- Joined
- Feb 18, 2002
Sometimes I use overclockers forums as Cloud storage for things like this, so I wrote this for myself. Over the years, I was weary of Notepad replacements because I was worried they might be buggy or be slower alternatives. I still think Notepad should be left alone on older systems but time has come to ditch it and replace it on modern systems, because it has no squiggly red lines telling us we've misspelled words.
Sure, Windows 8 has a universal spell checker - but all people want is a Notepad which would underline misspelled words as they type them, when for whatever reason a real word processor is not accessible or is too slow. So I set out to see if I could replace Notepad and have everything stay the same as if using Windows Notepad, right down to the icon in the Task Bar.
If there is a better alternative to Notepad++, please post what it is:
http://notepad-plus-plus.org/download/
EDIT: Finally an alternative. Initial Alpha version, hopefully it will be perfected: http://www.overclockers.com/forums/...ith-Spell-Checker-already-added-in!?p=7757954
The main down side of Notepad++ is that it is not user friendly. For example, if somebody said to me, make changing default font in Notepad as difficult as possible, if that was the task, I could not have come up with a more difficult process than the author did.
INSTRUCTIONS:
-------------------
First copy contents of Notepad++ folder View attachment Notepad++.zip to
C:\Users\[User Name]\AppData\Roaming\Notepad++
replacing existing files. For Windows XP, the directory is
C:\Documents and Settings\[User Name]\Application Data\Notepad++\
Then:
Plugins > Plugin Manager > Show Plugin Manager > Available TAB > CHECK: Customize Toolbar > Install > Yes > Yes.
Then
Plugins> DSpellCheck > Settings... > Download Dictionaries > English (United States) > Install Selected > Yes > OK > OK
Right click on .txt file > Open With > Choose Default Program > Browse to C:\Program Files (x86)\Notepad++\notepad++.exe
CHECK: Always use the selected program to open this kind of file
To get this:
Included settings were setup like this:
[Before using Notepad++ to print, disable DSpellChecker (and re-enable after printing) otherwise red wavy lines under misspelled words will show up on printouts.]
Double click on Setup.exe to install the program.
UNCHECK: Auto-Updater
To transfer settings:
First copy contents of Notepad++ folder to
C:\Users\[User Name]\AppData\Roaming\Notepad++
replacing existing files. For Windows XP, the directory is
C:\Documents and Settings\[User Name]\Application Data\Notepad++\
Then:
Plugins > Plugin Manager > Show Plugin Manager > Available TAB > CHECK: Customize Toolbar and Zoom Disabler > Install > Yes > Yes.
Then
Right click on .txt file > Open With > Choose Default Program > Browse to C:\Program Files (x86)\Notepad++\notepad++.exe
CHECK: Always use the selected program to open this kind of file
* * *
Included settings were setup like this:
Plugins > DSpellCheck > Change Current Language > English (United States) > (You can also Remove Unneeded Languages... here)
Plugins> DSpellCheck > Settings... > Hunspell Dictionaries Path > set folder where file en_US.usr will be saved which stores all user-added spelling dictionary entries.
[Set it for both Current User and All Users] > Be sure to Download Dictionaries...
Settings > Style Configurator > Font name: Verdana > Font Size: 14
Background Colour > More Colours... >
28 255
240 243
221 215
Make sure all nine color numbers stay as entered before clicking on
Add to Custom Colors > Select the color you just added > OK
CHECK: Enable global background color >
CHECK: Enable global font
CHECK: Enable global font style
Select Brace highlight style [under Global override] > Click on Foreground color and select Black > UNCHECK: Bold >
Select Smart Highlighting > Background color: orange [second column from left, fourth row]
> Save & Close
View > Show Symbol > UNCHECK: Show Indent Guide
View > CHECK: Word wrap
Settings > Preferences >
General > Tool Bar > Big icons > Tap Bar > CHECK: Hide > UNCHECK: Show status bar
Editing > Folder Margin Style > None > Line Wrap > Default > UNCHECK: Display line number
Default Directory > Remember last used directory
Recent Files History > Only File Name
File Association > .txt .log .ini .nfo
Print > Delete all Header and Footer entries
Backup > Recommended to leave UNCHECKED but if you CHECK: Remember current session for next launch,
Notepad++ will restore last session entirely. On startup Notepad++ does not only open the saved opened files, but also restores the unsaved file and unsaved untitled document of last session. (User won't be asked to save unsaved file as he quits Notepad++, it will be automatically saved in a temporary file to be opened automatically in next launch.)
