Two instances, dnd works to first, not to second?

Alan Kilborn

I encountered an interesting situation. I have my main N++ that I use day-to-day open and I can drag-and-drop files from Explorer to open them in N++, no problem, no worries…

But I found that if I open a second instance, using portable 7.8.4 with the -multiInst parameter, I can’t do drag-and-drop file opening from (the still-running copy of) Explorer.

Trying the same file in each instance; main instance works, second I get the little box with the plus sign, but releasing the left mouse button results in the file NOT opening.

Neither Notepad++ instance is administrator mode (no string in the title bars) and the Explorer is not admin-capable either.

Also: The file opens just fine in the second N++ instance if I use File > Open… and then browse to the file’s location.

Any ideas?

Ekopalypse

I assume I work, more or less, all the time with this configuration.
First npp instance is started with mono-instance setting.
Then I press F9 to run open another instance, which according to
task manager has been started with -nosession -multiInst flags.
I can drag and drop files from explorer to any instance running.

Alan Kilborn

@Ekopalypse

Hmm. I didn’t start my second instance that way, because I wanted a different version of Notepad++ to be running for that 2nd instance. Would you may be so kind as to try my exact scenario?

main N++ running, drop fileX from Explorer into it, all is OK
cmd prompt in folder of different version of N++, e.g. 7.8.4 portable, type notepad++.exe -multiInst
test drag and drop of same fileX from same Explorer into it

PeterJones

@Alan-Kilborn ,

For me:

Situation 1:

Open my default () 7.8.4-64 normally (: even my default is a portable)
Drag file.txt from explorer to 7.8.4-64, opens fine
launch portable\npp.7.8.4-32\notepad++.exe -multiInst
- same version, different bits
Drag file.txt from same explorer to 7.8.4-32, opens fine
close file.txt in 7.8.4-64; re-drag to 7.8.4-64, still opens fine
(close all Notepad++ instances)

Situation 2

Open my default () 7.8.4-64 normally (: even my default is a portable)
Drag file.txt from explorer to 7.8.4-64, opens fine
launch portable\npp.7.8.2-64\notepad++.exe -multiInst
- different version, same bits
Drag file.txt from same explorer to 7.8.2-64, opens fine
close file.txt in 7.8.4-64; re-drag to 7.8.4-64, still opens fine
(close all Notepad++ instances)

I thought I remembered you had all instances as portable, like I do… but I could be wrong. If your main instance is an installed version and the second was portable, that might change things, and I cannot replicate that situation from here.

Alan Kilborn

@PeterJones

Thanks for trying. All my instances are portable.

I guess I can live with it not working for me, as I can always browse to right place to open the file (for this infrequent need).

I just found it curious, and I like to report and discuss the curious. :-)

I don’t think it is worth reporting as a real “issue” as I may be a “one-off”.

Ekopalypse

@Alan-Kilborn said in Two instances, dnd works to first, not to second?:

@Ekopalypse

Hmm. I didn’t start my second instance that way, because I wanted a different version of Notepad++ to be running for that 2nd instance. Would you may be so kind as to try my exact scenario?

main N++ running, drop fileX from Explorer into it, all is OK

cmd prompt in folder of different version of N++, e.g. 7.8.4 portable, type notepad++.exe -multiInst

test drag and drop of same fileX from same Explorer into it

I just did, even with 7.8.4 - works for me.

Alan Kilborn

OT to this thread, but I noticed when you have multiple instances open, future operations (e.g. file association ops) take place on the most-recently opened instance. Not a problem, but maybe not what I expect/want. Now I’m remembering why I dislike and rarely use multiple instances. :-)

Ekopalypse

@Alan-Kilborn said in Two instances, dnd works to first, not to second?:

future operations (e.g. file association ops) take place on the most-recently opened instance

and are not saved, nice for testing but strange if you think you’ve done
those changes already but after a new npp start it’s gone.

Alan Kilborn

@Ekopalypse said in Two instances, dnd works to first, not to second?:

and are not saved

You mean like “new #” files in the 2nd instance’s session? I wouldn’t know, as keeping unnamed or unsaved files around longer than a few seconds is about the dumbest idea I can think of.

But apparently people love it, and then they love to complain about it when their files are suddenly just gone, and gone for good. :-) but more accurately :-(

Ekopalypse

@Alan-Kilborn

No, I meant you start main npp, then you start another npp -multiInst
and within the second instance you do, for example, enable multiline tabs.
You close both npp instances and restart it, multiline tabs are disabled again. Only changes by the instance which get closed last will be saved.

Alan Kilborn

@Ekopalypse

Only changes by the instance which get closed last will be saved.

Oh, yea. Knew that. Another reason to dislike M.I. :-)