Smart Highlight not working

Michael Belew · Nov 23, 2024, 1:45 AM

I did search the forum and the web in general but I was not able to find a solution to my issue. I did try a couple things listed in other posts.

I have used Notepad ++ for over 10 years and up until the last update I have had no issues.

As of 8.7.1 My smart highlighting is not working.
I checked Preferences > Highlighting - Highlight matching Tags and Smart Highlighting are enabled. I have disabled and re-enabled. I have changed multiple options in the Highlighting settings.
Style Tokens do highlight the multiple instances of tags or words.
I have uninstalled and reinstalled. When I uninstalled I removed all directories related to NPP (Install Folder and %APPDATA%\Roaming)
I have changed from 32 bit to 64 bit. I originally stayed with 32 bit due to plug-in compatibility.

Video with input overlay so you can see mouse clicks and double clicks. Grey bar across the top to hide personal information.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/10avx-310JZet_L58weFm79Havt-hEsfE/view?usp=drivesdk
same video different host
https://youtu.be/FNJShIZfL_Y

Any help would be appreciated.

Lycan Thrope · Nov 23, 2024, 7:29 AM

@Michael-Belew ,
Best you post the picture or video here, as I don’t follow links posted by most people, and certainly not first posters. I don’t suspect many of us do as that invites bad actors to compromise our systems.
If it can’t pass the forums checks, it won’t make it to be viewed here meaning I don’t want to follow it either.

Michael Belew · Nov 24, 2024, 7:38 AM

@Lycan-Thrope

You can also use a URL checker to check the safety of a link. Google has its own version of a URL checker called Google Transparency Report. To check the safety of a link, all you have to do is safely copy the link and paste it into Google’s URL checker. To safely copy a link, right-click and choose “copy link” from the options that appear. When copying the link, be careful to not click on it accidentally.

Second the forum has no obvious way to post a video, only images. I provided 2 links to the same video, both Google owned sources, to try and make people more comfortable.

I have converted the video to make it an animated GIF, but all of the converters online limit this length of video to 8 fps, which may make it difficult to see double clicks and other fidelity.

Lycan Thrope · Nov 24, 2024, 7:38 AM

@Michael-Belew ,
Still seems like a lot of work just to see if it’s not hazardous without having to click it. Be that as it may, I think I see what you’re referring to. Can you post your debug information and maybe more knowledgable people will be able to help you? It seems I may have duplicated your issue myself. I used to think it was confusing when all those words were getting highlighted, but now I noticed my own version isn’t doing it anymore either, so I guess I have to add a me too, to this issue.

Debug:

Notepad++ v8.7.1   (64-bit)
Build time : Oct 31 2024 - 00:48:56
Path : C:\Program Files\Notepad++\notepad++.exe
Command Line : 
Admin mode : OFF
Local Conf mode : OFF
Cloud Config : OFF
Periodic Backup : ON
OS Name : Windows 10 Home (64-bit)
OS Version : 22H2
OS Build : 19045.5131
Current ANSI codepage : 1252
Plugins : 
    ComparePlus (1.2)
    CSVLint (0.4.6.7)
    CsvQuery (1.2.9)
    EnhanceAnyLexer (1.4)
    GitSCM (1.4.9.1)
    MarkdownViewerPlusPlus (0.8.2)
    mimeTools (3.1)
    NppConverter (4.6)
    NppExec (0.8.8)
    NppExport (0.4)
    NppPluginDemo (4.4)
    NppSnippets (1.7.1)
    NppUISpy (1.2)
    PythonScript (2)
    TakeNotes (1.2.7)
    XMLTools (3.1.1.13)

PeterJones · Nov 24, 2024, 4:46 PM

@Michael-Belew ,

YouTube links are generally reasonable for people to click on (especially since the forum won’t let users obfuscate the real URL vs the apparent URL), though I would recommend using the full URL rather than the youtu.be shortened URL.

On to your problem: I cannot tell for sure, because you haven’t posted the text for any data that replicates the problem for us to copy/paste into our Notepad++ instances, but my guess is that you have “must match whole word” in your options, and because of the quotes and equals and the specific data “words” that you are highlighting, it doesn’t match N++'s definition of “whole word”. If you had shared a screenshot of your Highlighting preferences, that would have been helpful; but for now, check those settings, and compare to the User Manual description (https://npp-user-manual.org/docs/preferences/#highlighting )

Lycan Thrope · Nov 25, 2024, 8:39 AM

@PeterJones ,
Fair enough. :-) I know you meant @Michael-Belew , but I’m as guilty, too…so…
Below is the screenshot and enough code to try for comparison.
Here is a screenshot of the word (that you helped me with for the UDL) with selected along with the Highlighting preferences section showing. Only the one selected is highlighted, notice the ones underneath are not.

