Cheers
Claudia

Thank you SO much!

what needs to be done first is described here.

The python script would be

dict_complete_char = {'(':')','{':'}'}

def callback_CHARADDED(args):

    if(args.has_key('ch')):
        if dict_complete_char.get(chr(args['ch'])):
            editor.addText(dict_complete_char.get(chr(args['ch'])))
     
    
editor.clearCallbacks([SCINTILLANOTIFICATION.CHARADDED]);
editor.callback(callback_CHARADDED, [SCINTILLANOTIFICATION.CHARADDED])

As said, disable auto insert by unchecking everything from
Settings->Preferences->Auto-Completion -> Auto-Insert section
like here.

Once you saved the script with a meanigful name, restart npp.

Open a file and click Plugins->PythonScript->Scripts->NAME_OF_SCRIPT
now if you type a ( it should automatically add the ) char and the cursor is behind the ) char.

Current script supports ( and { chars if you want to add additional pairs you need to modify the line

dict_complete_char = {'(':')','{':'}'}

e.g. you want to have < auto closed as well then you add it like

dict_complete_char = {'(':')','{':'}','<':'>'}

and so on.

If you are fine with it and you a tired of running the script everytime you start npp,
we can modify the startup.py, which is part of the python script pluign installation, to start
this script automatically.

Cheers
Claudia

just to explain a little more, I know this sounds counter intuitive, but my problem is I can’t seem to teach my brain to know I’m between them, so since I don’t always watch as I type I unconsciously hit the back arrow once when i open a tag. it’s a habit formed from a different editor I used to use that did just what I’m proposing

afaik it can’t be configured through settings. What I can propose is a python script solution,
which means you need to install the python script plugin to make this work.
What needs to be done would be

• disable the autocompletion function from npp
• write a script which listens for charadded event , do the completion and put the cursor behind the added char.

Let me know if you want to go this way.

Cheers
Claudia