Change log opens every time software is launched (7.3.3)

PikalaxALT

Steps to reproduce:

Install Notepad++ 64-bit v7.3.3 on Windows 10 x64
Open Notepad++
Close change.log using Ctrl+W
Exit Notepad++ by any means, normal or otherwise
GOTO 2

PeterJones

Edit your shortcut: right now, the shortcut includes an argument to open change.log.

See this thread which points to this thread …

This seems to be a problem growing in frequency. Would you mind giving a few more details?

Was it a brand new installation, or installing over an existing older Notepad++?
Did you use the installer, or manually install from the zip file?
Are you using a pre-existing shortcut, or did you create your own?
1. If it was created for you, was it on your desktop, or just in the START menu?
2. If you created it, did you just pin the first NPP instance after you installed?

PikalaxALT

Brand new installation
Used the installer
Created for me in the start menu

PeterJones

@PikalaxALT ,

Sorry, another set of questions: was the pinned shortcut in the “recently added” section of the START menu, or the more permanent “pinned” area on the right of the START menu, or in the alphabetized N > Notepad++ > Notepad++? If you look in those other sections of the START menu, are there shortcuts there – and were they the correct shortcut or the one with change.log included.

The purpose of these questions is to try to figure out whether it’s just Windows 10 that’s auto-creating one shortcut with the change.log, but there’s the official installer-created shortcut (which would go in N > Notepad++ > Notepad++, IIRC) without the change.log, or whether the installer is incorrectly creating the “main” shortcut.

@dail, I’m tagging you because it was your comment that helped point to a workaround-closure to issue #2896, and now every new user who adds an issue is pointed to that closed #2896. But if it’s the installer that’s creating the bad shortcut, I am hoping you can use your influence to re-open that issue. And even if it’s Win10 that’s creating an additional “pin” (probably in the “recently added” or “recently used” or “frequently used” section) that includes the change.log – it might be helpful to see if there’s a way during install to convince Win10 to auto-pin the correct version of the shortcut rather than the change.log shortcut. It seems rather inconvenient (dare I say “rude”) to ask every Win10 user NPP x64 user to manually fix auto-generated shortcuts when the evidence is pointing to it being either the installer directly, or Win10’s auto-pin behavior, that’s causing the “bad” shortcut, and not anything the user has control over.

As a thought for fixing it if it’s a Win10 auto-pin issue: I am assuming it’s when the installer auto-opens NPP with change.log that’s creating the incorrect auto-pin. I’ve never written an installer, but could the installer be made to open a “raw” copy of NPP first, then send a message to NPP to additionally open change.log – that way, the instantiation-command wouldn’t include change.log, so the Win10 auto-pin won’t include it either. I don’t know if that would work, but it makes sense to me.