Can't print with notepad++

Jack shankle 0

Stats: windows 10 pro 64-bit
OKI Laser Model mb451w MFP
notepad ++ V7.8.9 (64-bit)

I am unable to print a text file from notepad++.
Had to go to workpad to print my file.
Please tell me where I can go to read on how to
do this with notepad++.
Thanks for any help.
This note is in the general discussion section.

PeterJones

@Jack-shankle-0 ,

Notepad++ uses the standard windows printing interface: File > Print brings up the standard Windows Print dialog, where you can select your printer and print. I don’t see how it wouldn’t work. It has worked for me every time I’ve printed, whether to PDF (using Microsoft Print to PDF printer driver) or to a standard Windows printer which goes to a physical printer. I just tried again (v7.8.9 64-bit)

Notepad++ v7.8.9   (64-bit)
Build time : Jul 15 2020 - 20:31:49
Path : C:\usr\local\apps\notepad++\notepad++.exe
Admin mode : OFF
Local Conf mode : ON
OS Name : Windows 10 Enterprise (64-bit) 
OS Version : 1903
OS Build : 18362.1016
Current ANSI codepage : 1252
Plugins : ComparePlugin.dll LuaScript.dll MarkdownViewerPlusPlus.dll mimeTools.dll NppConsole.dll NppConverter.dll NppEditorConfig.dll NppExec.dll NppExport.dll NppFTP.dll NppUISpy.dll PreviewHTML.dll PythonScript.dll QuickText.dll TagLEET.dll XMLTools.dll

If you really think Notepad++ is doing something wrong, you’re going to have to explain your steps better. And include ? menu Debug Info, like I did above.

PeterJones

@Jack-shankle-0 ,

Further to what I said earlier: I just confirmed that Notepad++ and Windows Notepad both use the same dialog, both presenting the same printer options.

If I pick the same printer on either and hit Print, it will work the same.

Notepad++'s Settings > Preferences > Print has some options that will influence how the text is seen. The Preferences > Print section of the official Notepad++ User Manual describes those options. There is the possibility that you have a light (or white) foreground and dark background, with print options saying “no background colour”, which would then print light (or white) on paper (white), which would be invisible. So if you really are having problems based on colour, trying “Black on White” should give you the best indication of that.

charlesarthurrice

Hi Peter,

I now have the same issue as Jack. When I print to a printer or Adobe PDF, I just get a blank page. My printer actually just ignores the job since it is blank, but Adobe gives me a white page. Copy/pasting the exact text into Windows Notepad lets it print to PDF or physical paper. I’ve never had trouble printing to PDF before today.

Notepad++ v8.4.8 (32-bit)
Build time : Dec 24 2022 - 19:30:12
Path : C:\Program Files (x86)\Notepad++\notepad++.exe
Command Line :
Admin mode : OFF
Local Conf mode : OFF
Cloud Config : OFF
OS Name : Windows 11 (64-bit)
OS Version : 22H2
OS Build : 25314.1010
Current ANSI codepage : 1252
Plugins :
ComparePlugin (2.0.1)
DSpellCheck (1.4.21)
MarkdownViewerPlusPlus (0.8.2)
mimeTools (2.9)
NppConverter (4.5)
NppExport (0.4)
NppMarkdownPanel (0.5)
PyNPP (1.2)

Terry R

@charlesarthurrice said in Can’t print with notepad++:

I’ve never had trouble printing to PDF before today.

If you didn’t have a problem before today, then obviously something has occurred since the last good print job from Notepad++, what was it? Did you upgrade, if so, what was the previous version? Did you enable a different mode (dark mode?). Did you change some settings?

There a lot of things that might affect printing, including the style/theme you use. To offset any potential issue with colour, try enabling black on white for Settings, Preferences, Print.

Also I note some of the plugins you have aren’t the latest version, so consider updating those.

You said the “printer ignores the job” when printing from Notepad++, but before that you stated “I just get a blank page”. These are 2 very different outcomes, which is it?

Try reading up on some of the FAQ posts such as “Notepad++ Crashes/Freezes/Unresponsive after Update” which outlines how to test without plugins loading.

You may need to provide a lot more info before we can really help, currently it will just be a bunch of guesses.

Terry

Michael Powell

I just encountered this as well. Printed, nothing whatsoever… I got line numbers, funnily enough, but no content. Tried in both the native printer driver, as well as a Cute PDF. In both cases, but the same result. Tried to attach the PDF here as evidence, but apparently no perms to do so. Admittedly, I am lagging a bit version wise, so many that has been fixed recently, FWOW, I do not know, v7.8.9, W10 x64.

Michael Powell

I think I see what happened. NP++ is interpreting the theme a bit too literally… even during print. Have not reviewed, maybe there are settings that workaround this “feature”, not sure…

Okay, so instead of “Colour Options”, “No background colour”, which was how it was selected. Changed to “Black on white” and that solved the issue for me.

Thanks!