Notepad++ 7.6 & new Plugins Admin

dinkumoil

Why the most important is 1 ?
OTOH, people will be able to download NppPluginList.dll in the future.

Point 3. is a comfort feature. Point 2. is nasty for users but will not be changed (useless to discuss about it). Point 1. is also nasty for users because currently they can not download easily a NppPluginList.dll and I already thought you will not refuse to change that.

donho

@chcg

Is it expected/intended behaviour that the plugin admin is not available for the zip/7z package?

It’s not an expected/intended behaviour that the plugin admin is not available for the zip/7z package, it’s rather a limitation due to the current ziplib used in WinGUp.

If you know a good alternative lib which is EASY (ie. with the vcxproj) to integrate, please let me know.

bveldkamp

I’m sure I’m missing something obvious, but… How do I open this new plugin manager? I think I checked every menu twice already.

dinkumoil

@donho said:

Are you telling us that it’s not enough to copy the existing plugins into new PLUGINS HOME, and it necessary to remove existing plugins from their location to make plugins be loaded?

That was my experience. Please note: the problem was with old Plugin Manager plugin, not with Notepad++ itself.

donho

@chcg

At https://notepad-plus-plus.org/features/plugin-admin.html the links are still at
N++ 7.5.9

It should be OK now.

https://notepad-plus-plus.org/pluginListTestTools/notepad++.7.5.9.debug.x86.zip
https://notepad-plus-plus.org/pluginListTestTools/notepad++7.5.9.debug.x64.zip
and GUP 5.0.3
https://notepad-plus-plus.org/pluginListTestTools/wingup.5.0.3.release.x32.zip
https://notepad-plus-plus.org/pluginListTestTools/wingup.5.0.3.release.x64.zip

which should be updated also to avoid confusion.

Thank you for your heads up. Will do it ASAP.

donho

@MAPJe71

Up till this version I had both the 32-bit and the 64-bit N++ installed with their plugins installed in C:\Program Files (x86)\Notepad++\plugins and C:\Program Files\Notepad++\plugins respectively. The configuration files were shared and located in C:\Users%USERNAME%\AppData\Roaming\Notepad++.
This seems no longer possible as plugins are now loaded from C:\Users%USERNAME%\AppData\Local\Notepad++\plugins for both 32-bit and 64-bit N++.

I confirm.

dinkumoil

@bveldkamp said:

How do I open this new plugin manager?

In the english locale there is in the main menu bar an entry Plugins. I don’t know how it is called in your locale, to find it you could switch to english via (menu) Settings -> (register card) General -> (combobox) Localization. In the drop down menu of Pluginsyou will find an entry Plugin Admin.

Andrew Briggs

I confirm as well. Notepad++ needs to use folder names based on architecture e.g. %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Notepad++\x64\ and %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Notepad++\x86 etc or some other structure that has unique folders for the 2 x64 and x86 architectures.

dinkumoil

@bveldkamp

Forget my last posting, here is a much better advice.

bveldkamp

I see now that the menu is there when I run NP++ ‘As Administrator’, but not for my normal user account. I’d expect it to be available for all users especially now that plugins go into %LOCALAPPDATA%.

A complete reinstall didn’t change anything.

FWIW, I have installed 7.6 x64

Meta Chuh

@bveldkamp
%LOCALAPPDATA% is personalized for each user, so if installed as Administrator, all other users won’t see any plugins

the only workaround i found so far for using all plugins for all users is:
install notepad++ to C:\Notepad++ with the option “Do not use %APPDATA%” selected
(don’t install inside C:\Program Files\ when selecting “Dont use %APPDATA%” or you will not see plugins nor the plugins admin)

hope it helps

Zanzaraaa

wow guys, this is a big step back.
now its not possible anymore for sysadmins to provide plugins for all users in the notepad++ plugins directory in the program files install folder. now plugins are only in the current users profile? seriously?

Meta Chuh

@Zanzaraaa
i understand your point, but it’s not quite a big step back for np++ imho.

multiuser installs was just something noone of us users had tested thoroughly enough prior to the 7.6 release, so it’s more our fault as “pre release testers”.

the only thing needed to fix this behavior is that a present DoLocalConf.xml overrules the trigger that plugins manager ignores DoLocalConf.xml if the install is within %PROGRAMFILES% or %PROGRAMFILES(x86)%

currently plugins manager and the plugin routine just ignores a DoLocalConf.xml (don’t use %APPDATA% setting at install) if notepad++ lies within %PROGRAMFILES% or %PROGRAMFILES(x86)%

maybe @donho has a fix soon, maybe not, but anyway noone is really forced to use 7.6 instead of 7.5.9 or a later release, so it doesn’t seem that much of a problem

donho

@dinkumoil said:

Point 1. is also nasty for users because currently they can not download easily a NppPluginList.dll and I already thought you will not refuse to change that.

Which folder is suitable for this enhancement?

donho

@Andrew-Briggs said:

I confirm as well. Notepad++ needs to use folder names based on architecture e.g. %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Notepad++\x64\ and %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Notepad++\x86 etc or some other structure that has unique folders for the 2 x64 and x86 architectures.

Please give me a reason that we need that.

dinkumoil

@donho said:

Which folder is suitable for this enhancement?

As @SinghRajenM already suggested here:

%allusersprofile% … or can it be kept in %programfiles% itself

donho

@Zanzaraaa said:

now its not possible anymore for sysadmins to provide plugins for all users in the notepad++ plugins directory in the program files install folder. now plugins are only in the current users profile? seriously?

IMO, every user has his/her need, so it makes sens that each user installs his/her plugins in his/her space. Or am I missing some cases?

Zanzaraaa

@donho said:

IMO, every user has his/her need, so it makes sens that each user installs his/her plugins in his/her space. Or am I missing some cases?

yes this seems ok for home users.
but in company environment where you have some plugins that you want or have to provide to ALL users, you just had to copy the plugins into the program files plugin folder and every user has it when he starts notepad++. no need for users to manually mess around.
also normally i delete the plugin manager after installation because we dont want users to use it to manually install or update plugins. they should only use the ones we provide.

pnedev

There is also the case when some plugins are needed by ALL users using the computer and some are for personal use.
Best would be to be able to install and load plugins from %ALLUSERSPROFILE% as well as from %LOCALAPPDATA%.

donho

@Zanzaraaa said:

but in company environment where you have some plugins that you want or have to provide to ALL users, you just had to copy the plugins into the program files plugin folder and every user has it when he starts notepad++. no need for users to manually mess around.

OK, I see. How about an empty file pluginsForAllUser.xml makes Notepad++ load from %ALLUSERSPROFILE% ?

also normally i delete the plugin manager after installation because we dont want users to use it to manually install or update plugins. they should only use the ones we provide.

So I will provide a simpler way for the deployment of Notepad++ - could you test to see if it’s suitable for companies?