Enable session snapshot and periodic backup can only be selected if you CHECK: Remember current session for next launch
Backup on save: None None [because backup .bak files are never deleted by the program, they are permanently saved.]
Auto-Completion > UNCHECK: Enable Auto-Completion on each input
Multi-Instance > Always in multi-instance mode
MISC. > CHECK: Show only file name in title bar > Close
Customize Toolbar: Plugins > Plugin Manager > Show Plugin Manager > Available TAB > CHECK: Customize Toolbar > Install > Yes > Yes.
Plugins > Customize Toolbar > Customize:
| Save | Copy Paste Cut | Undo | Replace... | Word wrap
Close Notepad++ then use Resource Hacker
http://www.angusj.com/resourcehacker/
to open C:\Windows\notepad.exe
Click on + next to icon > click on + next to 9 [for Windows Vista/7/8] or 7 [for Windows XP] > Right click on 1033 > Save [Icon] resources... > Save
Close Notepad++ then use Resource Hacker
to open C:\Program Files (x86)\Notepad++\notepad++.exe
Click on + next to Icon Group > click on + next to 100 > Right click on 1033 > Replace Resource... >
Open file with new icon... > Browse to .ico file saved from Notepad.exe in previous step > Open > Replace > File > Save
Notepad++ configuration files are stored in folder:
C:\Users\[User Name]\AppData\Roaming\Notepad++
or
C:\Documents and Settings\[User Name]\Application Data\Notepad++\
config.xml
stores GUI and MISC settings.
langs.xml
stores all the keywords of supported languages to be highlighted.
stylers.xml
stores all the syntax highlighting (colors, fonts, etc...).
Optional configuration files:
contextMenu.xml
context menu configuration.
session.xml
stores lists of file paths of previous session files.
shortcuts.xml
stores recorded macros, user defined commands and remapped shortcuts.
userDefineLang.xml
stores user defined languages to be highlighted.
doLocalConf.xml
a zero length file which is used to determinate where Notepad++ loads the configuration xml files.
allowAppDataPlugins.xml
a zero length file which, if present, will allow plugins installed in %APPDATA\Notepad++\plugins to be loaded as well as "local" plugins.
asNotepad.xml
a zero length file which is used to make Notepad++ behavior similar to MS Notepad
toolbarIcons.xml
this file will enable you to customize the icons on your Toolbar - but not the set of buttons.
nativeLang.xml
When using a localization from Settings > Preferences > Global, the corresponding file from the Localizations subfolder is copied to nativeLang.xml and elements of the user interface are translated.
[ doLocalConf.xml and asNotepad.xml should always be in Notepad++ installation folder. langs.xml should be in %APPDATA%\Notepad++\ folder under Windows Vista/7/8. Other xml files are loaded from %AppData%\Notepad++ or Notepad++.exe's own folder, depending on the absence or presence of doLocalConf.xml file in Notepad++.exe's folder. ]
* * *
To remove all lines that do not contain YourSearchTerm:
Search > Find > Mark TAB > in the Find what box, type Your Search Term
CHECK: Bookmark line
SELECT: Regular expression
> Mark All (next to your search term) > OK > Close
Search Menu > Bookmark > Remove Unmarked Lines
If you change your mind and wish to remove Context Menu Entry from right click menu:
delete the following registry key to remove Notepad++ from right click menu:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\*\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\ANotepad++
Default locations for Plugins > DSpellCheck > Settings... > Hunspell Dictionaries Path >
For Current User:
C:\Users\[user name]\AppData\Roaming\Notepad++\plugins\Config\Hunspell
For All Users:
.\plugins\config\Hunspell
Sure, Windows 8 has a universal spell checker - but all people want is a Notepad which would underline misspelled words as they type them, when for whatever reason a real word processor is not accessible or is too slow. So I set out to see if I could replace Notepad and have everything stay the same as if using Windows Notepad, right down to the icon in the Task Bar.
