Increase Whitespace Size macro issue

Steve Messer

I have used the following macro for quite a while

It doesn’t work any longer. I am aware of the Lua Script startup option but I wanted this method to work.

Any ideas?

Alan Kilborn

@Steve-Messer

It doesn’t do anything when I try it as well (N++ 7.7.1). Any idea what “any longer” means? Like, what version of Notepad++ were you using when it worked? And what version are you using now?

Steve Messer

Sorry, unfortunately I am not sure when it last worked as I don’t use this everyday. I am currently using version 7.7.1 64-bit.

Alan Kilborn

This issue sounds familiar but I can’t find any prior discussion on it. I did go back to version 7.6.6 to try it – it doesn’t work there either.

I tried it in both versions with the NppExec plugin, and it works there if that is of any help.

guy038

@steve-messer, @alan-kilborn and All,

Seemingly, you cannot run the Scintilla message 2086, with a macro, since the release v7.6.4 and above :-(( Works fine with Notepad++ v7.6.3 !! So, before the upgrade of Scintilla ! No idea why this happens :-((

Of course, the use of the Python or Lua script language or the NppExec plugin does activate this Scintilla message !

So, to change the size of the orange dot symbol to the value 3, type one of the following commands :
- With the Python script : editor.setWhitespaceSize(3)
- With the Lua script : editor.WhitespaceSize = 3
- With the NppExec script : SCI_SENDMSG 2086 3
And to know the current size of the space dot symbol, type one of the following commands
- With the Python script : editor.getWhitespaceSize()
- With the Lua script : editor.WhitespaceSize
- With the NppExec script : SCI_SENDMSG 2087

Notes :

Any value may be used, but, practically, only values, in range [1-4], seems interesting !
- Value 0 does not display any dot symbol
- Value 1 displays a tiny orange square dot
- Value 2, is the default dot symbol size
- Value 3 displays a medium square orange dot symbol
- Value 4 is, to my mind, the maximum sensible value
- Value 5 : Huuuum… You probably need glasses ;-))

Cheers,

guy038

Alan Kilborn

I was curious so for fun(?) I dug deeper into this.

In 7.6.4, a trapout called isMacroable was added for macros:

void recordedMacroStep::PlayBack(...)
{
    ...
    // Ensure it's macroable message before send it
    if (!isMacroable())
        return;

which leads to:

bool recordedMacroStep::isMacroable() const
{
    // Enumerates all macroable messages
    switch (_message)
    {
        ...
        case SCI_CUT:
        case SCI_COPY:
        case SCI_PASTE:
        case SCI_CLEAR:
        case SCI_CLEARALL:
        case SCI_SELECTALL:
        case SCI_SEARCHANCHOR:
        case SCI_LINEDOWN:
        case SCI_LINEDOWNEXTEND:
        case SCI_PARADOWN:
        ...
            return true;
        default:
            return false;

Unfortunately, SCI_SETWHITESPACESIZE didn’t make it into this list, so it falls into the default category, thus false is returned to the question isMacroable.

At least that explains it.

Alan Kilborn

@Steve-Messer If you really want this capability added back in, do this with it: https://notepad-plus-plus.org/community/topic/15741/faq-desk-feature-request-or-bug-report

hunterumAR

dinkumoil

@Steve-Messer

I wrote a plugin that can be used to configure the size of white space indicators. Its name is ExtSettings. You can download it >>> here <<<. It will also be available soon via PluginsAdmin.