init-open-recentf with use-package

Question

I want to use use-package for nearly everything in my init.el. I have set up recentf. And to make the recent-file buffer pop up when Emacs starts I also included the init-open-recentf package.

But I cannot make it work with use-package. The recentf-list does not pop up on start.

This question is not only about how to make it work but more about how to make it work the use-package way.

This is the problematic init.el

    (use-package recentf
      :bind
      ("C-x C-r" . recentf-open-files)
      :config
      (setq recentf-max-menu-items 15
            recentf-max-saved-items 100
       )
      (recentf-mode 1))
    
    (use-package init-open-recentf
      :after recentf
      :config (init-open-recentf))

Of course I can call init-oopen-recentf outside the use-package thing. But I assume there is a way to do this with use-package.

    (use-package init-open-recentf
      :after recentf)
    ;; works
    (init-open-recentf)

Answer 1

Your snippet isn't working because recentf won't load until you press the C-x C-r key combination, which in turn implies init-open-recentf will not be loaded. You can read more about lazy loading with use-package.

(use-package recentf
      :bind ("C-x C-r" . recentf-open-files)
      :config
      (setq recentf-max-menu-items 15
            recentf-max-saved-items 100
       )
      :hook (after-init . recentf-mode))
    
(use-package init-open-recentf
      :after recentf
      :config (init-open-recentf))

This works for me. The hook ensures that recentf-mode is loaded and configured after Emacs starts. It is possible to come up with alternate forms using :init sections.

You will need to add :demand t to the second use-package macro if you have set use-package-always-defer to a non-nil value.