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    Strange behavior of the sort function, with zero-length column mode selection

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    • PeterJonesP
      PeterJones @PeterJones
      last edited by PeterJones

      Some more research and experimentation:

      The reason it changed mode out of Rectangle mode is because Scintilla has a selection mode called SC_SEL_THIN which indicates “the mode after a rectangular selection has been typed into and ensures that no characters are selected”. So what Guy found is not a bug: rather, Scintilla intentionally leaves pure Rectangle Selection Mode (SC_SEL_RECTANGLE) after you make edits; and the line operation sorting functions only work with stream or rectangle selections, not with “thin” selections or multi-selections.

      The script I showed above will get you back into full rectangle mode from the THIN mode, but not from any others.

      I have now updated my original SelectionToRectangle.py to work whether the active selection is starting from a normal (“stream”) selection, from an edited-column (“thin”) selection, or from a multi-selection: all three of those will be converted into a column-mode selection. And if it’s already a column-mode (“rectangle”), it will remain unchanged.

      SelectionToRectangle.py v2022.10.06

      # encoding=utf-8
      """
      Derived from 22890-simplest.py, in response to https://community.notepad-plus-plus.org/topic/22890/
      
      2022-Oct-06: modify based on https://community.notepad-plus-plus.org/topic/23564 to convert either stream selection (old behavior) or multi-selection (new behavior) to a single column selection
      
      This is the simplest paradigm for converting a stream (normal) selection to rectangular (column):
      1) Click or arrow to where you want to start selecting
      2) Shift+Click or Shift+arrow to get to the end of the selection (ie, do a normal selection)
      3) Run this script to convert the selection from STREAM to rectangle and refresh the screen automatically to see it
      
      You can also start with a Multi-Selection (multiple Ctrl+Clicks) and convert it, with the start of the column at the lowest selection-start, and the end of the selection at the highest selection-end
      """
      from Npp import notepad, editor, SELECTIONMODE, STATUSBARSECTION
      
      if editor.getSelectionMode()==SELECTIONMODE.THIN:    # this is the mode after making an edit in rectangle(column) mode
          ss,se = editor.getSelectionStart(), editor.getSelectionEnd()
          editor.setSelection(ss,se)
      
      if editor.getSelectionMode()==SELECTIONMODE.STREAM and editor.getSelections()>1:    # this is multi-selection mode
          ss = None
          se = None
      
          for si in range(0, editor.getSelections()):
              s0 = editor.getSelectionNStart(si)
              s1 = editor.getSelectionNEnd(si)
              if ss is None or s0 < ss: ss = s0
              if se is None or s1 > se: se = s1
      
          editor.setSelection(ss,se)
      
      if editor.getSelectionMode()!=SELECTIONMODE.RECTANGLE:
          editor.setSelectionMode( SELECTIONMODE.RECTANGLE )
          notepad.activateFile(notepad.getCurrentFilename()) # use the activateFile() command to refresh UI; otherwise, it doesn't _look_ like column/rectangle select)
      
      

      ----
      2024-Oct-16 Fix: instead of using <> for “not equal”, use != (see 2024-Oct-14 post below for reasons)

      Alan KilbornA 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 3
      • PeterJonesP PeterJones referenced this topic on
      • Alan KilbornA
        Alan Kilborn @PeterJones
        last edited by

        @PeterJones said in Strange behavior of the sort function, with zero-length column mode selection:

        So what Guy found is not a bug…the line operation sorting functions only work with stream or rectangle selections, not with “thin” selections.

        To me it sounds like Guy found a Notepad++ bug. When sorting, a zero-width selection – declared by code as “thin” or not, user doesn’t care about that distinction in this circumstance – over a number of lines is supposed to use as the sort key the data starting in the column of the selection and continuing to end-of-line (for each line). Note that this is a bit different from a sort using a non-zero width column selection, where the sort key is only the text shown as selected on each line.

        PeterJonesP 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 3
        • PeterJonesP
          PeterJones @Alan Kilborn
          last edited by

          @Alan-Kilborn said in Strange behavior of the sort function, with zero-length column mode selection:

          To me it sounds like Guy found a Notepad++ bug. …

          From that perspective, it does sound like it doesn’t meet user expectations.

          So yeah, Guy should go ahead and report it as a bug. If he does, it would be best to explain that SC_SEL_RECTANGLE sorts as expected, but SC_SEL_THIN does not sort when it is expected to do so.

