Comments don't work?

Alan Kilborn · Feb 1, 2017, 3:34 PM

So I have not seen much of a need for these “comment” commands:

For a single line, is it really necessary to invoke this command? Perhaps for the C style /* and */ on a single line it is of some use, but do people really use that these days instead of // ? Instead of invoking the command, just put the // © or # (Python) or “whatever” on MANUALLY YOURSELF. :-)

For a selected block, in the language I use (Python), invoking the Comment command puts a # at the start of the non-whitespace text on every line…well, OK, but if I’m doing it myself I would probably put a three ’ or " chars above the first line and below the last line of my desired block. Worse, though, for the # on every line approach done by “Block Comment” is that the “Block Uncomment” does nothing!

Am I missing the value here? Can someone explain it to me?

Paul Vorn · Feb 1, 2017, 4:02 PM

Thanks for the replies, and yes, I meant “CTRL - Q” as a shortcut for comment / uncomment.

I’m writing code for Unity3D in Javascript. Been using Notepad++ for about 8 years for this. When I highlight a block of code, I press “CTRL” and “Q” to comment or un-comment that block of code. Sometimes it works, but most of the time it doesn’t. I also tried using the top pull down menu to comment / un-comment the code. That doesn’t work. I tried selecting only a single line of code. That doesn’t work. I tried closing Notepad++ and then relaunching it. That didn’t fix it. I checked the Short Cut mapper, and yes, “CTRL - Q” is there.

I only started seeing this issue late last year when I updated Notepad++. Earlier today I updated again hoping the update would fix it only to find it’s even worse. This is driving me nutz!

PeterJones · Feb 1, 2017, 5:05 PM

Unfortunately, it’s hard to debug your problem for you, since we cannot replicate your problem.

Maybe it’s one of your plugins. If you’d give us your ? > Debug Info, it lists the plugins you have installed, and maybe a user here would recognize one with an instability.

If you try running notepad++ -noPlugin, NPP will load with no plugins, and if that makes it reliable, then probably one of your plugins is interfering. You could then enable one plugin at a time by renaming all the .dll in your installation’s notepad++\plugins subdirectory – if you rename all but one to .xdllx, then only the one will be enabled; if you go thru having only one .dll at a time, you can find which plugin is causing the instability.

Paul Vorn · Feb 1, 2017, 5:19 PM

I completely un-installed Notepad++ and installed a fresh new copy. So far it seems to be working. The new install is the 64 bit version, the old install was 32 bits.

Paul Vorn · Feb 1, 2017, 6:59 PM

I might know what was causing the problem. I have been using a custom language definition for UnityScript (a version of Javascript) that was created by the Unity3D community 6 or 7 years ago. When I did the clean install, I removed all my old settings, including that custom language. I’ve been using this updated / clean version for several hours and so far no issues. I can’t think of any other reason why I would have problems while no one else seems to.

PeterJones · Feb 1, 2017, 7:49 PM

If you’re interested in further debug (and I won’t be offended if you aren’t), you could try just installing that one plugin, and see if it really is the culprit. If you’re not interested, I’m at least glad it seems to be working for you. Enjoy.

Paul Vorn · Feb 2, 2017, 9:56 AM

Unfortunately, I spoke too soon. After not running into any issues after the fresh install yesterday, today when I started it back up I can’t use the CTRL-Q toggle to comment / un-comment. Same issue as before. :( Here’s the contents of the debug window:

Notepad++ v7.3.1 (64-bit)
Build time : Jan 17 2017 - 00:28:43
Path : C:\Program Files\Notepad++\notepad++.exe
Admin mode : OFF
Local Conf mode : OFF
OS : Windows 7
Plugins : mimeTools.dll NppConverter.dll

Paul Vorn · Feb 2, 2017, 11:11 AM

I’ve just installed Notepad++ version 6.0 to see if it works any better than the newer versions. As I posted at the beginning of this thread, I’ve been using Notepad++ without issues for years and only started seeing this issue when I updated last year.

Finley Dabinett · Feb 3, 2017, 2:59 PM

I believe it has something to do with auto-reloaded files. What I mean by this is, when you open notepad++ then open a file, the commenting feature works fine. But if you keep that file open and close the notepad++ program then relaunch it, the file will be automatically open, and that is when the commenting does not work. But, if you re-open the file, it will work again.

So basically, files that are opened on launch of the notepad++ application have some issue with commenting using the shortcut.

Claudia Frank · Feb 3, 2017, 2:59 PM

@Finley-Dabinett

Tested it - I do not have that behavior.
Must be something else.

Cheers
Claudia

Claudia Frank · Feb 3, 2017, 3:11 PM

@Alan-Kilborn

So I have not seen much of a need for these “comment” commands:

To be honest - I use ctrl-k (and shift+ctrl+k) exclusively.
If you are at the position where you can put in a hash ( to stay with the python example) then
yes, of course, it would be quicker, but I’m almost never at that position.

Am I missing the value here?

No, it’s just not implemented - but as said, I don’t care I just have to remember two shortcuts,
well, not true, three shortcuts (I use toggle comment often also). Single line un-/comment and
toggle line comment. They work for blocks as well. ;-)

Cheers
Claudia

Alan Kilborn · Feb 5, 2017, 1:40 PM

@Claudia-Frank

Your statements make a lot of sense. I think I understand now. I have been using the ‘toggle’ shortcut key since I saw your reply and I LIKE IT. I think I was wanting the “block” version of the command to work, but since the toggle works for single lines or blocks I can just ignore (not use) the block version. Many thanks!

Larry Bell · Apr 5, 2017, 8:38 PM

@Finley-Dabinett I agree. That is the behavior I am having too. In addition, I changed my mapping for Single Line Comment to another key combination and now my CTRL+K puts a VT in a black box on the page. So there is probably a conflict somewhere even though the mapper says there isn’t any conflicts.

PeterJones · Apr 5, 2017, 9:28 PM

No, there is no shortcut conflict. If Ctrl+K is assigned to nothing, it will go back to it’s extremely ancient mapping, which is VT (char 11, 0x0B). Just like Ctrl+J is LF, Ctrl+M is CR, Ctrl+H is BS, and Ctrl+I is TAB.

(Ctrl+M, Ctrl+H and Ctrl+I all behave just like their ENTER, BACKSPACE, and TAB key equivalents in something like cmd.exe)

Dennis Paroutsas · Apr 9, 2020, 8:29 AM

I found my way around it. I just created two new shortcuts, like this:

First, I hilighted a whole line.
Then started recording a new “Macro”.
I cutted the line to the clipboard (ctrl-x).
Then i printed two slashes “//”.
Then i pasted the cutted line again (ctrl-v).
Then paused recording, assinged the shorcut Alt-A (so it can be eazy with my left hand)
Lastly I named it “Comment_Line_In_Javascript” and voila!!!
Now when I press “alt-A” comments any line i want.

I also did the same for block of lines. (Highlight the block, cut it, type “/*”+enter, paste in again, type “*/”+enter, save with Alt-Q, and that’s it!!!

Alan Kilborn · Apr 9, 2020, 8:50 PM

@Dennis-Paroutsas

It does work, but it isn’t (and can’t be) language aware.
Thus if you always program in C-style languages you are all set.
But if you code in several different languages you’d have to have different macros and different keycombos that invoke them.

And, you have to highlight a line (or a block) before running the macro. It’s arguably easier to just press / and / and achieve the same thing, with no follow-on caret positioning needed.