If there is a better alternative to Notepad++, please post what it is:
http://notepad-plus-plus.org/download/
EDIT: Finally an alternative. Initial Alpha version, hopefully it will be perfected: http://www.overclockers.com/forums/...ith-Spell-Checker-already-added-in!?p=7757954
The main down side of Notepad++ is that it is not user friendly. For example, if somebody said to me, make changing default font in Notepad as difficult as possible, if that was the task, I could not have come up with a more difficult process than the author did.
INSTRUCTIONS:
-------------------
First copy contents of Notepad++ folder View attachment Notepad++.zip to
C:\Users\[User Name]\AppData\Roaming\Notepad++
replacing existing files. For Windows XP, the directory is
C:\Documents and Settings\[User Name]\Application Data\Notepad++\
Then:
Plugins > Plugin Manager > Show Plugin Manager > Available TAB > CHECK: Customize Toolbar > Install > Yes > Yes.
Then
Plugins> DSpellCheck > Settings... > Download Dictionaries > English (United States) > Install Selected > Yes > OK > OK
Right click on .txt file > Open With > Choose Default Program > Browse to C:\Program Files (x86)\Notepad++\notepad++.exe
CHECK: Always use the selected program to open this kind of file
To get this:
Included settings were setup like this:
[Before using Notepad++ to print, disable DSpellChecker (and re-enable after printing) otherwise red wavy lines under misspelled words will show up on printouts.]
Double click on Setup.exe to install the program.
UNCHECK: Auto-Updater
To transfer settings:
First copy contents of Notepad++ folder to
C:\Users\[User Name]\AppData\Roaming\Notepad++
replacing existing files. For Windows XP, the directory is
C:\Documents and Settings\[User Name]\Application Data\Notepad++\
Then:
Plugins > Plugin Manager > Show Plugin Manager > Available TAB > CHECK: Customize Toolbar and Zoom Disabler > Install > Yes > Yes.
Then
Right click on .txt file > Open With > Choose Default Program > Browse to C:\Program Files (x86)\Notepad++\notepad++.exe
CHECK: Always use the selected program to open this kind of file
* * *
Included settings were setup like this:
Plugins > DSpellCheck > Change Current Language > English (United States) > (You can also Remove Unneeded Languages... here)
Plugins> DSpellCheck > Settings... > Hunspell Dictionaries Path > set folder where file en_US.usr will be saved which stores all user-added spelling dictionary entries.
[Set it for both Current User and All Users] > Be sure to Download Dictionaries...
Settings > Style Configurator > Font name: Verdana > Font Size: 14
Background Colour > More Colours... >
28 255
240 243
221 215
Make sure all nine color numbers stay as entered before clicking on
Add to Custom Colors > Select the color you just added > OK
CHECK: Enable global background color >
CHECK: Enable global font
CHECK: Enable global font style
Select Brace highlight style [under Global override] > Click on Foreground color and select Black > UNCHECK: Bold >
Select Smart Highlighting > Background color: orange [second column from left, fourth row]
> Save & Close
View > Show Symbol > UNCHECK: Show Indent Guide
View > CHECK: Word wrap
Settings > Preferences >
General > Tool Bar > Big icons > Tap Bar > CHECK: Hide > UNCHECK: Show status bar
Editing > Folder Margin Style > None > Line Wrap > Default > UNCHECK: Display line number
Default Directory > Remember last used directory
Recent Files History > Only File Name
File Association > .txt .log .ini .nfo
Print > Delete all Header and Footer entries
Backup > Recommended to leave UNCHECKED but if you CHECK: Remember current session for next launch,
Notepad++ will restore last session entirely. On startup Notepad++ does not only open the saved opened files, but also restores the unsaved file and unsaved untitled document of last session. (User won't be asked to save unsaved file as he quits Notepad++, it will be automatically saved in a temporary file to be opened automatically in next launch.)
