I understand that this behaviour can be disabled via the settings panel (it works: the warning gets muted)).

How and where? nvm - found it with Google - Settings>Misc>File Status auto-detection.

I’m having the same issue - for me, typically when I don’t save the file in NPP, lock the computer, and then unlock it and go back to editing.

Files are stored on a network hard drive (not Cloud storage). File protocol is SMB, if that is what @ekpalypse is asking.

I don’t think I’ve seen the message in NPP previously, but I’ve just started using it heavily.

I agree, the feature was handy when it worked.

For me, nobody else edit’s these files, and the one other program that I might edit them in notifies me if they were changed in NPP, so I’m okay with disabling it, but I’d like to see it fixed.

Debug info:
Notepad++ v8.8.1 (64-bit)
Build time : May 3 2025 - 18:41:09
Scintilla/Lexilla included : 5.5.6/5.4.4
Boost Regex included : 1_85
Path : C:\Program Files\Notepad++\notepad++.exe
Command Line : “Z:_Brooks Work\FM ExtendScript\Scripts_2025\OPS_JG_Update_Variables.jsx”
Admin mode : OFF
Local Conf mode : OFF
Cloud Config : OFF
Periodic Backup : ON
Placeholders : OFF
Scintilla Rendering Mode : SC_TECHNOLOGY_DEFAULT (0)
Multi-instance Mode : monoInst
File Status Auto-Detection : cdEnabledNew (for current file/tab only)
Dark Mode : OFF
OS Name : Windows 11 Enterprise (64-bit)
OS Version : 23H2
OS Build : 22631.5472
Current ANSI codepage : 1252
Plugins :
JSMinNPP (1.1905.1)
mimeTools (3.1)
NppConverter (4.6)
NppExport (0.4)
NPPJSONViewer (1.34)
XMLTools (3.1.1.13)

This usually works quite reliably as long as the underlying file system supports it.
Where are these files stored and which file system is used?

I’m getting this “file has been modified” warning constantly

This page of the online manual might help.

As you would have read, it tends to be an issue with cloud based storage, is that what you are using?

Terry

When I am prompted with: “Do you want to reload?” I click no and proceed normally.

I am a small business owner, with tech knowledge, not a developer.
I will be migrating from Windows 10 to Linux Mint, not upgrading to Windows 11.

There is also an “issue” open for this; see HERE.

Perhaps it isn’t a problem for most users of these services, so it has gained little attraction from those that could address it.

The steps are exactly the same as Marc described, though my files are being synced to OneDrive, not pCloud.

Also, my File Status Auto-Detection setting is set to “Enabled”.

• Notepad++ 8.4.4 64 bits
• pCloud (a cloud storage competitor to DropBox etc.)
• Windows 11

Steps to reproduce:

1. In Notepad++, save a text file to a folder in the P: drive.
   The P: drive is the “logical” drive that pCloud synchronizes between my PCs.

2. Give the focus to another app window.

3. Give the focus back to Notepad++.

4. Notepad++ prompts me with “This file has been modified by another program. Do you want to reload it?”

My Notepad++ is configured like so:
Preferences -> MISC. -> File Status Auto-Detection -> Enabled for all opened files

You can remove FILE_FLAG_POSIX_SEMANTICS if you like.

The reason I added it is because I am mostly using Linux in my daily work and I like the file name case sensitivity. It is a personal preference and in my opinion doesn’t harm in Windows as well.
I remember once long time ago I got a file from somewhere that was with all capitals name and when I tried to rename it to make the characters normal the system denied that claiming the name was the same. Seems that the confusion I felt back then still lingers :)

Aside from my personal preference, I am not sure if keeping that flag will be useful if Notepad++ is used for Network accessed files. I do not have much experience in that case so I’m not sure what will happen if some Network accessed location is having case-sensitive file system and in a folder there are two files with names that only differ in letter cases. I have no idea if such situation might happen either but how will Notepad++ distinguish between those files? Maybe it is something that will be handled on operating system level IDK for sure.

