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Add/Remove Program Last Used Date.

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Anonymous   08-05-2005 at 03:25:34 PM

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)

 

I just noticed that the Last Used Date shown for programs in the
Add/Remove list does not always agree with what I know to be the case.
For instance, Bridge Baron 14 show as being last used on 3/9/2004. I
just finished using it this morning so it seems like the date should be
today's. The same holds true for many other programs in the list.

Do I misunderstand what the Last Used date indicates?

Thank you very much.

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Anonymous   08-06-2005 at 02:21:02 AM
- 0 +

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)

 

The "Last Used" info is made of a guess work. See what Raymond Chen [MSFT]
states:

The Old New Thing : How does Add/Remove Programs get the size and other
information?:
http://blogs.msdn.com/oldnewthing/ [...] 78342.aspx

Quote :


In order to get the "Last Used" and "Frequency" values, Add/Remove Programs
needs to know the name of the EXE so it can ask the Start menu "Hey, how
often did the user run this program, and when was the last time it
happened?"

Notice that there are no clues in the registration above as to the identity
of this EXE file.

So Add/Remove Programs starts guessing. It goes through all the programs on
your Start menu and compares their names with the display name of the
uninstallable item. It looks for Start menu items which share at least two
words with the words in the DisplayName.




--
Ramesh, Windows XP MVP
http://windowsxp.mvps.org


"Jack Gillis" <XXXXXXXX@widomaker.com> wrote in message
news:eLJQrEcmFHA.3144@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
>I just noticed that the Last Used Date shown for programs in the Add/Remove
>list does not always agree with what I know to be the case. For instance,
>Bridge Baron 14 show as being last used on 3/9/2004. I just finished using
>it this morning so it seems like the date should be today's. The same
>holds true for many other programs in the list.
>
> Do I misunderstand what the Last Used date indicates?
>
> Thank you very much.
>

Reply to Anonymous
Anonymous   08-06-2005 at 02:21:03 AM
- 0 +

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)

 

Thank you very much. As I understand it then, Add/Remove gets the info
only if the EXE is run from the start menu. I seldom, if ever, run one
from there for I run my most common ones from shortcuts on the Desktop
and in that case Add/Remove never knows they have run. Is that correct?

Thanks again.

"Ramesh, MS-MVP" <ramesh@XOX.mvps.org> wrote in message
news:el2NY0cmFHA.3120@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
> The "Last Used" info is made of a guess work. See what Raymond Chen
> [MSFT] states:
>
> The Old New Thing : How does Add/Remove Programs get the size and
> other information?:
> http://blogs.msdn.com/oldnewthing/ [...] 78342.aspx
>
>

Quote :


> In order to get the "Last Used" and "Frequency" values, Add/Remove
> Programs needs to know the name of the EXE so it can ask the Start
> menu "Hey, how often did the user run this program, and when was the
> last time it happened?"
>
> Notice that there are no clues in the registration above as to the
> identity of this EXE file.
>
> So Add/Remove Programs starts guessing. It goes through all the
> programs on your Start menu and compares their names with the display
> name of the uninstallable item. It looks for Start menu items which
> share at least two words with the words in the DisplayName.
>
>


>
> --
> Ramesh, Windows XP MVP
> http://windowsxp.mvps.org
>
>
> "Jack Gillis" <XXXXXXXX@widomaker.com> wrote in message
> news:eLJQrEcmFHA.3144@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
>>I just noticed that the Last Used Date shown for programs in the
>>Add/Remove list does not always agree with what I know to be the case.
>>For instance, Bridge Baron 14 show as being last used on 3/9/2004. I
>>just finished using it this morning so it seems like the date should
>>be today's. The same holds true for many other programs in the list.
>>
>> Do I misunderstand what the Last Used date indicates?
>>
>> Thank you very much.
>>
>

Reply to Anonymous
Anonymous   08-06-2005 at 03:06:14 AM
- 0 +

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)

 

Correct! as per Mr. Raymond Chen. However, you can force an update by
deleting this registry key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App
Management\ARPCache

General registry editing warning applies. Be sure to have valid backups
before deleting the key.