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 3
          • Alan KilbornA
            Alan Kilborn
            last edited by Alan Kilborn

            I’d think changing THIS from:

            if (_pEditView->execute(SCI_SELECTIONISRECTANGLE))
            

            to:

            if ((_pEditView->execute(SCI_SELECTIONISRECTANGLE)) || (_pEditView->execute(SCI_GETSELECTIONMODE) == SC_SEL_THIN))
            

            should fix it.

            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 3
            • guy038G
              guy038
              last edited by guy038

              Hello, @alan-kilborn, @peterjones and All,

              Many thanks for your feedback ! I now understand the problem and, certainly, the last suggestion of Alan seems the correct one !

              I’ll create a new issue, very soon ! We’ll just have to live what this tiny problem !

              Of course, we could, as well, have simply used the Stream Selection, right before the sort. In this case, the result is always correct !


              Now, Peter and Alan, I’m upset by a behavior, a bit off-topic, relative to the PythonScript plugin. Let me explain :

              On my new Windows 10 laptop, I still did not transfer all my personal data from my old XP laptop. So, in the meanwhile, I use an USB key ( E: ), containing some folders whose one is 846_x64_RC3 which contains the last locale N++ version

              After installing, as you suggested, the PythonScript plugin with the Plugins > Plugin Admin... option, I selected the Plugins > PythonScript > New Script option which created an empty Test.py file in the folder E:\846_x64_RC3\plugins\Config\PythonScript\Scripts. Then, I pasted the contents of the @pterjones script, below, and re-saved it :

              # encoding=utf-8
              """
              Derived from SelectionToRectangle.py from 22890-simplest.py, in response to https://community.notepad-plus-plus.org/topic/23564,
              which had (accidentally) changed a Column Selection to a Multi-Selection instead. This converts a multi-selection to a column-selection
              """
              from Npp import notepad, editor, SELECTIONMODE, STATUSBARSECTION
              
              #console.clear()
              #console.write("PRE:  {}..{} R:{} M:{}\n".format(editor.getSelectionStart(), editor.getSelectionEnd(), editor.selectionIsRectangle(), editor.getMultipleSelection()))
              
              if not(editor.selectionIsRectangle()) and (editor.getMultipleSelection()):
                  ss,se = editor.getSelectionStart(), editor.getSelectionEnd()
                  #console.write("GET:  {}..{} R:{} M:{}\n".format(editor.getSelectionStart(), editor.getSelectionEnd(), editor.selectionIsRectangle(), editor.getMultipleSelection()))
                  editor.setSelection(ss,se)
                  #console.write("SET:  {}..{} R:{} M:{}\n".format(editor.getSelectionStart(), editor.getSelectionEnd(), editor.selectionIsRectangle(), editor.getMultipleSelection()))
                  editor.setSelectionMode( SELECTIONMODE.RECTANGLE )
                  #console.write("RECT: {}..{} R:{} M:{}\n".format(editor.getSelectionStart(), editor.getSelectionEnd(), editor.selectionIsRectangle(), editor.getMultipleSelection()))
              
              notepad.activateFile(notepad.getCurrentFilename()) # use the activateFile() command to refresh UI; otherwise, it doesn't _look_ like column/rectangle select)
              #console.write("POST: {}..{} R:{} M:{}\n".format(editor.getSelectionStart(), editor.getSelectionEnd(), editor.selectionIsRectangle(), editor.getMultipleSelection()))
              

              The INPUT text was in E:\xxx.txt file and, after following the @peterjones instructions, everything was OK !


              However, I do not understand why IF I select again the Plugins > PythonScript > New Script option, this time, the Save under... windows proposes to save the future .py file in the \E folder instead of the normal location E:\846_x64_RC3\plugins\Config\PythonScript\Scripts ?!

              Do you have some hints about it ? I surely miss something obvious !

              Thanks, in advance !

              Best Regards,

              guy038

              Notepad++ v8.4.6   (64-bit)
              Build time : Sep 25 2022 - 19:51:39
              Path : E:\846_x64_RC3\notepad++.exe
              Command Line : 
              Admin mode : OFF
              Local Conf mode : ON
              Cloud Config : OFF
              OS Name : Windows 10 Pro (64-bit) 
              OS Version : 21H2
              OS Build : 19044.2075
              Current ANSI codepage : 1252
              Plugins : 
                  mimeTools (2.8)
                  NppConverter (4.4)
                  NppExport (0.4)
                  ComparePlus (1)
                  BetterMultiSelection (1.5)
                  PythonScript (2)
              

              The command line set gives :

