Autosave development request
-
I am still using the deprecated Autosave v 1.4 by Franco Stellari.
Now, I very much like it when the Notepad++ window loses focus to save all open files.
It allows for a much quicker workflow for me when testing code on the fly.
This version has several bugs in combination with the latest Notepad version and will be deactivated when installing.Since this Plugin is no longer maintained by the original developer I was wondering if anyone else can pick up from where he left.
I myself lack the skills to do it, but I hope someone else does.
I would be eternally grateful for such a Plugin and am willing to donate. -
Hello @decoderman,
I never used autosave, so I don’t know its functionality.
Saving if npp looses focus, is this the only feature you need?
If so, do you care if this feature is called by a python script (python script plugin needs to be installed)?
Need to check a few things but I assume it is possible to realize.Cheers
Claudia -
Hello @Claudia-Frank
Thanks for jumping in and maybe save me from a lot of headaches!
I am using the Python Plugin anyway, so this could work.The basic functionality of saving all open files without a prompt would do.
That means it has to overwrite existing files.There is the matter of new files, like new 1, new 2 and so forth. I use these a lot for temporary code and snippets for later use.
I have set Autosave to save those to a configured temp directory, using the name given when opening a new file. This also would overwrite existing files with the same name in that directory. Which I have no problem with as these are only session critical files for me.Cheers
Martin -
Hello Martin,
this is not only a bit of a hack it is a serious hack you should know that it might be able that it will crash your
npp if something unforeseen happens.
The reason is because we subclass npps message queue which means npp doesn’t get the messages first,
python script plugin gets the messages and after checking if the message in question has been received it
passes it to npp. So be warned.I wouldn’t recommend that you put the whole code into startup.py as long as you didn’t test if everything works as expected.
If you execute the script it registered the hook, it you run it another time it unregisters it and everything should be as it was before.You only need to modify two variables.
NewFileDir = 'D:\\tests\\npp\\' NewFileExt = '.txt'NewFileDir should point to the directory where “New X” files should be stored and
NewFileExt which extension should be used.import ctypes, os # import needed modules from ctypes.wintypes import LONG, HWND, UINT, WPARAM, LPARAM # import needed types SetWindowLong = ctypes.windll.user32.SetWindowLongA # used to subclass npp window CallWindowProc = ctypes.windll.user32.CallWindowProcA # used to send message to npp FindWindow = ctypes.windll.user32.FindWindowA # used to find npp window handle WndProcType = ctypes.WINFUNCTYPE(LONG, HWND, UINT, WPARAM, LPARAM) # callback prototype GWL_WNDPROC = -4 # used to set a new address for the window procedure WM_ACTIVATEAPP = 0x001C # message we are interested in NewFileDir = 'D:\\tests\\npp\\' NewFileExt = '.txt' class Hook(): # hook class def __init__(self): # class constructor self.nppHandle = FindWindow('Notepad++',None) # find npp window handle and store it def register(self): # function to register the hook, first self.newWndProc = WndProcType(self.MyWndProc) # get the address of our wndproc self.oldWndProc = SetWindowLong(self.nppHandle, GWL_WNDPROC, self.newWndProc) # register it and receive old wndproc address console.editor.setProperty('oldWndProc', self.oldWndProc) # store it to be able to unregister it needed def unregister(self): # function to unregister hook self.prevWndProc = console.editor.getProperty('oldWndProc') # receive previously stored wndproc address dummy = SetWindowLong(self.nppHandle, GWL_WNDPROC, int(self.prevWndProc)) # register it - return isn't interesting def MyWndProc(self, hWnd, msg, wParam, lParam): # our own wndproc function receives windows messages if msg == WM_ACTIVATEAPP: # if it is WM_ACTIVATEAPP and if wParam == False: # if wparam is false then npp has lost focus and self.saveFiles() # we can start saving the files return CallWindowProc(self.oldWndProc, hWnd, msg, wParam, lParam) # IMPORTANT we need to pass received msg to npp, otherwise npp will be blocked. def saveFiles(self): buf = notepad.getCurrentBufferID() # remember current document id for f in notepad.getFiles(): # loop through all files and if os.path.isfile(f[0]): # check if file is real (no new X file) notepad.activateBufferID(f[1]) # if so, switch to the doc if notepad.getCurrentBufferID() == f[1]: # and check if we have the focus we want (and ignore hidden files) notepad.save() # now save it. else: # here <- looks like this is a new x file notepad.activateBufferID(f[1]) # switch to the doc if notepad.getCurrentBufferID() == f[1]: # and check if we have the focus we want (and ignore hidden files) notepad.saveAs(NewFileDir + f[0] + NewFileExt) # now save it as ... notepad.activateBufferID(buf) # switch back to initial doc _hook = Hook() # get a instance of our class if console.editor.getProperty('Hookstatus') != '1': # see if this call is used to register or unregister our wndproc console.editor.setProperty('Hookstatus', '1') # it is the first call or call to register it again _hook.register() # let's do it else: console.editor.setProperty('Hookstatus', '0') # we should unregister our hook _hook.unregister() # so we do it.If something is unclear, let me know.