--
Ramesh, Windows XP MVP
http://windowsxp.mvps.org


"Jack Gillis" <XXXXXXXX@widomaker.com> wrote in message
news:OmXvjHdmFHA.1948@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
> Thank you very much. As I understand it then, Add/Remove gets the info
> only if the EXE is run from the start menu. I seldom, if ever, run one
> from there for I run my most common ones from shortcuts on the Desktop and
> in that case Add/Remove never knows they have run. Is that correct?
>
> Thanks again.
>
> "Ramesh, MS-MVP" <ramesh@XOX.mvps.org> wrote in message
> news:el2NY0cmFHA.3120@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
>> The "Last Used" info is made of a guess work. See what Raymond Chen
>> [MSFT] states:
>>
>> The Old New Thing : How does Add/Remove Programs get the size and other
>> information?:
>> http://blogs.msdn.com/oldnewthing/ [...] 78342.aspx
>>
>>

Quote :


>> In order to get the "Last Used" and "Frequency" values, Add/Remove
>> Programs needs to know the name of the EXE so it can ask the Start menu
>> "Hey, how often did the user run this program, and when was the last time
>> it happened?"
>>
>> Notice that there are no clues in the registration above as to the
>> identity of this EXE file.
>>
>> So Add/Remove Programs starts guessing. It goes through all the programs
>> on your Start menu and compares their names with the display name of the
>> uninstallable item. It looks for Start menu items which share at least
>> two words with the words in the DisplayName.
>>
>>


>>
>> --
>> Ramesh, Windows XP MVP
>> http://windowsxp.mvps.org
>>
>>
>> "Jack Gillis" <XXXXXXXX@widomaker.com> wrote in message
>> news:eLJQrEcmFHA.3144@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
>>>I just noticed that the Last Used Date shown for programs in the
>>>Add/Remove list does not always agree with what I know to be the case.
>>>For instance, Bridge Baron 14 show as being last used on 3/9/2004. I
>>>just finished using it this morning so it seems like the date should be
>>>today's. The same holds true for many other programs in the list.
>>>
>>> Do I misunderstand what the Last Used date indicates?
>>>
>>> Thank you very much.
>>>
>>
>
>

Reply to Anonymous
Anonymous   08-06-2005 at 03:12:14 AM
- 0 +

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)

 

This again fetches the info from Start Menu shortcuts (not the Desktop
shortcuts)

--
Ramesh, Windows XP MVP
http://windowsxp.mvps.org


"Ramesh, MS-MVP" <ramesh@XOX.mvps.org> wrote in message
news:O0u8oNdmFHA.2920@TK2MSFTNGP14.phx.gbl...
> Correct! as per Mr. Raymond Chen. However, you can force an update by
> deleting this registry key:
>
> HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App
> Management\ARPCache
>
> General registry editing warning applies. Be sure to have valid backups
> before deleting the key.
>
> --
> Ramesh, Windows XP MVP
> http://windowsxp.mvps.org
>
>
> "Jack Gillis" <XXXXXXXX@widomaker.com> wrote in message
> news:OmXvjHdmFHA.1948@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
>> Thank you very much. As I understand it then, Add/Remove gets the info
>> only if the EXE is run from the start menu. I seldom, if ever, run one
>> from there for I run my most common ones from shortcuts on the Desktop
>> and in that case Add/Remove never knows they have run. Is that correct?
>>
>> Thanks again.
>>
>> "Ramesh, MS-MVP" <ramesh@XOX.mvps.org> wrote in message
>> news:el2NY0cmFHA.3120@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
>>> The "Last Used" info is made of a guess work. See what Raymond Chen
>>> [MSFT] states:
>>>
>>> The Old New Thing : How does Add/Remove Programs get the size and other
>>> information?:
>>> http://blogs.msdn.com/oldnewthing/ [...] 78342.aspx
>>>
>>>

Quote :


>>> In order to get the "Last Used" and "Frequency" values, Add/Remove
>>> Programs needs to know the name of the EXE so it can ask the Start menu
>>> "Hey, how often did the user run this program, and when was the last
>>> time it happened?"
>>>
>>> Notice that there are no clues in the registration above as to the
>>> identity of this EXE file.
>>>
>>> So Add/Remove Programs starts guessing. It goes through all the programs
>>> on your Start menu and compares their names with the display name of the
>>> uninstallable item. It looks for Start menu items which share at least
>>> two words with the words in the DisplayName.
>>>
>>>


