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    Why won't NPP open .txt files

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    • Lee WilkersonL
      Lee Wilkerson
      last edited by

      If Notepad++ will no longer be able to edit .txt files, I have no further use for it.
      Is it ever going to be fixed or not?

      Claudia FrankC 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • Claudia FrankC
        Claudia Frank @Lee Wilkerson
        last edited by

        Hello Lee-Wilkerson,

        npp can edit .txt files. There must be something specific with your environment.
        Which npp version do you use?
        Which operating system? In case it is windows 10, did you try to start npp as non-admin?
        How do you try to open text files, using the open file dialog or using the context menu option
        from the explorer? Or drag and drop?

        Cheers
        Claudia

        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
        • Mike SegorM
          Mike Segor
          last edited by

          I’ve had the same problem for about 2 weeks. I’m using 6.8.8 on Windows 8.1

          When I try to open any text file with a .txt extension the program opens but the file does not appear.

          When I save a text file, the “Save as type …” box indicates that it will be saved as a .txt file and it is saved with the .txt extension.

          But when I try to open the file I just created, the file is not found. This happens whether I open it by double-clicking it or by right click->“Edit with Notepad++”

          It does not give me a message that the file is not found, it just opens the program as though I had not specified any file to edit.

          The only way I can currently open any file with a .txt extension is to change the file name by removing the .txt extension.

          Claudia FrankC 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • Claudia FrankC
            Claudia Frank @Mike Segor
            last edited by

            Hello @Mike-Segor

            can you tell me where you saved that file? Or doesn’t it matter, regardless where you store
            your file, if it has txt extension it isn’t opened.
            Can you show us the debug info? (it’s located under the ? menu)

            Cheers
            Claudia

            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • Mike SegorM
              Mike Segor
              last edited by

              This is happening in many folders on the C drive.

              Notepad++ v6.8.8
              Build time : Dec 10 2015 - 01:11:37
              Path : C:\Program Files (x86)\Notepad++\notepad++.exe
              Admin mode : OFF
              Local Conf mode : OFF
              OS : Windows 8.1
              Plugins : mimeTools.dll NppConverter.dll NppExport.dll NppFTP.dll PluginManager.dll

              Claudia FrankC 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • Claudia FrankC
                Claudia Frank @Mike Segor
                last edited by

                Hello Mike-Segor,

                I have setup a Windows 8.1 x64 and installed npp

                Notepad++ v6.8.8
                Build time : Dec 10 2015 - 01:11:37
                Path : C:\Program Files (x86)\Notepad++\notepad++.exe
                Admin mode : OFF
                Local Conf mode : OFF
                OS : Windows 8.1
                Plugins : mimeTools.dll NppConverter.dll NppExport.dll PluginManager.dll

                I searched for *.txt files on C drive and got 46 returned. I was able to open each of them using npp.
                Either by dragging, double click or right-click edit with notepad++ all worked. So there must be something special
                in the case when it doesn’t work.

                Except for the NppFTP plugin and the fact, that 8.1 is running in a virtualbox, I have the same setup I guess.
                Which version of NppFTP do you use. Plugins->NppFTP->About NppFTP (version is listed on the bottom)

                Can you stop npp and goto to %APPDATA% directory? Would you mind renaming, not deleting, the notepad++
                directory? Then start npp and do the test. Has something changed?

                Cheers
                Claudia

                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • Mike SegorM
                  Mike Segor
                  last edited by

                  Yes, renaming %APPDATA%\Notepad++\ makes files ending in .txt openable again in NPP.

                  I notice that opening NPP, after the rename, recreates the %APPDATA%\Notepad++ directory. The new directory also contains the NppFTP plugin files but with a current timestamp on them.

                  I closed and opened npp again, and it seems to stay fixed. I don’t use the FTP feature and don’t remember intentionally installing it.

                  But I think I’m back on the road again. Thanks.

                  \

                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                  • stu erskineS
                    stu erskine
                    last edited by

                    THAT’S THE FIX !!!.. Just go in and rename the %APPDATA%\NPP directory. Then go to Windows Explorer and double click a TXT file. BANG… It opens NPP and the desired file. I hope I don’t have to do this a lot.

                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                    • wwwdealsW
                      wwwdeals
                      last edited by

                      This issue just happened to me and I’ve been using notepad++ in Windows 10 for a while. As much as I appreciate the workaround, it is not a real fix. I’m surprised after 5 years this issue is still around.

                      EkopalypseE 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • EkopalypseE
                        Ekopalypse @wwwdeals
                        last edited by

                        @wwwdeals said in Why won't NPP open .txt files:

                        I’m surprised after 5 years this issue is still around.

                        Unless there is a way to reproduce the cause, it is hard to fix I guess.

                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
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