explorer.dll. The specified module could not be found.

Carlos Zhang

When I started notepad++, there was a message:

c:\notepad++\plugins\explorer\explorer.dll
The specified module could not be found.
explorer.dll is not compatible with the current version of notepad++.

I checked the folder and the dll was right in it.
I tried to delete the dll and reinstall the plugin but still the same message.

version info:
Notepad++ v7.8.6 (32-bit)
Explorer 1.8.8

Alan Kilborn

@Carlos-Zhang said in explorer.dll. The specified module could not be found.:

explorer.dll is not compatible with the current version of notepad++.

This makes me think maybe the plugin doesn’t match the “bittness” of the Notepad++.exe.
Meaning, for your case, that the DLL is somehow 64-bit?

Carlos Zhang

@Alan-Kilborn said in explorer.dll. The specified module could not be found.:

the DLL is somehow 64-bit?

Thanks for your reply but I don’t think it’s the case.
I installed it from the built-in plugin admin.

PeterJones

@Carlos-Zhang ,

I just unzipped a fresh Notepad++v7.8.6 32bit, and used Plugins Admin to successfully install the Explorer 1.8.8, and it loads and runs just fine.

Notepad++ v7.8.6   (32-bit)
Build time : Apr 21 2020 - 15:17:06
Path : C:\usr\local\apps\npp-other\npp.7.8.6.bin\notepad++.exe
Admin mode : OFF
Local Conf mode : ON
OS Name : Windows 10 Enterprise (64-bit) 
OS Version : 1903
OS Build : 18362.720
Plugins : Explorer.dll mimeTools.dll NppConverter.dll NppExport.dll

~~Two~~ Three things:

Could you share your ? menu’s Debug Info?
Maybe something went wrong during the installation process. Please
1. Plugins > Open Plugins Folder
2. Rename the Explorer folder to something else (maybe old-Explorer)
3. close that folder and exit Notepad++
4. run Notepad++
5. run Plugins > Plugins Admin and try to re-install the Explorer plugin
If #2 didn’t work for you, you could go download the zip version of Notepad++ v7.8.6 32bit, then unzip to a folder on your desktop; run that instance of Notepad++, and see if it properly is able to install the Explorer plugin from Plugins Admin. (It may be that something went wrong during the writing in c:\notepad++\plugins\explorer\explorer.dll, though since that’s not a windows-controlled folder, I am not sure why it would fight you in that folder)

Carlos Zhang

This post is deleted!

Carlos Zhang

@PeterJones
Thanks for your reply.

Notepad++ v7.8.6 (32-bit)
Build time : Apr 21 2020 - 15:17:06
Path : C:\Notepad++\notepad++.exe
Admin mode : OFF
Local Conf mode : ON
OS Name : Windows 10 Enterprise (64-bit)
OS Version : 1909
OS Build : 18363.778
Plugins : ComparePlugin.dll DSpellCheck.dll MarkdownViewerPlusPlus.dll mimeTools.dll NppConverter.dll NppExport.dll NppFTP.dll nppplugin_svn.dll NppTextFX.dll

Plugins > Open Plugins Folder: Nothing happened. File Manager did not open. I manually renamed the folder and went to plugins admin to reinstall the plugin.
Unfortunately it didn’t work.

I think it would work but I don’t want a fresh notepad++ because I have many settings in it.
Actually I have another laptop and npp w/ explorer plugin works just fine in it.
So I copied the whole dir to this PC and the error happens.

As you can see the dll is in the folder but somehow npp can’t see it.
BTW is the date of the dll correct?
It looks the dll is modified when being installed.

Alan Kilborn

@Carlos-Zhang said in explorer.dll. The specified module could not be found.:

Actually I have another laptop and npp w/ explorer plugin works just fine in it.
So I copied the whole dir to this PC and the error happens.

So are you sure all these “bittnesses” line up as well?

Sounds like you are plugging and playing and trying a lot of things without a whole lot of knowledge about what you are doing.

This is an okay thing to do…but when you do it this way it is going to be darn hard for someone else to follow truly what you’ve done and offer suggestions.

PeterJones

@Carlos-Zhang said in explorer.dll. The specified module could not be found.:

Plugins > Open Plugins Folder: Nothing happened. File Manager did not open.

Well, that’s a strange problem. I’ve never had that not work. I cannot imagine why Windows wouldn’t let Notepad++ launch Explorer. But whatever is preventing that might be the culprit behind why the plugin won’t work for you, too.

I think it would work but I don’t want a fresh notepad++ because I have many settings in it.

That’s the point.

I didn’t say “throw away your old copy and start over”. I asked you to download a second, fresh copy, put into a directory like your Desktop, where I know you will have write permission, and see if it has the same problem or not. This was a temporary experiment which is quite useful in debugging a problem.

If it doesn’t work in your normal c:\notepad++\ location with all your normal plugins and settings, but does work in ...\desktop\notepad++ with just the default plugins and settings, then we can narrow the problem to being in one of three places: either (1) there is something unique about the folder (Windows permissions, most likely); (2) one of your other plugins is interfering with this plugin; (3) one of your other settings is interfering with this plugin.