>>>
>>> --
>>> Ramesh, Windows XP MVP
>>> http://windowsxp.mvps.org
>>>
>>>
>>> "Jack Gillis" <XXXXXXXX@widomaker.com> wrote in message
>>> news:eLJQrEcmFHA.3144@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
>>>>I just noticed that the Last Used Date shown for programs in the
>>>>Add/Remove list does not always agree with what I know to be the case.
>>>>For instance, Bridge Baron 14 show as being last used on 3/9/2004. I
>>>>just finished using it this morning so it seems like the date should be
>>>>today's. The same holds true for many other programs in the list.
>>>>
>>>> Do I misunderstand what the Last Used date indicates?
>>>>
>>>> Thank you very much.
>>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>

Reply to Anonymous
Anonymous   08-06-2005 at 03:06:15 AM
- 0 +

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)

 

Thank you again, Ramesh. I generally don't go into the Registry unless
it is to correct a problem. This is not a problem, just a point of
curiosity so I will leave it alone.


"Ramesh, MS-MVP" <ramesh@XOX.mvps.org> wrote in message
news:O0u8oNdmFHA.2920@TK2MSFTNGP14.phx.gbl...
> Correct! as per Mr. Raymond Chen. However, you can force an update by
> deleting this registry key:
>
> HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App
> Management\ARPCache
>
> General registry editing warning applies. Be sure to have valid
> backups before deleting the key.
>
> --
> Ramesh, Windows XP MVP
> http://windowsxp.mvps.org
>
>
> "Jack Gillis" <XXXXXXXX@widomaker.com> wrote in message
> news:OmXvjHdmFHA.1948@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
>> Thank you very much. As I understand it then, Add/Remove gets the
>> info only if the EXE is run from the start menu. I seldom, if ever,
>> run one from there for I run my most common ones from shortcuts on
>> the Desktop and in that case Add/Remove never knows they have run.
>> Is that correct?
>>
>> Thanks again.
>>
>> "Ramesh, MS-MVP" <ramesh@XOX.mvps.org> wrote in message
>> news:el2NY0cmFHA.3120@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
>>> The "Last Used" info is made of a guess work. See what Raymond Chen
>>> [MSFT] states:
>>>
>>> The Old New Thing : How does Add/Remove Programs get the size and
>>> other information?:
>>> http://blogs.msdn.com/oldnewthing/ [...] 78342.aspx
>>>
>>>

Quote :


>>> In order to get the "Last Used" and "Frequency" values, Add/Remove
>>> Programs needs to know the name of the EXE so it can ask the Start
>>> menu "Hey, how often did the user run this program, and when was the
>>> last time it happened?"
>>>
>>> Notice that there are no clues in the registration above as to the
>>> identity of this EXE file.
>>>
>>> So Add/Remove Programs starts guessing. It goes through all the
>>> programs on your Start menu and compares their names with the
>>> display name of the uninstallable item. It looks for Start menu
>>> items which share at least two words with the words in the
>>> DisplayName.
>>>
>>>


>>>
>>> --
>>> Ramesh, Windows XP MVP
>>> http://windowsxp.mvps.org
>>>
>>>
>>> "Jack Gillis" <XXXXXXXX@widomaker.com> wrote in message
>>> news:eLJQrEcmFHA.3144@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
>>>>I just noticed that the Last Used Date shown for programs in the
>>>>Add/Remove list does not always agree with what I know to be the
>>>>case. For instance, Bridge Baron 14 show as being last used on
>>>>3/9/2004. I just finished using it this morning so it seems like
>>>>the date should be today's. The same holds true for many other
>>>>programs in the list.
>>>>
>>>> Do I misunderstand what the Last Used date indicates?
>>>>
>>>> Thank you very much.
>>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>

Reply to Anonymous
Anonymous   08-06-2005 at 03:27:38 AM
- 0 +

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)

 

You're welcome Jack.

>> I generally don't go into the Registry unless it is to correct a problem.

Good practice...I second that.

