraftApp::new();
+        app.restore(saved);
+        assert_eq!(app.recent_limit, want, "{saved}");
+    }
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn the_control_channel_sets_the_limit_and_refuses_what_it_can_not_be() {
+    let mut app = app_with(&["first.pdf", "second.pdf"]);
+    for bad in ["51", "-1", "x", "", "1.5"] {
+        let error = app.set_option("recent-files", bad).unwrap_err();
+        assert!(error.contains("between 0 and 50"), "{bad}: {error}");
+    }
+    assert_eq!((app.recent_limit, app.recent.len()), (12, 2), "a refused value changes nothing");
+    app.set_option("recent-files", "50").unwrap();
+    assert_eq!((app.recent_limit, app.recent.len()), (50, 2));
+    app.set_option("recent-files", "1").unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(names(&app), ["first.pdf"], "cut at once, with no dialog to wait for");
+    app.set_option("recent-files", "0").unwrap();
+    assert!(app.recent.is_empty());
+}

parity/acrobat-features.toml

@@ -9957,11 +9957,11 @@ title = "Preferences: documents (autosave interval, recent count)"
 area = "N"
 tier = "P1"
 milestone = "M14"
-status = "planned"
+status = "partial"
 commands = []
 tools = []
-evidence = []
-notes = ""
+evidence = ["crates/ui-egui/tests/it/recent_files.rs::preferences_cuts_the_list_when_it_closes_and_not_before", "crates/ui-egui/tests/it/recent_files.rs::at_zero_home_has_no_recent_section", "crates/ui-egui/tests/it/recent_files.rs::a_settings_file_can_not_ask_for_a_limit_that_is_not_one"]
+notes = "Preferences ▸ Documents and view: Recent files to keep, from 0 to 50 with 12 by default (#5572). At 0 Home has no Recent section and File ▸ Open Recent is disabled; Restore the last view keeps its own record of paths under its own switch. Still missing: the autosave interval (recovery snapshots run every AUTOSAVE_SECS, 60 s) and the rest of Acrobat's Documents page."
 
 [[feature]]
 id = "misc.prefs-commenting"