              ALLUSERSPROFILE=C:\ProgramData
              APPDATA=C:\Users\Guy\AppData\Roaming
              BRB=C:\Program Files\HP\Sure Click\bin
              BRS=C:\Program Files\HP\Sure Click\servers
              CommonProgramFiles=C:\Program Files\Common Files
              CommonProgramFiles(x86)=C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files
              CommonProgramW6432=C:\Program Files\Common Files
              COMPUTERNAME=GUYTOU
              ComSpec=C:\windows\system32\cmd.exe
              DriverData=C:\Windows\System32\Drivers\DriverData
              FPS_BROWSER_APP_PROFILE_STRING=Internet Explorer
              FPS_BROWSER_USER_PROFILE_STRING=Default
              HOMEDRIVE=C:
              HOMEPATH=\Users\Guy
              LOCALAPPDATA=C:\Users\Guy\AppData\Local
              LOGONSERVER=\\GUYTOU
              NUMBER_OF_PROCESSORS=8
              OneDrive=C:\Users\Guy\OneDrive
              OnlineServices=Online Services
              OS=Windows_NT
              Path=: E:\846_x64_RC3\notepad++.exe
              PATHEXT=.COM;.EXE;.BAT;.CMD;.VBS;.VBE;.JS;.JSE;.WSF;.WSH;.MSC
              platformcode=AN
              PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE=AMD64
              PROCESSOR_IDENTIFIER=Intel64 Family 6 Model 140 Stepping 1, GenuineIntel
              PROCESSOR_LEVEL=6
              PROCESSOR_REVISION=8c01
              ProgramData=C:\ProgramData
              ProgramFiles=C:\Program Files
              ProgramFiles(x86)=C:\Program Files (x86)
              ProgramW6432=C:\Program Files
              PROMPT=$P$G
              PSModulePath=C:\Program Files\WindowsPowerShell\Modules;C:\windows\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\Modules
              PUBLIC=C:\Users\Public
              RegionCode=EMEA
              SESSIONNAME=Console
              SystemDrive=C:
              SystemRoot=C:\windows
              TEMP=C:\Users\Guy\AppData\Local\Temp
              TMP=C:\Users\Guy\AppData\Local\Temp
              USERDOMAIN=GUYTOU
              USERDOMAIN_ROAMINGPROFILE=GUYTOU
              USERNAME=Guy
              USERPROFILE=C:\Users\Guy
              windir=C:\windows
              ZES_ENABLE_SYSMAN=1
              
              Terry RT Alan KilbornA 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 1
              • guy038G guy038 referenced this topic on
              • Terry RT
                Terry R @guy038
                last edited by Terry R

                @guy038 said in Strange behavior of the sort function, with zero-length column mode selection:

                However, I do not understand why IF I select again the Plugins > PythonScript > New Script option, this time, the Save under… windows proposes to save the future .py file in the \E folder instead of the normal location E:\846_x64_RC3\plugins\Config\PythonScript\Scripts ?!

                After reading that I’m wondering if a variable has been set if the first use was in relation to the E:\ drive. Now any successive use of this will use the pre-set variable of E:\ as a starting point since it’s already set.

                Possibly a test might be to complete a fresh start of NPP and do a new script and see what the Save Under proposes.

                Terry

                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • Alan KilbornA
                  Alan Kilborn @guy038
                  last edited by

                  @guy038

                  I also have problems with the PythonScript > New Script command suggesting a folder that isn’t the one I want. It typically suggests a folder that is the scripts folder for another version of Notepad++ that I’ve recently used. I’ve no idea why this happens; I’ve posted about this before but never came to a resolution. So…I’m just doubly careful when I save a new script, such that it is going into the correct folder!

                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                  • guy038G
                    guy038
                    last edited by

                    Hi All,

                    Could it be connected with the fact of putting a local N++ install on a removable drive ?

                    BR

                    guy038

                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • guy038G
                      guy038
                      last edited by guy038

                      Hi, @terry-r, @alan-kilborn, @peterjones and All

                      I’m really perplexed !!??

                      • On my USB drive, I created a new folder E:\846_x64

                      • Then, I moved the npp.8.4.6.portable.x64.7z archive, that I kept, from the folder E:\846_x64_RC3 to the new folder E:\846_x64

                      • I opened this archive and extracted all the contents in the E:\846_x64 folder

                      • I defined my preferred parameters in Settings > Preferences...

                      • And I downloaded the PythonScript plugin via the Plugin Admin

                      Bingo ! I’m pleased to tell you that, whatever the current tab, as soon as I select the Plugins > PythonScript > New Script option, the Save inder window always opens in E:\846_x64\plugins\Config\PythonScript\Scripts ;-))

                      • Finally, I added the ComparePlus and BetterMultiSelection plugins and everything is still OK !

                      So, I don’t see why it’s OK on a local N++ install, in folder E:\846_x64 and KO on a SAME local N++ install, in folder E:\846_x64_RC3 ???

