Notepad++ has a Reload false alarm / bug? "This file has been modified by another program. Do you want to reload it"? even when it hadn't been recently modified at all?!

donho

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?

pnedev

@donho ,

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.

donho

@pnedev

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).

pnedev

@donho ,

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.

donho

@pnedev
Makes sens for this parameter. Let’s keep it then.
Thank you for your explanation.

Josef Eliáš

@leo-eibler , @donho
Where is this fix available? I have same problem and it sounds like you have fix :D

donho

@josef-eliáš
Download v8.1.9.2 here:
https://notepad-plus-plus.org/downloads/v8.1.9.2/

Marc Greiner

I am having the “Reload false alarm” issue.

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

Steps to reproduce:

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.
Give the focus to another app window.
Give the focus back to Notepad++.
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

Doug Ross

@Marc-Greiner I am having this same issue as well. I am on version 8.4.5 32-bit, though it has been happening through the past several versions.

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”.

Alan Kilborn

IMO, Notepad++ has trouble with this for files that are on these types of drives. In my case, like @Doug-Ross it is for OneDrive, and indeed I discussed it on this forum over 2 years ago; see current top result HERE and also note some other results…

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.

Mountain-Eagle

@Marc-Greiner I have this problem occasionally while using SpiderOak doing scheduled cloud storage backups every 30 minutes.
Windows 10 Pro 64 bits
Notepad++ v8.4.9 64 bits
Preferences ->
MISC. -> File Status Auto-Detection -> Enabled.
Backup -> Enable session snapshot and periodic backup every 5 minutes.

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.

jim hughes

I’m using NP++ for the first time and seems I’m getting this “file has been modified” warning constantly - except for my first access to the file. Any way I can turn this off?

Terry R

@jim-hughes said in Notepad++ has a Reload false alarm / bug? “This file has been modified by another program. Do you want to reload it”? even when it hadn’t been recently modified at all?!:

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