Enable session snapshot and periodic backup can only be selected if you CHECK: Remember current session for next launch
Backup on save: None None [because backup .bak files are never deleted by the program, they are permanently saved.]
Auto-Completion > UNCHECK: Enable Auto-Completion on each input
Multi-Instance > Always in multi-instance mode
MISC. > CHECK: Show only file name in title bar > Close
Customize Toolbar: Plugins > Plugin Manager > Show Plugin Manager > Available TAB > CHECK: Customize Toolbar > Install > Yes > Yes.
Plugins > Customize Toolbar > Customize:
| Save | Copy Paste Cut | Undo | Replace... | Word wrap
Close Notepad++ then use Resource Hacker
http://www.angusj.com/resourcehacker/
to open C:\Windows\notepad.exe
Click on + next to icon > click on + next to 9 [for Windows Vista/7/8] or 7 [for Windows XP] > Right click on 1033 > Save [Icon] resources... > Save
Close Notepad++ then use Resource Hacker
to open C:\Program Files (x86)\Notepad++\notepad++.exe
Click on + next to Icon Group > click on + next to 100 > Right click on 1033 > Replace Resource... >
Open file with new icon... > Browse to .ico file saved from Notepad.exe in previous step > Open > Replace > File > Save
Notepad++ configuration files are stored in folder:
C:\Users\[User Name]\AppData\Roaming\Notepad++
or
C:\Documents and Settings\[User Name]\Application Data\Notepad++\
config.xml
stores GUI and MISC settings.
langs.xml
stores all the keywords of supported languages to be highlighted.
stylers.xml
stores all the syntax highlighting (colors, fonts, etc...).
Optional configuration files:
contextMenu.xml
context menu configuration.
session.xml
stores lists of file paths of previous session files.
shortcuts.xml
stores recorded macros, user defined commands and remapped shortcuts.
userDefineLang.xml
stores user defined languages to be highlighted.
doLocalConf.xml
a zero length file which is used to determinate where Notepad++ loads the configuration xml files.
allowAppDataPlugins.xml
a zero length file which, if present, will allow plugins installed in %APPDATA\Notepad++\plugins to be loaded as well as "local" plugins.
asNotepad.xml
a zero length file which is used to make Notepad++ behavior similar to MS Notepad
toolbarIcons.xml
this file will enable you to customize the icons on your Toolbar - but not the set of buttons.
nativeLang.xml
When using a localization from Settings > Preferences > Global, the corresponding file from the Localizations subfolder is copied to nativeLang.xml and elements of the user interface are translated.
[ doLocalConf.xml and asNotepad.xml should always be in Notepad++ installation folder. langs.xml should be in %APPDATA%\Notepad++\ folder under Windows Vista/7/8. Other xml files are loaded from %AppData%\Notepad++ or Notepad++.exe's own folder, depending on the absence or presence of doLocalConf.xml file in Notepad++.exe's folder. ]
* * *
To remove all lines that do not contain YourSearchTerm:
Search > Find > Mark TAB > in the Find what box, type Your Search Term
CHECK: Bookmark line
SELECT: Regular expression
> Mark All (next to your search term) > OK > Close
Search Menu > Bookmark > Remove Unmarked Lines
If you change your mind and wish to remove Context Menu Entry from right click menu:
delete the following registry key to remove Notepad++ from right click menu:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\*\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\ANotepad++
Default locations for Plugins > DSpellCheck > Settings... > Hunspell Dictionaries Path >
For Current User:
C:\Users\[user name]\AppData\Roaming\Notepad++\plugins\Config\Hunspell
For All Users:
.\plugins\config\Hunspell
Last edited: