TextFX Plugin Completely Missing

[spamcop01]

I know there’s another thread about getting this plugin enabled, but my issue is that it’s completely missing. I built a new Windows 10 system and installed NPP 7.6.6 64-bit from a Windows installer. Not only is TextFX not available on the NPP menus, it’s also not listed in the Plugins Admin as an available plugin, and there is no NppTextFX.dll anywhere on my computer. I downloaded the zip & 7z packages (along with previous versions) hoping to find the dll in there, but no joy.

Where o’ where did this dll go and how can I get it back. This plugin is the only one I use in NPP and I can’t live without it. Please help!!

[spamcop01]

Think I answered my own question: there’s no TextFX plugin for 64-bit NPP. Found it mentioned here along with the suggestion to download the 32-bit zip or 7z version and install the plug-in with it:

https://notepad-plus-plus.org/community/topic/17336/code-formatter-notepad-64

He also mentioned an experimental 64-bit version of TextFX, but I tried it and it didn’t sort text. No use to me until it can…

[andrecool-68]

There are resource files for building x64:
https://github.com/HQJaTu/NPPTextFX/tree/VS2017-x64

[andrecool-68]

In these files there is already ready plugin x64
https://github.com/HQJaTu/NPPTextFX/blob/VS2017-x64/bin/x64/NppTextFX.dll

[PeterJones]

@spamcop01 said:

He also mentioned an experimental 64-bit version of TextFX, but I tried it and it didn’t sort text. No use to me until it can…

Odd. I am quite surprised – so much so, that I went to the effort of grabbing the experimental 64bit NppTextFX.dll … and seem to have confirmed your experience. See below.

Before I get to that: @spamcop01, how fancy of a sort do you need? Because Notepad++ has had a built-in sort (Edit > Line Operations > Sort Lines …) for years now. Do none of those meet your needs? What do you need to sort, and with what fancy requirements, that the builtin sort is insufficient?

(Also, as a learning experience: notice below how I provide detailed information about versions, along with an exact sequence of events that I take; this will help others replicate (or contradict) my results.)

-----

Confirmation of Bug:

After downloading and installing 64-bit NppTextFX.dll into notepad++ v7.6.3 64-bit, I created a new file:

this
is
an
unsorted
list
of
words

Then tried to run TextFX > Sort lines case sensitive (at column) – and it told me to select text. So I selected everything, and tried again; the busy-icon spun for a couple of seconds, and when it was done, the text was still in the same un-sorted order that it started in. I thought maybe it was because it was an unnamed/unsaved file, so I saved it with a name… and tried again, but it still wouldn’t sort.

My ? > Debug Info:

Notepad++ v7.6.3   (64-bit)
Build time : Jan 27 2019 - 17:16:47
Path : C:\usr\local\apps\notepad++\notepad++.exe
Admin mode : OFF
Local Conf mode : ON
OS : Windows 10 (64-bit)
Plugins : ComparePlugin.dll DSpellCheck.dll MarkdownViewerPlusPlus.dll mimeTools.dll NppConverter.dll NppExec.dll NppFTP.dll NppTextFX.dll PreviewHTML.dll PythonScript.dll XMLTools.dll 

I then downloaded 32-bit TextFX v0.26 from https://sourceforge.net/projects/npp-plugins/files/TextFX/TextFX v0.26/ , and installed it in a portable v7.5.8 32-bit

Notepad++ v7.5.8   (32-bit)
Build time : Jul 23 2018 - 02:03:53
Path : C:\usr\local\apps\npp32.7.5.8\notepad++.exe
Admin mode : OFF
Local Conf mode : ON
OS : Windows 10 (64-bit)
Plugins : DSpellCheck.dll mimeTools.dll NppConverter.dll NppExport.dll NppTextFX.dll PythonScript.dll 

I noticed that this TextFX was 0.26, but the experimental 64-bit had been v0.25. So I downgraded to https://sourceforge.net/projects/npp-plugins/files/TextFX/TextFX v0.25/ for the 32bit.

I also tried downloading fresh portables of 7.6.6 both 32-bit and 64-bit, and installed the appropriate TextFX v0.25. The 32-bit sorted; the 64-bit did not.

I have confirmed that in NPP v7.5.8-32bit, both versions of NppTextFX (v0.25 and v0.26) properly sorted; in 7.6.6-32bit, verified v0.25 sorted. But in NPP v7.6.3-64bit with the experimental NppTextFX 64-bit v0.25, it did not sort; neither did 7.6.6-64bit with 64-bit v0.25 TextFX.

[Alan Kilborn]

Perhaps it is time to move past TextFX. If the N++ in-built sort is not adequate, maybe try this Pythonscript one:

https://gist.github.com/ClaudiaFrank/3b5a346b86b5391c67f2f96845ff7ecd

I believe that originated from a discussion here:

https://notepad-plus-plus.org/community/topic/14129/sort-file-removing-duplicates-possible

On a downside, I guess this script sort is unsupported now as well.

[Jim Dailey]

If one only uses TextFX to sort, then moving on shouldn’t be too much trouble; however, TextFX does soooo much more than sort.

[Alan Kilborn]

@Jim-Dailey

If things aren’t maintained, and you hit a stopper, there is little choice but to move on… 64-bits here could very well be such a stopper.

I have TextFX installed since I began using N++ (still using 32-bits, obviously). However, I find I only use its features if someone asks a question here, never for my own needs. So I’m wondering what killer features TextFX provides for people…

[Jim Dailey]

@Alan-Kilborn Of course I can’t speak for anyone else, and I wouldn’t call it a killer feature, but I use the various line up text features occasionally.

[guy038]

Hello, @jim-dailey, @Peterjones, @Alan-kilborn, and All,

Hi, Jim, if you, mainly, use the TextFX plugin for the Line up by a specific char feature, may be the links, below, could be of interest to you :

https://notepad-plus-plus.org/community/topic/13909/plugin-update-elastictabstops-v1-3/1 ( Dail’s plugin annoncement )

https://notepad-plus-plus.org/community/topic/17078/aligning-tabs-on-the-screen/15 ( My test of the ElasticTabStops plugin )

---

And also :

https://notepad-plus-plus.org/community/topic/15706/textfx-doesn-t-work/5 ( Python script of Scott, to mimic this TextFX feature )

https://notepad-plus-plus.org/community/topic/15706/textfx-doesn-t-work/10 ( My version, with a separator string, replacing the delimiter )

Best Regards,

guy038

[guy038]

Hello, @jim-dailey, @peterjones, @alan-kilborn, and All,

Once, you’ve got a file with your text correctly lined up, in different columns, you may would like to mimic the Sort lines... at column feature ! If so, just refer to this old read-only post, from Sourceforge.net :

https://sourceforge.net/p/notepad-plus/discussion/331753/thread/942efd7d/#20d7

which describes a general method to build a sort, based on as many sort-keys as you want ;-))

---

Briefly, for the specific TextFX sort, from column N to the end of line :

A) Use the regex S/R :

SEARCH (?-s)^.{N-1}(.+)

REPLACE \1\x1F$0

Note : For a correct ascending sort process, the separator character ( \x1F ) must have a Unicode value lower than the space value, so lower than \x20

B) Use the Edit Line Operations > Sort Lines Lexicographically Ascending option

C) Use the regex S/R, to get the initial text…sorted at column N :

SEARCH (?-s)^.+\x1F

REPLACE Leave EMPTY

Cheers,

guy038

[Glen Ford]

I found the same issue with NP++ 64 bit. TextFX, which I use a lot, is not available on 64 bit.
My solution was to go back to the 32 bit version which still has TextFX in the admin list as an available addon.