Negate command line options (-openFoldersAsWorkspace)

[Greg Teater]

I have two shortcuts for np++. One includes this command line option, -openFoldersAsWorkspace, which works great. A second shortcut does not have any command line options.

After using the -openFoldersAsWorkspace option, the view is remembered for future launches of np++. Is there an option to:

a) not remember this option if used on the command line

b) have a negate feature to disable an option, such as -!openFoldersAsWorkspace

[PeterJones]

Interesting. I don’t know of a way to tell it to “not remember”, nor of a way to negate the option from the command line, though someone else might know of a way that I don’t.

If no one can come up with a workaround for you, then you would follow this FAQ to request a feature (either the command-line negation, or the not-remember-option, or both).

(Sorry I couldn’t be of more help.)

[dinkumoil]

@Greg-Teater

Both of your suggestions a) and b) would require some changes to the code base of Notepad++ (will not happen in the near future, if ever).

Thus, my suggestion is to create a desktop shortcut to a script file that changes the config file of your Notepad++ installation before running notepad++.exe. The config file is in XML format, the script has to delete the /NotepadPlus/FileBrowser XML node.

The following is a VBScript solution. Please note: You have to change lines 19 and 20 according to your needs.

The location of the Notepad++ config file depends on the type of installation you are running, a portable one or created by the Npp installer.

Installed by installer: %AppData%\Notepad++\config.xml
Portable: <Npp-Directory>\config.xml

Save the script for example as NppLauncher.vbs and create a desktop shortcut to it. Then open the properties of the shortcut and change its target to the following command:

wscript.exe "<Path-To-The-Script-File>" 

The script forwards all received command line arguments to Notepad++.

Option Explicit


'-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
'Variables declarations
'-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dim objFSO, objXmlDoc
Dim strNppPath, strNppExePath, strConfigPath, strCfgFilePath
Dim strNodePath, colNodes, objNode
Dim intCnt, strArguments


'-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
'Create base objects
'-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Set objFSO      = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
Set objXmlDoc   = CreateObject("MSXml2.DOMDocument.6.0")

strNppPath      = "<Path-To-Npp-Installation-Directory>"
strConfigPath   = "<Path-To-Directory-With-Npp-Config-File>"
strNppExePath   = objFSO.BuildPath(strNppPath, "notepad++.exe")
strCfgFilePath  = objFSO.BuildPath(strConfigPath, "config.xml")
strNodePath     = "/NotepadPlus/FileBrowser"


'-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
'Main script
'-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
'Open Npp XML config file
objXmlDoc.async              = False
objXmlDoc.validateOnParse    = False
objXmlDoc.preserveWhiteSpace = True

objXmlDoc.load(strCfgFilePath)


'Delete XML node regarding "Folder as Workspace" feature
Set colNodes = objXmlDoc.selectNodes(strNodePath)

For Each objNode In colNodes
  Call objNode.parentNode.removeChild(objNode)
Next


'Save Npp XML config file
objXmlDoc.save(strCfgFilePath)


'Start Notepad++ with provided command line arguments
strArguments = ""

For intCnt = 0 To WScript.Arguments.Count - 1
  strArguments = strArguments & " " & Quote(WScript.Arguments(intCnt))
Next

Call Execute(strNppExePath, strArguments)



'===============================================================================
' Surround a string with double quotes
'===============================================================================

Function Quote(ByRef strString)
  Quote = """" & strString & """"
End Function


'===============================================================================
' Run application with provided arguments
'===============================================================================

Function Execute(ByRef strApp, ByRef strArgs)
  Dim objWshShell

  Set objWshShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")

  Execute = objWshShell.Run(Quote(strNppExePath) & " " & strArguments, _
                            1, _
                            False)
End Function