Robert’s Ramblings

If you are like most Windows users, you have needed to use Notepad to read a text file or to temporarily paste some information that you are going to use in another application. You may have even tried to use it to make a quick change to a web page or an source code file for a development project. If you have, then you surely appreciate the fact the program is available for free with Windows and that it is generally useful enough for simple tasks.

However after using Notepad more than once, chances are that you have also experienced some of its limitations. One of these is that file sizes are limited to a little more than 64 thousand characters. Another is that it does not display line numbers. This is particularly a problem for modifying source code or web sites. When working with these types of files, you are often looking for a specific line that has created a problem in a program or web site. Notepad is useless for this purpose and requires that you manually count each line–not a very productive option.

A free, open source replacement is now available. It is called Notepad++. Notepad++ lives up to its name. It is a expanded Notepad with line numbers, the ability to open multiple files at once, sophisticated search capabilities, bookmarks, syntax highlighting for various computer languages and so much more. It can also print your file in color with source code keywords highlighted. Although it is optimized for programmers, it is very useful for any text file manipulation and is an excellent replacement for Notepad.

One of the cool features is that you can edit two sections of the same document within the editor. Notepad++ also support drag and drop. That means you can click on a file in Windows Explorer and drag it over to the Notepad++ icon on the desktop and the program will open with the file. You can also drag and drop a file into an open Notepad++ instance and it will open the file as a new document without affecting any other document that it already has open. Another useful feature is the Zoom feature–it makes all the lines in a file larger and is popular for people with sight issues.

Notepad++ also has a plug in function that allows you to add functionality that others develop for it. There are dozens of plug ins available. One that is useful is a spell checker, but there are many others that are specialized for different fields.

One last feature that you should know about is the macro recording capabilities. You can have Notepad++ record a sequence of actions that you perform within it and then replay these actions as many times as you want. This is useful for editing a group of lines in a file with the same pattern without having to type the same thing repeatedly.

I recommend this free program wholeheartedly. You can get it free here: http://notepad-plus.sourceforge.net/uk/download.php

Robert Alonso
Alonso Consulting