Feature idea: Language+++++++

Sophist-UK

At present the language capability of Npp is focused on syntax colouring.

However most integrated IDEs (esp Visual Studio) have context sensitive integrated help functionality,

I would like to propose that the current NPP language functionality is put on steroids by adding the following capability:

Associate each keyword / operator etc. with a help location (deliberately kept generic - see point 2) that provides the language definition for the keyword etc.;
Define a set of help location types (windows help file, web base URL) that when taken with the help location in 1. allow Npp to display the context-specific help for that keyword.
You might also want to provide several such locations / location types for each keyword allowing the user a choice (see example below)

So, for example, if the user wanted help on a python for statement, they could put the cursor on the word “for” and press F1 and Npp would take them to one of the following web pages:

https://wiki.python.org/moin/ForLoop
https://docs.python.org/3/tutorial/controlflow.html#for-statements
http://www.python-course.eu/python3_for_loop.php
https://www.tutorialspoint.com/python/python_for_loop.htm

Or for a user defined language I am working on (mirc script language), F1 on “while” might take you to a help file:

mk:@MSITStore:C:\Program%20Files%20(x86)\mIRC\mirc.chm::/aliases.html#cmd_while

(We might need some cleverness to locate the help file if it is somewhere non-standard.)

Providing the basic infrastructure in Npp doesn’t feel too difficult - the bulk of the work would be to enhance the language definitions, but this is something I feel that the community might well get behind because of the great benefits it would bring.

Just an idea…

Claudia Frank

@Sophist-UK

not sure if you are aware of this but there is already something implemented
which, more or less, does what you want. See Run menu Get php help.
Those entries are stored in shortcuts.xml file and can be modified to your needs.
(file is either available under %APPDATA%\notepad++ directory or
under installation directory - depends on your setup)

In addition there is a plugin called LanguageHelp which offers similar functionality.

Not 100% what you’ve asked for but maybe sufficient.

Cheers
Claudia