Code:


set procedure to containerobjects.cc additive
** END HEADER -- do not remove this line
//
// Generated on 04/09/2023
//
parameter bModal
local f
f = new PlainObjectListForm()
if (bModal)
   f.mdi = false // ensure not MDI
   f.readModal()
else
   f.open()
endif

class PlainObjectListForm of FORM
   with (this)
      onOpen = class::FORM_ONOPEN
      onClose = class::FORM_ONCLOSE
      doubleBuffered = true
      metric = 6	// Pixels
      colorNormal = "Gray"
      height = 529.0
      left = 110.0
      top = 29.0
      width = 1092.0
      sizeable = false
      pageno = 1
      refreshAlways = false
   endwith

   this.TESTCONTAINER = new CONTAINER(this)
   with (this.TESTCONTAINER)
      left = 114.0
      top = 43.0
      width = 885.0
      height = 341.0
      colorNormal = "0xfd563e"
      borderStyle = 4	// Single
   endwith

   this.TESTCONTAINER.VSCROLLBAR1 = new SCROLLBAR(this.TESTCONTAINER)
   with (this.TESTCONTAINER.VSCROLLBAR1)
      onChange = class::VSCROLLBAR1_ONCHANGE
      onLeftMouseDown = class::VSCROLLBAR1_ONLEFTMOUSEDOWN
      height = 340.0
      left = 864.0
      top = 0.0
      width = 20.0
      value = 0
      colorNormal = "0x5eb91a"
      rangeMin = 0
      rangeMax = 0
   endwith

   this.TESTBUTTON = new PUSHBUTTON(this)
   with (this.TESTBUTTON)
      onClick = class::TESTBUTTON_ONCLICK
      height = 20.0
      left = 344.0
      top = 439.0
      width = 104.0
      text = "New"
   endwith

   this.TESTDELETEPB = new PUSHBUTTON(this)
   with (this.TESTDELETEPB)
      onClick = class::TESTDELETEPB_ONCLICK
      height = 20.0
      left = 599.0
      top = 439.0
      width = 108.0
      text = "Delete"
   endwith

   this.OBJCOUNT_SB = new SPINBOX(this)
   with (this.OBJCOUNT_SB)
      height = 22.0
      left = 171.0
      top = 439.0
      width = 56.0
      picture = "999 "
      function = "I"
      rangeMax = 100
      rangeMin = 1
      value = 0
      spinOnly = true
   endwith

   this.OBJCOUNT_TL = new TEXTLABEL(this)
   with (this.OBJCOUNT_TL)
      height = 22.0
      left = 59.0
      top = 439.0
      width = 91.0
      text = "Object Count:"
      colorNormal = "Black/Gray"
      fontBold = true
   endwith

   this.OBJSEL_SB = new SPINBOX(this)
   with (this.OBJSEL_SB)
      height = 22.0
      left = 171.0
      top = 471.0
      width = 56.0
      picture = "999 "
      function = "I"
      rangeMax = 100
      rangeMin = 1
      value = 0
      spinOnly = true
   endwith

   this.OBJSEL_TL = new TEXTLABEL(this)
   with (this.OBJSEL_TL)
      height = 22.0
      left = 59.0
      top = 471.0
      width = 109.0
      text = "Object Selected:"
      colorNormal = "Black/Gray"
      fontBold = true
   endwith
endclass

guy038 · Nov 25, 2024, 11:33 AM

Hello, @michael-belew, @lycan-thrope, @peterjones and All,

@lycan-thrope, I don’t really understand what you want to explain to the OP !

To my mind, in order to see the global behaviour of the Smart Highlighting feature, just use this simple text, below, that you’ll paste in a new tab :

This is a test
This is a Test
This is a TEST
This is a teST

This was tested yerterday
This was Tested yerterday
This was TESTED yerterday
This was teSTed yerterday

This idea is detested
This idea is Detested
This idea is DETESTED
This idea is deteSTed

An another test to do
An another Test to do
An another TEST to do
An another teST to do

This was tested yesterday
This was Tested yesterday
This was TESTED yesterday
This was teSTed yesterday

This idea is detested
This idea is Detested
This idea is DETESTED
This idea is deteSTed

Then :

Open the Settings > Preferences... > Highlighting section
Enable the Smart Highlighting feature
Double-click on the word teST of the fourth line of my text
Now, check / uncheck the Match case and/(x)or the Match whole word only option(s)

Quite easy to understand, isn’t it !

Best Regards,

guy038

Alan Kilborn · Nov 25, 2024, 1:15 PM

@Lycan-Thrope

I don’t have any problem (using 8.7.1) with Smart Highlighting and your example:

MarkusBodensee · Nov 25, 2024, 1:15 PM

@Alan-Kilborn said in Smart Highlight not working:

I don’t have any problem (using 8.7.1) with Smart Highlighting and your example:

Same for me, works as expected. Maybe a problem in relation with the UDL or a plugin?

Here is my Debug info:

Notepad++ v8.7.1   (64-bit)
Build time : Oct 31 2024 - 00:48:56
Path :
Command Line : 
Admin mode : OFF
Local Conf mode : ON
Cloud Config : OFF
Periodic Backup : OFF
OS Name : Windows 10 Enterprise (64-bit)
OS Version : 22H2
OS Build : 19045.5131
Current ANSI codepage : 1252
Plugins : 
    ComparePlus (1.2)
    DSpellCheck (1.5)
    HexEditor (0.9.12)
    mimeTools (3.1)
    NppConverter (4.6)
    NppExport (0.4)

Ekopalypse · Nov 25, 2024, 4:10 PM

@Michael-Belew

perhaps your theme has set the background color of the smart highlighting to match the default background color?

Lycan Thrope · Nov 26, 2024, 6:42 AM

@Ekopalypse ,
Bingo, we have a winner. I have no idea why that color was selected as the same background, or…it was by default and then when I changed my background color to what it is now, the conflict occurred. I never noticed it, but I’ve changed it to a cyan, and it does show up now.

Thanks for that catch.

Thanks to all for their suggestions, and maybe the OP can now check his settings to solve his problem.

OP, might have the same problem. If you notice, the first with has different coloring than the others, I suspect the result of the current selection color choice being melded with the SmartHighlighting background color.