I am not new to Linux but don't know in which other category to post this.
I am using Fedora 17, Gnome 3 (I think) in fallback/classic mode.
I have two questions related to opening recently used files in gedit.
In the help on gedit there is:

"Reopen a recently-used file
...
Click the downward-facing arrow to the right of the Open button.
...
To adjust the number of recently-used files that gedit displays, you
will need to use the gconf-editor application.
...
Launch gconf-editor and select apps*▸ gedit-2*▸ preferences*▸ ui*▸ recents."

So I installed it. Under "Applications>System Tools" there is now
"Configuration Editor" which in "Help>About" says:
"3.0.1 An editor for the GConf configuration system".

There is no "gedit" under "apps" and I couldn't find it anywhere.

Obviously, I would like to increase the default 5 entries in the mentioned
pull-down list.

This leads to the other related question. In the "Open Files"
window of gedit there is an option "Recently Used". This gives a reasonably long list of files which, unfortunately, includes files opened by ANY application (pdf, jpg, ..)
which makes it completely useless. This must be some global setting. Can it be changed to inlcude only files used by gedit?

PS There si a Thread by radiodee1 from Oct 2011 which does not give much answer.

In gconf-editor, I have an Edit->Find menu option where I can put in gedit and it will locate the keys for that application. Are you be able to do that?

What you say about how to edit the allowance for the recents in gedit is perfectly correct. I have ubuntu's latest long term release and this works. In saying that it works I mean the recent menu grows correctly and maintains that across run instances of gedit. I do not see what you see related to other document viewers or editors having an impact on the gedit recent file list.

First, thank you for replying to my post.

I am able to use the Edit>Find but putting "gedit" into the search field gives nothing.

Well, my list of "Recently Used" files contains files not opened by gedit. From what you say it looks that yours does not. I still wonder why.

I am glad these things work well for you.

So where do I go from here? My query was answered saying "It works for me so what is the problem?". I have
waited for further communication but nothing doing. Perhaps this should go elsewhere than newbies?

To re-state one question: "Recently used" option in gedit - open lists files opened by any application
(see attached) which is useless. It appears rtmistler said his gedit lists only those opened by gedit.
So how do I tell my gedit to do so, too?

Attached Images

Screenshot from 2013-01-07 10:01:34.png (50.6 KB, 1 views)