Cheers
Claudia -
Hello Claudia
That appears to be working very well, thank you!
I have done some testing with remote files opened with WinSCP and that has also worked so far.
Very promising indeed.The next step is to use it later today, doing some productive work in the way I usually do.
One thing I noticed is the new file creation.
Say, I double click the tab bar for a new file and it opens as ‘new 1’.
I enter some text and have it Autosave to ‘new 1.txt’. So far so good, works as intended.Now I double click again for another new file and I get another instance of ‘new 1’.
Entering text and have it Autosave overwrites the existing and still open ‘new 1.txt’ file.
Is there any way you could know that npp should open ‘new 2’ instead of ‘new 1’ when the ‘new 1.txt’ is already open in npp?I have tried this without the .txt extension by removing the " + NewFileExt" on line 48 of your code.
It is the same outcome. -
Hello Martin,
no, afaik I can’t force npp to open as new 2 or whatever needs to be open next but what we can do is to save it with the
next number by checking if a new 2 already exists.
Save function needs to be changed likedef saveFiles(self): buf = notepad.getCurrentBufferID() # remember current document id for f in notepad.getFiles(): # loop through all files and if os.path.isfile(f[0]): # check if file is real (no new X file) notepad.activateBufferID(f[1]) # if so, switch to the doc if notepad.getCurrentBufferID() == f[1]: # and check if we have the focus we want (and ignore hidden files) notepad.save() # now save it. else: # here <- looks like this is a new x file notepad.activateBufferID(f[1]) # switch to the doc if notepad.getCurrentBufferID() == f[1]: # and check if we have the focus we want (and ignore hidden files) counter = 0 # initial counter filename = f[0] # get filename from tuple while os.path.isfile(NewFileDir + filename + NewFileExt): # loop - check if file already exists counter += 1 # yes, increase counter filename = filename[:-1] + str(counter) # create new filename based on counter notepad.saveAs(NewFileDir + filename + NewFileExt) # filename is unique, now save it as ... notepad.activateBufferID(buf) # switch back to initial docCheers
Claudia -
Hi Claudia
I have worked all weekend long with your first code and never once had a problem!
This is working extremely well. Thank you.Now, with your additional saveFiles I get the following error:
Traceback (most recent call last): File "_ctypes/callbacks.c", line 314, in 'calling callback function' File "C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Roaming\Notepad++\plugins\Config\PythonScript\scripts\startup.py", line 33, in MyWndProc self.saveFiles() # we can start saving the files AttributeError: Hook instance has no attribute 'saveFiles'The complete startup.py looks like so now:
import ctypes, os # import needed modules from ctypes.wintypes import LONG, HWND, UINT, WPARAM, LPARAM # import needed types SetWindowLong = ctypes.windll.user32.SetWindowLongA # used to subclass npp window CallWindowProc = ctypes.windll.user32.CallWindowProcA # used to send message to npp FindWindow = ctypes.windll.user32.FindWindowA # used to find npp window handle WndProcType = ctypes.WINFUNCTYPE(LONG, HWND, UINT, WPARAM, LPARAM) # callback prototype GWL_WNDPROC = -4 # used to set a new address for the window procedure WM_ACTIVATEAPP = 0x001C # message we are interested in NewFileDir = 'F:\\npp\\' NewFileExt = '.txt' class Hook(): # hook class def __init__(self): # class constructor self.nppHandle = FindWindow('Notepad++',None) # find npp window handle and store it def register(self): # function to register the hook, first self.newWndProc = WndProcType(self.MyWndProc) # get the address of our wndproc self.oldWndProc = SetWindowLong(self.nppHandle, GWL_WNDPROC, self.newWndProc) # register it and receive old wndproc address console.editor.setProperty('oldWndProc', self.oldWndProc) # store it to be able to unregister it needed def unregister(self): # function to unregister hook self.prevWndProc = console.editor.getProperty('oldWndProc') # receive previously stored wndproc address dummy = SetWindowLong(self.nppHandle, GWL_WNDPROC, int(self.prevWndProc)) # register it - return isn't interesting def MyWndProc(self, hWnd, msg, wParam, lParam): # our own wndproc function receives windows messages if msg == WM_ACTIVATEAPP: # if it is WM_ACTIVATEAPP and if wParam == False: # if wparam is false then npp has lost focus