Executing Java/Python in Notepad++ Portable

[Someone Anonymous]

I recently figured out how to install Java in such a way on my flashdrive that it is easy for me to execute Java from Portable Notepad++ using the following tutorial: http://www.quarkphysics.ca/scripsi/java_notepad/

However, after this, I have two questions. My programming teacher at my high school was curious as to whether or not I could get out of the standard Notepad++ output and get the code to output in a Win32 Console (examples of this type of GUI being powershell or command prompt). It’s something that Textpad does when I execute Java and I was curious if I could have that on Notepad++ as well as it’s my preferred source code editor.

Also! I was curious if anyone could help me set this up to do the same thing in Python??? Thanks!

[PeterJones]

Why do you want it in a separate window? NPP_EXEC’s in-Notepad++ console has the ability to copy/paste results.

If you want to have access to the cmd.exe interpreter after running your command, but are willing to have it in the NPP_EXEC console window inside Notepad++, you can change the “Java-run” from

cd "$(CURRENT_DIRECTORY)"
"\java\jdk1.7.0_11\bin\java"  -classpath "$(CURRENT_DIRECTORY)" "$(NAME_PART)"

to

cd "$(CURRENT_DIRECTORY)"
cmd /k "\java\jdk1.7.0_11\bin\java"  -classpath "$(CURRENT_DIRECTORY)" "$(NAME_PART)"

(and similarly for the other scripts from the example page you showed).

But if you insist on a separate window, prefix it with npp_run cmd /k instead of cmd /k to spawn it in a separate window instead of the NPP_EXEC console, like

cd "$(CURRENT_DIRECTORY)"
npp_run cmd /k "\java\jdk1.7.0_11\bin\java"  -classpath "$(CURRENT_DIRECTORY)" "$(NAME_PART)"

Note that every instance of npp_run cmd /k will get its own command window.

To emphasize, there isn’t much benefit to running it in a separate window, except if you like extra windows cluttering your taskbar. If you are insistent upon spawning a new window, be selective about which scripts you add it to. I see no reason for the Java-Compile or Java-Applet-HTML/Java-Applet-Run scripts to spawn a new window (compile is non-interactive, and the HTML-applet just creates an HTML file that is run in a separate process anyway). You might make a mild case for Java-Run to be a separate window, but you’d have to give a strong argument to convince me.

Running an external Python script could be done similarly to the Java-Run script, except you would use the path to your python.exe instead of your java.exe – and similarly, if you want the python output in a separte window, you could use npp_run cmd /k to prefix.

// in the `Console` window, without a cd:
"c:\python27\python.exe" "$(FULL_CURRENT_PATH)"

// in the `Console` window, with a cd, so that later you can run the command again without using your script
cd "$(CURRENT_DIRECTORY)"
"c:\python27\python.exe" "$(NAME_PART)"
// edit your script, save, then type the following to run it again without clearning the console window:
"c:\python27\python.exe" "$(NAME_PART)"

// in the `Console` window, but allow `cmd.exe` commands to be run inside the window, from the same directory, after the script is run
cd "$(CURRENT_DIRECTORY)"
cmd /k "c:\python27\python.exe" "$(NAME_PART)"

// in a separate window
cd "$(CURRENT_DIRECTORY)"
npp_run cmd /k "c:\python27\python.exe" "$(NAME_PART)"

Note, if you are a fan of Python, you might also consider the Python Script Plugin for Notepad++, which allows you to use a python script to automate things inside Notepad++ (as the next level of scripting beyond NPP_EXEC’s capabilities)

[Someone Anonymous]

My teacher is more used to the cmd output and wanted it that way to review my programs, whereas I prefer the NppExec console and overall prefer Notepad++ as a source code editor. Thank you for your help!

[Someone Anonymous]

Getting this error, though: https://ibb.co/mOVfxQ

Both versions of your code are doing this.

Not sure what the issue is, Java-Run is working fine: https://ibb.co/hs3dj5

[PeterJones]

it’s should be launching the right programs, based on those screenshots.

What drive is java installed on? Assuming it’s on C:, not U:, it may be that with the cmd /k or npp_run cmd /k prefix, you have to change to

npp_run cmd /k "c:\java\jdk1.7.0_11\bin\java"  -classpath "$(CURRENT_DIRECTORY)" "$(NAME_PART)"

to explicitly indicate which drive java is on.

Searching on your error text, it usually indicates a special character not properly quoted. Those don’t look like accidental smartquotes in your screenshot, but you might want to check for that. And what happens if you do the cmd /k version without the npp_run (try the intermediate step, to debug whether it’s cmd.exe or npp_run which is going from not-working to working)