                      Anyway, my problem is solved !

                      Best Regards,

                      guy038

                      …A quarter of an hour later, even if I use my old local N++ version, within the E:\846_x64_RC3 folder, everything seems OK, again ??? Really confusing !

                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • guy038G
                        guy038
                        last edited by guy038

                        Hi all,

                        As promised, I created a new issue concerning this problem :

                        https://github.com/notepad-plus-plus/notepad-plus-plus/issues/12299#issue-1401062911

                        BR

                        guy038

                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                        • guy038G
                          guy038
                          last edited by guy038

                          Hello @alan-kilborn and All,

                          In the post above, of this discussion :

                          https://community.notepad-plus-plus.org/post/80361

                          You said that you met the problem, sometimes in the past and that you haven’t find a solution yet to the fact that running the Plugins > PythonScript > New Script does not open the folder Local N++ install\Plugins\Config\PythonScript\Scripts, in the case of a local N++ install !

                          I’ve already found out two ways to reproduce this wrong behavior and also how to get the right folder ! Could you, Alan, @peterjones or someone else confirm my hypotheses ?


                          A wrong folder destination, when using the Plugins > PythonScript > New Script option, may occur when :

                          • You’re trying, by mistake, to open an already opened file in your current N++ session which is not saved in the ...\Plugins\Config\PythonScript\Scripts folder

                          • You’re saving a new_x file, in a specific folder, different from the ...\Plugins\Config\PythonScript\Scripts folder


                          So, an easy solution is to re-open a Python script of your current session ! Afterwards, any use of the Plugins > PythonScript > New Script option should open the right folder ...\Plugins\Config\PythonScript\Scripts ;-))

                          Remark : Note that holding the Ctrl key, while using the Plugins\Python Scripts\Scripts\"Script Name" option, does not help in this matter :-((

                          Best Regards,

                          guy038

                          Alan KilbornA 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • Alan KilbornA
                            Alan Kilborn @guy038
                            last edited by

                            @guy038 said in Strange behavior of the sort function, with zero-length column mode selection:

                            two ways to reproduce this wrong behavior

                            As I never do those two actions, that isn’t a way I’m getting into the circumstance.

                            My problem with it mainly occurs when I am running a different instance of N++ to test a script in a “clean” setup. I tell it to create a New Script and it wants to save the file in the correct folder but in my daily use Notepad++.

                            I have several workarounds for this, but it is annoying behavior to say the least.

                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • Alan KilbornA
                              Alan Kilborn
                              last edited by Alan Kilborn

                              The “Strange behavior of the sort function, with zero-length column mode selection” has been SOLVED by the developers and will be in the next release, presumably 8.4.8.

                              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
                              • Alan KilbornA
                                Alan Kilborn @PeterJones
                                last edited by Alan Kilborn

                                @PeterJones :

                                SelectionToRectangle.py v2022.10.06

                                In Peter’s Oct 6, 2022 11:20am posting, the script code contained this line:

                                if editor.getSelectionMode()<>SELECTIONMODE.RECTANGLE:

                                Is Peter showing his BASIC roots here by using <>?

                                Proper Python would be to use != (or so one would think… keep reading…).

                                What caused me to notice this is that I exclusively use Python3 (and PythonScript v3.x) these days, and such a thing causes an error there, e.g.

                                Python 3.12.3 (tags/v3.12.3:f6650f9, Apr  9 2024, 14:05:25) [MSC v.1938 64 bit (AMD64)]
                                >Initialisation took 3078ms
                                >Ready.
                                >>> a = 3
                                >>> a <> 4
                                  File "<console>", line 1
                                    a <> 4
                                      ^^
                                SyntaxError: invalid syntax
                                

                                This made me dig up PythonScript 2 and try it there, where, indeed, it is fine:

                                Python 2.7.18 (v2.7.18:8d21aa21f2, Apr 20 2020, 13:25:05) [MSC v.1500 64 bit (AMD64)]
                                >Initialisation took 2703ms
                                >Ready.
                                >>> a = 3
                                >>> a <> 4
                                True
                                

                                Probably the moral to the story is to just not use <> with Python, whatever version. :-)

                                Perhaps some further interesting reading: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/16749121

                                PeterJonesP 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
                                • PeterJonesP
                                  PeterJones @Alan Kilborn
                                  last edited by

                                  @Alan-Kilborn said in Strange behavior of the sort function, with zero-length column mode selection:

                                  Is Peter showing his BASIC roots here by using <>?

                                  100 PRINT "BASIC FOREVER"
                                  200 GOTO 100
                                  
                                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 3
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