and self.saveFiles() # we can start saving the files return CallWindowProc(self.oldWndProc, hWnd, msg, wParam, lParam) # IMPORTANT we need to pass received msg to npp, otherwise npp will be blocked. def saveFiles(self): buf = notepad.getCurrentBufferID() # remember current document id for f in notepad.getFiles(): # loop through all files and if os.path.isfile(f[0]): # check if file is real (no new X file) notepad.activateBufferID(f[1]) # if so, switch to the doc if notepad.getCurrentBufferID() == f[1]: # and check if we have the focus we want (and ignore hidden files) notepad.save() # now save it. else: # here <- looks like this is a new x file notepad.activateBufferID(f[1]) # switch to the doc if notepad.getCurrentBufferID() == f[1]: # and check if we have the focus we want (and ignore hidden files) counter = 0 # initial counter filename = f[0] # get filename from tuple while os.path.isfile(NewFileDir + filename + NewFileExt): # loop - check if file already exists counter += 1 # yes, increase counter filename = filename[:-1] + str(counter) # create new filename based on counter notepad.saveAs(NewFileDir + filename + NewFileExt) # filename is unique, now save it as ... notepad.activateBufferID(buf) # switch back to initial doc _hook = Hook() # get a instance of our class if console.editor.getProperty('Hookstatus') != '1': # see if this call is used to register or unregister our wndproc console.editor.setProperty('Hookstatus', '1') # it is the first call or call to register it again _hook.register() # let's do it else: console.editor.setProperty('Hookstatus', '0') # we should unregister our hook _hook.unregister() # so we do it. -
Hello Martin,
does this happen immediately and always when npp looses focus?
Or randomly?
Could you double check that saveFiles is part of the hook class? Indentation?
Do you use user startup or machine startup.py?
Just tested it on my windows 7 and npp 6.9.1 - it works.Cheers
Claudia -
Hugs and kisses to you Claudia!
I copied my last posts code into the machine startup.py, removed the user startup.py and have no more errors.
It was likely an indentation error on my side.This is on Windows 10 64bit, npp 6.9.1.
Your ‘hack’ works way better than I would have hoped for.
Goodbye Autosave 1.4 by Franco Stellari.
I warmly welcome Autosave 1.0 by Claudia Frank!Cheers
Martin -
Can you be more specific on what the issue may be with newer version?
I have not been able to see the problem. -
@Franco-Stellari Altough your plugin gets deactivated every time NPP is updated, I always copy the .dll back into the plugins folder.
For my workflow it works best when opened unsaved files are auto saved when loosing focus.
That still works to my full satisfaction with v1.4.
My settings:- when losing focus
- All open files
- Overwrite existing file
- Save (overwrite) silently to tmp dir
Scenario:
Double click Files Tab, a new file opens called new1.- Write something, NPP loses focus, file gets saved to tmp dir, overwriting existing one. Correct behavior.
- Double click files tab again, new file opens, also called new1
- type something, NPP loses focus and the new new1 overwrites the old new1 file.
The new file creation with the same filename in such a way only happens if your plugin is activated.
Normal behavior by NPP is to name the second new file new2.
-
@decoderman what does it mean that “your plugin gets deactivated”?
I use a portable version and when I copy the new notepad++ files and start, the plugin does not get deactivated… why would it be?Regarding your scenario, it does not have anything to do with Autosave per se. In fact you will obtain the same behavior in normal use without Autosave enabled:
- Double click files tab new file opens, called “new 1”
- Manually save the file as “new 1”
- Double click files tab again and a new file opens, called also “new 1”
- Manually save the file as “new 1”… obviously it get overwritten
In some older version the new file created by NPP kept increasing so you would not get a second “new 1”.
I think what you want to do is create unique empty files and that is achieved using TakeNotes plugin.
-
@Franco-Stellari Last time I checked I only had the double new 1 file problem when Autosave is enabled.
I’ll try the TakeNotes plugin, sounds what I needed for a long time. ThanksRegarding the deactivation: If you use the installer, NPP deems your plugin as not stable (and says so) and will move it to the disabled folder. Sad but true.