--
Ramesh, Windows XP MVP
http://windowsxp.mvps.org


"Jack Gillis" <XXXXXXXX@widomaker.com> wrote in message
news:OKqU0XdmFHA.3572@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
> Thank you again, Ramesh. I generally don't go into the Registry unless it
> is to correct a problem. This is not a problem, just a point of curiosity
> so I will leave it alone.
>
>
> "Ramesh, MS-MVP" <ramesh@XOX.mvps.org> wrote in message
> news:O0u8oNdmFHA.2920@TK2MSFTNGP14.phx.gbl...
>> Correct! as per Mr. Raymond Chen. However, you can force an update by
>> deleting this registry key:
>>
>> HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App
>> Management\ARPCache
>>
>> General registry editing warning applies. Be sure to have valid backups
>> before deleting the key.
>>
>> --
>> Ramesh, Windows XP MVP
>> http://windowsxp.mvps.org
>>
>>
>> "Jack Gillis" <XXXXXXXX@widomaker.com> wrote in message
>> news:OmXvjHdmFHA.1948@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
>>> Thank you very much. As I understand it then, Add/Remove gets the info
>>> only if the EXE is run from the start menu. I seldom, if ever, run one
>>> from there for I run my most common ones from shortcuts on the Desktop
>>> and in that case Add/Remove never knows they have run. Is that correct?
>>>
>>> Thanks again.
>>>
>>> "Ramesh, MS-MVP" <ramesh@XOX.mvps.org> wrote in message
>>> news:el2NY0cmFHA.3120@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
>>>> The "Last Used" info is made of a guess work. See what Raymond Chen
>>>> [MSFT] states:
>>>>
>>>> The Old New Thing : How does Add/Remove Programs get the size and other
>>>> information?:
>>>> http://blogs.msdn.com/oldnewthing/ [...] 78342.aspx
>>>>
>>>>

Quote :


>>>> In order to get the "Last Used" and "Frequency" values, Add/Remove
>>>> Programs needs to know the name of the EXE so it can ask the Start menu
>>>> "Hey, how often did the user run this program, and when was the last
>>>> time it happened?"
>>>>
>>>> Notice that there are no clues in the registration above as to the
>>>> identity of this EXE file.
>>>>
>>>> So Add/Remove Programs starts guessing. It goes through all the
>>>> programs on your Start menu and compares their names with the display
>>>> name of the uninstallable item. It looks for Start menu items which
>>>> share at least two words with the words in the DisplayName.
>>>>
>>>>


>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> Ramesh, Windows XP MVP
>>>> http://windowsxp.mvps.org
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> "Jack Gillis" <XXXXXXXX@widomaker.com> wrote in message
>>>> news:eLJQrEcmFHA.3144@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
>>>>>I just noticed that the Last Used Date shown for programs in the
>>>>>Add/Remove list does not always agree with what I know to be the case.
>>>>>For instance, Bridge Baron 14 show as being last used on 3/9/2004. I
>>>>>just finished using it this morning so it seems like the date should be
>>>>>today's. The same holds true for many other programs in the list.
>>>>>
>>>>> Do I misunderstand what the Last Used date indicates?
>>>>>
>>>>> Thank you very much.
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>
>

Reply to Anonymous
Anonymous   08-06-2005 at 03:06:15 AM
- 0 +

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)

 

Ramesh

That is a great tip. I had always thought that the "use" showed how often
the uninstaller was changed\removed.

I followed your tip and the list is now updated and makes good sense

Congratulations

--
Uncle John

....... you can force an update by
> deleting this registry key:
>
> HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App
> Management\ARPCache
>

"Ramesh, MS-MVP"

Reply to Anonymous
Anonymous   08-06-2005 at 05:09:16 PM
- 0 +

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)

 

You're welcome Uncle John :)

--
Ramesh, Windows XP MVP
http://windowsxp.mvps.org


"Uncle John" <unclejohn@uselesnospam.com> wrote in message
news:Ofn$hcemFHA.2472@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
> Ramesh
>
> That is a great tip. I had always thought that the "use" showed how often
> the uninstaller was changed\removed.
>
> I followed your tip and the list is now updated and makes good sense
>
> Congratulations
>
> --
> Uncle John
>
> ...... you can force an update by
>> deleting this registry key:
>>
>> HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App
>> Management\ARPCache
>>
>
> "Ramesh, MS-MVP"
>

Reply to Anonymous
Simon Ledergerber   06-05-2009 at 10:22:33 AM
- 0 +

For an MSI installation Windows Installer maintains a usage count in its own registry based on Product and Feature, which can be found for example under

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Installer\UserData\S-1-5-18\Products\<Packed Product Guid>\Usage

This is maintained by the Windows Installer API.

MsiUseFeature() increments the usage counter (http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa370502(VS.85).aspx)
MsiGetFeatureUsage() gets the Last Used Date and the Use Count

The usage counter is also incremented when launching an application via an advertised shortcut or when using one of the MsiProvide*() functions.

I guess ARP somehow refers to this information provided by Windows Installer.

More information:
Configuring Add/Remove Programs with Windows Installer
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/li [...] S.85).aspx

Simon Ledergerber

Reply to Simon Ledergerber
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