Community
    • Login

    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?!

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved General Discussion
    35 Posts 17 Posters 11.6k Views
    Loading More Posts
    • Oldest to Newest
    • Newest to Oldest
    • Most Votes
    Reply
    • Reply as topic
    Log in to reply
    This topic has been deleted. Only users with topic management privileges can see it.
    • donhoD
      donho @pnedev
      last edited by 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).

      pnedevP 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • pnedevP
        pnedev @donho
        last edited by

        @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.

        donhoD 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 4
        • donhoD
          donho @pnedev
          last edited by

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

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
          • Josef EliášJ
            Josef Eliáš @Leo Eibler
            last edited by

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

            donhoD 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • donhoD
              donho @Josef Eliáš
              last edited by

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

              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • Marc GreinerM
                Marc Greiner
                last edited by

                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:

                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

                Doug RossD Mountain-EagleM 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • Doug RossD
                  Doug Ross @Marc Greiner
                  last edited by

                  @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”.

                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • Alan KilbornA
                    Alan Kilborn
                    last edited by 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.

                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • Mountain-EagleM
                      Mountain-Eagle @Marc Greiner
                      last edited by

                      @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.

                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • jim hughesJ
                        jim hughes
                        last edited by 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 RT 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • Terry RT
                          Terry R @jim hughes
                          last edited by

                          @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

                          Denis RionnetD 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                          • Denis RionnetD
                            Denis Rionnet @Terry R
                            last edited by

                            I’ve been using Notepad++ for a very long time, and it’s only very recently that I experienced this constant “file has been modified” warning.
                            I currently use v8.8.1 (64bits on Windows 10), which I think is the most recent.
                            I understand that this behaviour can be disabled via the settings panel (it works: the warning gets muted)). But actually, this warning was a good feature as long as it was accurate.

                            EkopalypseE M 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • EkopalypseE
                              Ekopalypse @Denis Rionnet
                              last edited by

                              @Denis-Rionnet

                              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?

                              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
                              • M
                                Marshall-Brooks @Denis Rionnet
                                last edited by

                                @Denis-Rionnet 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 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)

                                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • First post
                                  Last post
                                The Community of users of the Notepad++ text editor.
                                Powered by NodeBB | Contributors