Notepad ++ is not working with encryption software when saved with newer versions

[Matt Tangen]

We have a file location where we store out ITAR files. This location is 100% encrypted due to the files that are in there. We are using Symantec Desktop Encryption for the encrypted files. When we save files with a newer version of Notepad ++ we have started to see issues where files reopening as NULL and we can not see the info in the files. When saved in older versions we are not seeing the issues. If we try and switch the association of the files to just plan old Notepad it opens just fine not matter what version of Notepad ++ we use.

Files save fine with Notepad++ (v7.8.2) but if we use other installs both 8.2.1 and 8.3 they didn’t work. Issue we are seeing is that we are constantly updating users to the newer version of Notepad ++ with Ivanti our update software deployment software. Curious if anyone has seen this issue and has a fix or a place to look for additional trouble shooting.

[Matt Tangen]

here is what I get from the debug
and we did uninstall all the plugins that may have caused issues

Notepad++ v8.3.2 (64-bit)
Build time : Feb 27 2022 - 03:35:46
Path : C:\ProgramData\Notepad++\notepad++.exe
Command Line :
Admin mode : OFF
Local Conf mode : ON
Cloud Config : OFF
OS Name : Windows 10 Pro (64-bit)
OS Version : 2009
OS Build : 19044.1526
Current ANSI codepage : 1252
Plugins : ComparePlugin.dll mimeTools.dll NppConverter.dll NppExport.dll

took out plugins and did a debug again

Notepad++ v8.3.2 (64-bit)
Build time : Feb 27 2022 - 03:35:46
Path : C:\ProgramData\Notepad++\notepad++.exe
Command Line :
Admin mode : OFF
Local Conf mode : ON
Cloud Config : OFF
OS Name : Windows 10 Pro (64-bit)
OS Version : 2009
OS Build : 19044.1526
Current ANSI codepage : 1252
Plugins : none

[Matt Tangen]

what other info is needed to help sort this out?

[PeterJones]

@matt-tangen ,

This Community is populated by fellow users. I don’t know if any of the regulars ever use all-the-time encryption like Symantec Desktop Encryption, so I don’t know if any of the regulars would be able to replicate your problem (which is why I hadn’t chimed in… I was waiting to see if anyone else was going to come forward with more experience with such tools).

I know there were changes between v7.8.2 and v8.2.1 that affected how Notepad++ opens/closes/flushes files… but maybe those changes to low-level function calls mean that Notepad++ is now effectively bypassing whatever “hooks” that SDE is expecting to trigger SDE to do the decrypt/encrypt.

Normally we like being able to replicate a problem before we tell you to read the FAQ for how to file a bug report, but if there is no one here who uses SDE or similar, you may have to go straight to an official bug report. If you do, make sure you are very clear as to what works and what doesn’t – a step-by-step process to replicate the problem. But even then, I don’t know if the developers can get access to SDE (as a paid software that the developers aren’t likely going to buy just to debug one strange interaction).

[Alan Kilborn]

An issue has been created: https://github.com/notepad-plus-plus/notepad-plus-plus/issues/11339

[dfs-]

First question for me is, if the issue is created when saving or when opening the file(s).

So does make changing the file in Notepad++ make it unreadable by Windows Notepad?