If you try this experiment, we might be able to make progress. If you aren’t willing to help us help you, then I’m sorry that I won’t be much more help.

Actually I have another laptop and npp w/ explorer plugin works just fine in it.
So I copied the whole dir to this PC and the error happens.

Like @Alan-Kilborn said, that could cause more problems than it solves.

If you want to do a manual plugin installation, the better thing is to download again from the plugin’s official repository, making sure to keep track of 32bit (Explorer.zip) vs 64bit (Explorer_x64.zip)

But, I can confirm that Windows Explorer says that the 32bit Explorer.dll is 218KB

whereas the 64bit is 252KB

… so from the first-level approximation, you might have the right DLL

BTW is the date of the dll correct? It looks the dll is modified when being installed.

When the plugin installer downloads and unzips the DLL, it apparently changes the timestamp to when you installed it, rather than whatever the actual compilation date was.

As you can see the dll is in the folder but somehow npp can’t see it.

No. Notepad++ obviously sees the DLL: if Notepad++ couldn’t see the DLL, it wouldn’t try to load it and wouldn’t show an error.

If you want any more help from us, you’re going to have to be willing to run the experiments we suggest. Otherwise, good luck.

Carlos Zhang

@PeterJones
Of course I am willing to do the experiment.
I extract the new 7z to the desktop and install the explorer plugin from plugin admin. And it can’t work either!
Here is the debug info.

Notepad++ v7.8.6 (32-bit)
Build time : Apr 21 2020 - 15:17:06
Path : C:\Users\Carlos\Desktop\npp.7.8.6.bin\notepad++.exe
Admin mode : OFF
Local Conf mode : ON
OS Name : Windows 10 Enterprise (64-bit)
OS Version : 1909
OS Build : 18363.778
Plugins : mimeTools.dll NppConverter.dll NppExport.dll

I didn’t install mimeTools.dll NppConverter.dll NppExport.dll.
Looks they are default plugins.
Thanks.

Carlos Zhang

I then install Compare and NppFtp plugins.
They don’t have such issue.

cmeriaux

@Carlos-Zhang you may try with notepad++ 64b portable edition.
Don’t you have an antivirus that may block the dll loading ?

cmeriaux

You may also try with admin privileges. Never knows…

PeterJones

@Carlos-Zhang ,

Thanks for running the experiment and giving the debug info.

And it can’t work either!

unfortunately, that doesn’t tell us what went wrong. Were there error messages? If so, screenshot them and include them, please. If no error messages, what exactly happened when you tried? Be as explicit as you can, telling us about every click or keystroke.

Ekopalypse

@Carlos-Zhang

Could it be that it finds another explorer.dll first?

Carlos Zhang

@PeterJones said in explorer.dll. The specified module could not be found.:

unfortunately, that doesn’t tell us what went wrong. Were there error messages?

The same message.
c:\notepad++\plugins\explorer\explorer.dll
The specified module could not be found.
explorer.dll is not compatible with the current version of notepad++.

PeterJones

@Carlos-Zhang ,

The same message.
c:\notepad++\plugins\explorer\explorer.dll

It gave the error message for c:\notepad++\plugins\explorer\explorer.dll when you tried to install it while running C:\Users\Carlos\Desktop\npp.7.8.6.bin\notepad++.exe? That doesn’t seem right to me: the one on your desktop shouldn’t know anything about c:\notepad++. Are you sure when Notepad++ re-launched after you installed the plugin in your desktop copy that it correctly ran the desktop copy again?

Further, I like @Ekopalypse’s theory: your Notepad++ is somehow finding a different explorer.dll. Two experiments for that, using your desktop copy of Notepad++ (we’re still trying to keep things independent of other settings and plugins that might be interfering):

From a command prompt (cmd.exe), you could try where explorer.dll: if there’s an explorer.dll in your path (that it would thus possibly find before going to the plugins\explorer\explorer.dll), the cmd.exe where command might tell you about it.
Go into desktop`npp.7.8.6.bin\plugins`, rename the folder explorer to MyExplorer and the dll that was explorer\explorer.dll to MyExplorer\MyExplorer.dll. Close Notepad++. Run the desktop copy of Notepad++.

cmeriaux

You may also try to use the Proc Monitor tools , to check which explorer.dll is loaded.

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/procmon

cmeriaux

Here is a screenshot of procMonitor which could be tricky to use.
Add a filter " process name contains notepad" and “paht contains explorer.dll”. Then you’ll se detail operations and query and its status.

Carlos Zhang

@PeterJones said in explorer.dll. The specified module could not be found.:

It gave the error message for c:\notepad++\plugins\explorer\explorer.dll when you tried to install it while running C:\Users\Carlos\Desktop\npp.7.8.6.bin\notepad++.exe? That doesn’t seem right to me

I meant the same message except the path.

Carlos Zhang

>where explorer.dll
INFO: Could not find files for the given pattern(s).