code: private void loadRecentList() {
  		recent.clear();
  		File file = new File(RECENT_FILE_NAME);
  
  		if (file.exists()) {
  			try {
  				InputStream inputStream = new BufferedInputStream(new FileInputStream(file));
  
  				XMLDecoder decoder = new XMLDecoder(inputStream);
  				List result = (List) decoder.readObject();
  				decoder.close();
  				for (Object obj : result) {
  					if (obj instanceof ExampleData) {
  						recent.add((ExampleData) obj);
  					}
  				}
  			} catch (IOException ex) {
  				LogFactory.getLog(getClass()).error("Unable to load recent list", ex);
  			}
  		}
  	}
docs: Reads the list of recently selected examples from a file on the file system.