@donho I updated from 8.8.8 and after the first launch of Notepad++ the error “Load lang.xml failed!” occured once (exe-installer on latest Windows 11).

FYI
For the security reason, the https://download.notepad-plus-plus.org/ will be shutdown for some days.
It might be back online next year.

@Andrea-Gaviraghi More results from allowing updates on MSI package. The 8.8.8 MSI pulls the update from Notepad++ and it then installs the 8.8.9 executable. So again, the computer shows 2 installs, when only the newest is really installed. This process should be a lot cleaner…

@donho
Sometimes there are users (like me) that do some silly thing, that are not expected.

In version 8.6 a new style had been introduced: “Multi selected text colour”. The effect for me was, that in column-select mode the selection was shown only partially (last line only). It took me some time to find out what was my fault. I use a personalised style, where the default background colour happens to have the value “C0C0C0”, the same value as the background for this new style. Therefore I could not see the selection because it had the same bg-colour as the rest of my text. For “Selected text colour” I use the value “A0A0A0”; after applying this value to the new style, it worked again.

I know, it is really a very special case, but it may happen. A similar situation might arise with other changes in the future. For these cases it would help to have a backup for comparison.

@PeterJones
Thanks, Peter, for the detailed instructions.
Now, Notepad++ V8.8.9 launches, as expected.

Murray

FYI, v8.8.8 RC has updated to RC2 to enhance the security of auto-update.

@donho ,
And it updated flawlessly. Thank you for getting that smoothed out. When things like that, act up, it gives users the heebee jeebees. :-)

@xomx
Well spotted!

With the signtool, I passed the argument /as to signed with both the first certif and the 2nd one - that makes the duplication signature on binaries when the script runs morn than 1 time.

I just fixed the script to pass /a to sign with the first certif and /as with the 2nd one.

More info:

/a Select the best signing cert automatically. SignTool will find all valid certs that satisfy all specified conditions and select the one that is valid for the longest. If this option is not present, SignTool will expect to find only one valid signing cert. /as Append this signature. If no primary signature is present, this signature will be made the primary signature instead.

The explanation is not explicite for /a. In my experience, usage of this parameter removes all the signatures before signing with the certificate.

The problem of signature duplication is fixed in RC2:
https://download.notepad-plus-plus.org/repository/8.x/8.8.7.RC2/

edit: with some tests, it turns out that the argument /a does nothing for the first signing - without /a it still removes all signatures before signing.

@xomx

is it there a Notepad++ Inc. or LLC now?

LOL.
I have been struggling with administrative hurdles & certificate companies over the past few months to make it happen. In short: I had to register Notepad++ association (which has existed since 2019 to obtain a DigiCert certificate) with INSEE, a French government agency, Then I had to change the association old postal address to the new one so the certificate company could verify the authenticity of association via mail.

As a result, it’s possible to obtain a certificate under the open-source project’s name - on the condition that a NGO with the same name is created, and registered in the country where the project maintainer resides. This way, the project is recognized as a business entity by the certificate company, allowing them to issue a certificate to the entity. Nonetheless, Notepad++ still retains its community-driven, non-profit status.

There’s another path that avoids this painful process. Over the past few months, I recieved an offer from Azure Trusted Signing to have “Notepad++” named certificate signed via GitHub actions.

If it works, it would be great for nppPluginList to be released independently - so it can follow its own release circle, separate from Notepad++'s. Notepad++ could then update nppPluginList via WinGUp.
However, there is an unsolved login issue, and I’m still waiting for their team to fix it.