Yes, that’s what I understood after reading agin MS Doc concerning CreateFile function.
However, the parameter FILE_FLAG_POSIX_SEMANTICS to me is not useful for Notepad++. But there is maybe a reason when you coded it - I would like to know it before removing it (or not).

The CreateFile’s parameter about file attributes is combined with other flags.
The MSDN is saying that FILE_ATTRIBUTE_NORMAL cannot be combined with other ATTRIBUTE values (because those will overwrite FILE_ATTRIBUTE_NORMAL) but flags are separate thing and can surely be combined with attributes. Those are basically two separate types of values combined in one variable.

Quote from MSDN from https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/api/fileapi/nf-fileapi-createfilew :

[in] dwFlagsAndAttributes

The file or device attributes and flags, FILE_ATTRIBUTE_NORMAL being the most common default value for files.

This parameter can include any combination of the available file attributes (FILE_ATTRIBUTE_*). All other file attributes override FILE_ATTRIBUTE_NORMAL.

This parameter can also contain combinations of flags (FILE_FLAG_) for control of file or device caching behavior, access modes, and other special-purpose flags. These combine with any FILE_ATTRIBUTE_ values."

So we can safely use FILE_FLAG_SEQUENTIAL_SCAN, FILE_FLAG_WRITE_THROUGH and FILE_FLAG_POSIX_SEMANTICS and any other FILE_FLAG_* value together with FILE_ATTRIBUTE_NORMAL.

The MSDN documentation for CreateFile says about FILE_ATTRIBUTE_NORMAL:
“This attribute is valid only if used alone.”

The thing is, even FILE_FLAG_POSIX_SEMANTICS is removed:

void Win32_IO_File::fillCreateParams(DWORD &access, DWORD &share, DWORD &disp, DWORD &attrib)
{
	access	= GENERIC_READ;
	share = FILE_SHARE_READ;
	attrib	= FILE_ATTRIBUTE_NORMAL; // Distinguish between upper/lower case in name

	if (_hMode == Mode::READ)
	{
		disp	=	OPEN_EXISTING; // Open only if file exists and is not locked by other process

		attrib	|=	FILE_FLAG_SEQUENTIAL_SCAN; // Optimize caching for sequential read
	}
	else
	{
		disp	=	OPEN_ALWAYS; // Open existing file for writing without destroying it or create new

		access	|=	GENERIC_WRITE;
		attrib	|=	FILE_FLAG_WRITE_THROUGH; // Write cached data directly to disk (no lazy writer)
	}
}

We add always FILE_FLAG_WRITE_THROUGH (Mode::READ is not used in Notepad++ code).

@pnedev
What’s your thought?

The MSDN documentation for CreateFile says about FILE_ATTRIBUTE_NORMAL:
“This attribute is valid only if used alone.”
In reality, ORing with other attributes may make no real difference. But after coding for some 50 years, I believe being pedantic = good plan :-)

You’ve got a point here.

OTOH, the another parameter FILE_FLAG_POSIX_SEMANTICS, MS Doc says:

FILE_FLAG_POSIX_SEMANTICS
0x01000000


	Access will occur according to POSIX rules. This includes allowing multiple files with names, differing only in case, for file systems that support that naming.

We do not need this ability, so I think it can be removed. What do you think @pnedev ?

attrib = FILE_ATTRIBUTE_NORMAL | FILE_FLAG_POSIX_SEMANTICS;

The MSDN documentation for CreateFile says about FILE_ATTRIBUTE_NORMAL:

“This attribute is valid only if used alone.”

In reality, ORing with other attributes may make no real difference. But after coding for some 50 years, I believe being pedantic = good plan :-)

I also tested to modify the file really outside the editor and this works also - the modified dialog appears as expected.

I keep on testing next week but I think you solved the bug ;-)
Thank you very very much for your really fast help!

BR

@donho Is it possible that you don’t fixed the x64 version? because it has older date (2021-11-12 04:02 2.3M) and other filename (missing the word “new”)

You are right. Fixed now.