Monitor (tail -f) prompts to reload file

[Meta Chuh]

@IT-Staff

this issue is verified as reproducible.
@SinghRajenM has committed a fix that solves all testing scenarios so far.
the fix is currently in the queue and might get merged, if no further issues or concerns arise.

best regards.

[melle sterk]

I had the same problem with a 32-bit version(v.7). I installed this solved my problem 64 v.7.6.4

[melle sterk]

@melle-sterk I cant edit my prev submission. but I do still have the problem after installing both version. it only looked like it dindt for a second. So ignore my prev message

[Paul Renold]

Still seems to be an issue with v7.7

[Meta Chuh]

welcome to the notepad++ community, @Paul-Renold

yes, you are correct.

a fix has been submitted to address this issue, but it has not been merged into 7.7 for issue strategic reasons, due to the major changes within this release.

many thanks and best regards.

[Manuel Romeiro]

I installed the V7.8 32-bit (built time Oct 7 2019 - 00:58:16) and continue not working.
Now, there is not prompt, but don’t update the changes.

[Manuel Romeiro]

Improving my last answer.
The functionality “tail -f” seams working when data changes and stream is closed, but sometimes not works if the file stream remains opened.

I tested it, redirecting java application output to one file (some_java_application > out.log).
The Notepad++ only updated at the begin (when file was cleaned) and at the end (when application ends, and file stream was closed).
If I disable the “tail -f”, the prompt comes again as expected, when focus in Notepad++ with files changes, even when stream remains opened (that means the Notepad++ have capability to detect changes on files with stream open, but not when “tail -f” enabled).
I’ll comment again if I reproduce this with a simple application, but bellow I reproduce partially with native ms-dos applications.

After that, I tried to reproduce the problem only using windows base applications, and that works better, but not perfect.
Executing the bellow command on the console:
ping -t 0.0.0.0 > test_tail_notepad_plus_plus.txt

The Notepad++ with “tail -f” enablled only updates when:

• At the begin, when file was cleared;
• Receiving focus on Notepad++;
• Press F5 on Explorer with file folder opened (native file Explorer of windows);

There are missing updates on acceptable time for tail functionality, even Notepad++ don’t have focus (for example refresh rates of 1 second).
I’m running Notepad++ V7.8 32bit on windows 10 64bit.

Thanks
Manuel Romeiro

[SinghRajenM]

@Manuel-Romeiro it seems these all are windows limitation. It is explained here - https://github.com/notepad-plus-plus/notepad-plus-plus/pull/5591#issuecomment-487341747

Refreshing every second could be an option. But it will keep utilizing CPU even if there is no change as well because the monitoring thread has to do polling every second which is against the design of change notification.

[SinghRajenM]

For reference to all -

From MSDN

FILE_NOTIFY_CHANGE_SIZE
0x00000008

Any file-size change in the watched directory or subtree causes a change notification wait operation to return. The operating system detects a change in file size only when the file is written to the disk. For operating systems that use extensive caching, detection occurs only when the cache is sufficiently flushed.

FILE_NOTIFY_CHANGE_LAST_WRITE
0x00000010

Any change to the last write-time of files in the watched directory or subtree causes a change notification wait operation to return. The operating system detects a change to the last write-time only when the file is written to the disk. For operating systems that use extensive caching, detection occurs only when the cache is sufficiently flushed.

[Manuel Romeiro]

@SinghRajenM Yes, it’s exactly that issue.
I’ll continue using the functionality knowing that limitation.
Thanks

[ryangray01]

@Manuel-Romeiro said in Monitor (tail -f) prompts to reload file:

Improving my last answer.
The functionality “tail -f” seams working when data changes and stream is closed, but sometimes not works if the file stream remains opened.

I tested it, redirecting java application output to one file (some_java_application > out.log).
The Notepad++ only updated at the begin (when file was cleaned) and at the end (when application ends, and file stream was closed).
If I disable the “tail -f”, the prompt comes again as expected, when focus in Notepad++ with files changes, even when stream remains opened (that means the Notepad++ have capability to detect changes on files with stream open, but not when “tail -f” enabled).
I’ll comment again if I reproduce this with a simple application, but bellow I reproduce partially with native ms-dos applications.

After that, I tried to reproduce the problem only using windows base applications, and that works better, but not perfect.
Executing the bellow command on the console:
ping -t 0.0.0.0 > test_tail_notepad_plus_plus.txt

The Notepad++ with “tail -f” enablled only updates when:

At the begin, when file was cleared;
Receiving focus on Notepad++;
Press F5 on Explorer with file folder opened (native file Explorer of windows);
There are missing updates on acceptable time for tail functionality, even Notepad++ don’t have focus (for example refresh rates of 1 second).
I’m running Notepad++ V7.8 32bit on windows 10 64bit.

Thanks
Manuel Romeiro

The “tail -f” functionality in Notepad++ works as expected when the file stream is closed, but encounters issues when the file stream remains open. I tested this by redirecting the output of a Java application to a file (some_java_application > out.log), and Notepad++ only updated at the beginning (when the file was cleared) and at the end (when the application finished and the stream was closed). However, when the stream remained open, the updates were not consistent. I further tested this with a native Windows command (ping -t 0.0.0.0 > test_tail_notepad_plus_plus.txt), and the updates only occurred when the file was cleared, when Notepad++ regained focus, or when the folder view was refreshed using F5 in Windows Explorer. Updates were missed when the file was actively being written to and Notepad++ didn’t have focus, indicating that Notepad++ can detect file changes while the stream is open, but not reliably with “tail -f” enabled. This behavior is similar to discovering in n out secret menu prices—unexpected yet interesting, but inconsistent. This was tested on Notepad++ v7.8 (32-bit) on Windows 10 (64-bit).

[PeterJones]

@ryangray01,

Again, your only contribution in this topic was to reiterate phrases that had already been used in other posts. Please try to include your own unique perspective in posts. You now have two “could be AI nonsense” strikes against you. You are on very thin ice at this point.

This was tested on Notepad++ v7.8 (32-bit) on Windows 10 (64-bit)

Why would anybody still be using v7.8 (32-bit) on Windows 10 (64-bit) – in 2019, when the original discussion was started, that was reasonable. But 6 years later, when Notepad++ is to v8.8.1, and Windows 10 is at the cusp of end-of-support from Microsoft, I cannot believe you are actually still using that setup, or that there is any benefit today to trying to replicate that 6-year-old setup.