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Notepad++ 8.4.2 not recognizing file extension to define language

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  • P
    PeterJones @Giannis Raptis
    last edited by Jun 23, 2022, 1:26 PM

    @giannis-raptis ,

    Given that your status bar shows path or file/machine information in the “file type” section like @Pallieguy showed, I now think you have found something… however, I am not able to replicate it with my installation of Notepad++.

    If I use the Windows Explorer and use the double-click action (on file types like .txt and .md, which have their default action set to Notepad++), it loads them up and immediately recognizes the type; and if I use my right-click Edit with Notepad++ action on any file type (those listed, or .py or .json, to finish replicating your examples), it also correctly recognizes the type: it does not pick a non-existent UDL and show part of the file path in the status bar.

    Notepad++ v8.4.2   (64-bit)
    Build time : May 29 2022 - 16:47:30
    Path : C:\usr\local\apps\notepad++\notepad++.exe
    Command Line : "C:\Users\xxxxx\Downloads\TempData\23148.txt"
    Admin mode : OFF
    Local Conf mode : OFF
    Cloud Config : OFF
    OS Name : Windows 10 Enterprise (64-bit) 
    OS Version : 20H2
    OS Build : 19042.1586
    Current ANSI codepage : 1252
    Plugins : 
        AutoSave (1.6.1)
        ComparePlugin (2.0.2)
        DSpellCheck (1.4.24)
        EnhanceAnyLexer ()
        ExtSettings (1.2.1)
        MarkdownViewerPlusPlus (0.8.2)
        mimeTools (2.8)
        NppConsole (1.2.4.1)
        NppConverter (4.4)
        NppEditorConfig (0.4)
        NppExec (0.8)
        NppExport (0.4)
        NppFTP (0.30.12)
        NppLspClient ()
        NppUISpy (1.0.4)
        PreviewHTML (1.3.2)
        PythonScript (2)
        QuickText (0.2.4.1)
        TagLEET (1.3.10.1)
        _CustomizeToolbar (5.3)
    

    I wonder if there’s some difference in the way our file associations are defined which are causing the difference between your installation’s behavior and mine… Weird. If you can provide more information (how you made your associations, or digging into the registry to show us exactly what those associations look like), it might provide enough hints to make a replicable situation: if we can replicate it and define the exact sequence of events necessary, then we can probably file a bug report about it; but without a way to replicate it, I am not sure that a bug report will get much activity after the first attempt to replicate it fails.

    P 1 Reply Last reply Jun 23, 2022, 3:37 PM Reply Quote 1
    • P
      Pallieguy @PeterJones
      last edited by Jun 23, 2022, 3:37 PM

      @peterjones
      I booted up my computer today and I’m now getting the behavior described by @Giannis-Raptis. If I go File > Open it detects the language, if I right click in explorer and select Edit with Notepad++ it detects the language, if I select the file from the recent files section under the File menu it detects the language. The only way it doesn’t is if I double click the file in Windows Explorer.

      I’ve tried my hardest to avoid dealing with the windows registry. If you can let me know what details you need I’ll gladly get you what I can.

      P 1 Reply Last reply Jun 23, 2022, 4:02 PM Reply Quote 0
      • P
        PeterJones @Pallieguy
        last edited by Jun 23, 2022, 4:02 PM

        @pallieguy

        Here’s a way to do it where you cannot accidentally write anything: using the command-line REG QUERY which just grabs information from the registry without editing it. (For these instructions, I am assuming that even double-clicking a *.txt file is giving this wrong behavior. If not, replace the .txt below with an extension that double-clicks into Notepad++ but doesn’t identify correctly, like maybe .php, since that’s what started it all.)

        Open a command prompt

        REG QUERY HKCR\.txt /VE
        

        This will output something like:

        HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.txt
            (Default)    REG_SZ    txtfile
        

        Whatever the text is to the right of REG_SZ, use that in the next query:

        REG QUERY HKCR\txtfile
        

        Share those results with us (use the </> button on the forum toolbar to wrap your text in a black box like I did)

        For example, mine is:

        C:\usr\local\share>REG QUERY HKCR\.txt /VE
        
        HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.txt
            (Default)    REG_SZ    txtfile
        
        
        C:\usr\local\share>REG QUERY HKCR\txtfile
        
        HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\txtfile
            (Default)    REG_SZ    Text Document
            EditFlags    REG_DWORD    0x210000
            FriendlyTypeName    REG_EXPAND_SZ    @%SystemRoot%\system32\notepad.exe,-469
        
        HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\txtfile\DefaultIcon
        HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\txtfile\shell
        

        Those will give the “old fashioned” file associations, which Windows used prior to Win10 (and still work in Win10 and Win11, though they are moving away from them)

        But since @giannis-raptis is on Win10, it might be useful to examine the newer “Open With” storage locations

        REG QUERY HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.txt /S
        REG QUERY HKCR\Applications\notepad++.exe /S
        

        Give us the output to both of those as well

        For the record, mine are:

        C:\usr\local\share>REG QUERY HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.txt /S
        
        HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.txt\OpenWithList
            a    REG_SZ    notepad.exe
            b    REG_SZ    cabd
            c    REG_SZ    EXCEL.EXE
            d    REG_SZ    notepad++.exe
            MRUList    REG_SZ    dce
            e    REG_SZ    chrome.exe
        
        HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.txt\OpenWithProgids
            txtfile    REG_NONE
        
        HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.txt\UserChoice
            ProgId    REG_SZ    Applications\notepad++.exe
            Hash    REG_SZ    cK5ueCMWhb4=
        
        
        C:\usr\local\share>REG QUERY HKCR\Applications\notepad++.exe /S
        
        HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Applications\notepad++.exe
            FriendlyAppName    REG_SZ    Notepad++
            (Default)    REG_SZ    Notepad++ Text Document
        
        HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Applications\notepad++.exe\DefaultIcon
            (Default)    REG_SZ    "c:\usr\local\apps\notepad++\notepad++.exe",-100
        
        HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Applications\notepad++.exe\shell
        
        HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Applications\notepad++.exe\shell\open
            Icon    REG_SZ    c:\usr\local\apps\notepad++\notepad++.exe,-101
        
        HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Applications\notepad++.exe\shell\open\command
            (Default)    REG_SZ    "C:\usr\local\apps\notepad++\notepad++.exe" "%1"
        

        And finally, grab

        REG QUERY HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ApplicationAssociationToasts
        

        But that’s too big. So paste it into Notepad++, and then run the following replacement on it:

        • FIND WHAT: (?-s)^((?!Toasts|Notepad\+\+\.exe|\.txt).)*(\R|\Z)
        • REPLACE WITH: (empty)
        • hit Replace All

        Then copy/paste the filtered results from Notepad++ into a black </> box in your your reply as well.

        P 1 Reply Last reply Jun 23, 2022, 4:17 PM Reply Quote 1
        • P
          Pallieguy @PeterJones
          last edited by Jun 23, 2022, 4:17 PM

          @peterjones
          I tried a .txt to see if the language problem persisted and like after the .css yesterday, the language is back to being detected properly for all my files. If it happens again tomorrow I will run these commands and post them while it’s still wonky.

          First set of commands:

          C:\Users\Palli>REG QUERY HKCR\.php /VE
          
          HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.php
              (Default)    REG_SZ    php_auto_file
          
          
          C:\Users\Palli>REG QUERY HKCR\php_auto_file
          
          HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\php_auto_file\shell
          

          Second two:

          C:\Users\Palli>REG QUERY HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.php /S
          
          HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.php\OpenWithList
              a    REG_SZ    firefox.exe
              b    REG_SZ    cab
              c    REG_SZ    {1AC14E77-02E7-4E5D-B744-2EB1AE5198B7}\OpenWith.exe
              d    REG_SZ    dabc
              MRUList    REG_SZ    eabcd
              e    REG_SZ    notepad++.exe
          
          HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.php\OpenWithProgids
              php_auto_file    REG_NONE
          
          HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.php\UserChoice
              Hash    REG_SZ    8c5Dq+bAc2A=
              ProgId    REG_SZ    Applications\notepad++.exe
          
          
          C:\Users\Palli>REG QUERY HKCR\Applications\notepad++.exe /S
          
          HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Applications\notepad++.exe\shell
          
          HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Applications\notepad++.exe\shell\open
          
          HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Applications\notepad++.exe\shell\open\command
              (Default)    REG_SZ    "D:\Notepad++\notepad++.exe" "%1"
          

          Filtered last command:

          HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ApplicationAssociationToasts
              txtfile_.txt    REG_DWORD    0x0
              textfile_.txt    REG_DWORD    0x0
              Applications\notepad++.exe_.sfv    REG_DWORD    0x0
              Applications\notepad++.exe_.srt    REG_DWORD    0x0
              Applications\notepad++.exe_.ssa    REG_DWORD    0x0
              soffice.StarWriterDocument.6_.txt    REG_DWORD    0x0
              soffice.StarCalcDocument.6_.txt    REG_DWORD    0x0
              Applications\notepad++.exe_.txt    REG_DWORD    0x0
              Applications\notepad++.exe_.php    REG_DWORD    0x0
              Applications\NOTEPAD.EXE_.txt    REG_DWORD    0x0
              Applications\notepad++.exe_.gcode    REG_DWORD    0x0
              Applications\notepad++.exe_.pl    REG_DWORD    0x0
              Applications\notepad++.exe_.css    REG_DWORD    0x0
              Applications\notepad++.exe_.js    REG_DWORD    0x0
              Applications\notepad++.exe_.orig    REG_DWORD    0x0
              Applications\notepad++.exe_.ini    REG_DWORD    0x0
              Applications\notepad++.exe_.log    REG_DWORD    0x0
              Applications\notepad++.exe_.fasta    REG_DWORD    0x0
              Applications\notepad++.exe_.htaccess    REG_DWORD    0x0
              Applications\notepad++.exe_.cpp    REG_DWORD    0x0
              Applications\notepad++.exe_.h    REG_DWORD    0x0
              Applications\notepad++.exe_.cfg    REG_DWORD    0x0
              Applications\notepad++.exe_.pem    REG_DWORD    0x0
              Applications\notepad++.exe_.html    REG_DWORD    0x0
              Applications\notepad++.exe_.json    REG_DWORD    0x0
              Applications\notepad++.exe_.lock    REG_DWORD    0x0
              Applications\notepad++.exe_.gitignore    REG_DWORD    0x0
              AppX4ztfk9wxr86nxmzzq47px0nh0e58b8fw_.txt    REG_DWORD    0x0
              Applications\notepad++.exe_.test    REG_DWORD    0x0
              Applications\notepad++.exe_.old    REG_DWORD    0x0
              Applications\notepad++.exe_.new    REG_DWORD    0x0
              Applications\notepad++.exe_.xml    REG_DWORD    0x0
              Applications\notepad++.exe_.bar    REG_DWORD    0x0
              Applications\notepad++.exe_.htpasswd    REG_DWORD    0x0
              Applications\notepad++.exe_.env    REG_DWORD    0x0
          
          P 1 Reply Last reply Jun 23, 2022, 5:29 PM Reply Quote 1
          • P
            PeterJones @Pallieguy
            last edited by Jun 23, 2022, 5:29 PM

            @pallieguy ,

            I wonder if one of your plugins is causing Notepad++ to have intermittent difficulty in identifying the file type. Weird. If it goes back to happening, share your ?-menu’s Debug Info like @Giannis-Raptis did.

            Also, if it happens again, try closing Notepad++ and renaming your c:\program files\notepad++\plugins directory (which is one of the steps in this FAQ, which though it claims to be about crashing, is also a general-purpose see-if-plugin-is-causing-problem instruction set; because your problem is only with double-click, you cannot easily use option #1, but option #2 will still work for you)

            P 2 Replies Last reply Jun 23, 2022, 5:32 PM Reply Quote 0
            • P
              Pallieguy @PeterJones
              last edited by Jun 23, 2022, 5:32 PM

              This post is deleted!
              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • P
                Pallieguy @PeterJones
                last edited by Pallieguy Jun 23, 2022, 5:37 PM Jun 23, 2022, 5:36 PM

                @peterjones
                I haven’t installed any plugins that I’m aware of, but I’ll try that after posting if it happens again tomorrow.

                Debug info:

                Notepad++ v8.4.2   (64-bit)
                Build time : May 29 2022 - 16:47:30
                Path : C:\Program Files\Notepad++\notepad++.exe
                Command Line : "D:\Dropbox (xxxx)\xxxx\Coding\xxxx\web\content\submissions\permissionForm\index.php"
                Admin mode : OFF
                Local Conf mode : OFF
                Cloud Config : OFF
                OS Name : Windows 10 Pro (64-bit) 
                OS Version : 21H2
                OS Build : 19044.1766
                Current ANSI codepage : 1252
                Plugins : 
                    mimeTools (2.8)
                    NppConverter (4.4)
                    NppExport (0.4)
                
                P 1 Reply Last reply Jun 23, 2022, 5:37 PM Reply Quote 0
                • P
                  PeterJones @Pallieguy
                  last edited by Jun 23, 2022, 5:37 PM

                  @pallieguy said in Notepad++ 8.4.2 not recognizing file extension to define language:

                  I haven’t installed any plugins that I’m aware of

                  Your Debug Info agrees: you only have the default plugins, which aren’t the culprit.

                  Well, let us know if the problem comes back.

                  P 1 Reply Last reply Jun 24, 2022, 3:35 PM Reply Quote 0
                  • P
                    Pallieguy @PeterJones
                    last edited by Jun 24, 2022, 3:35 PM

                    @peterjones
                    Day three and the same problem. Only difference is I didn’t shut down the computer last night.

                    First commands:

                    C:\Users\Palli>REG QUERY HKCR\.php /VE
                    
                    HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.php
                        (Default)    REG_SZ    php_auto_file
                    
                    
                    C:\Users\Palli>REG QUERY HKCR\php_auto_file
                    
                    HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\php_auto_file\shell
                    

                    Second Set:

                    C:\Users\Palli>REG QUERY HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.php /S
                    
                    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.php\OpenWithList
                        a    REG_SZ    firefox.exe
                        b    REG_SZ    cab
                        c    REG_SZ    {1AC14E77-02E7-4E5D-B744-2EB1AE5198B7}\OpenWith.exe
                        d    REG_SZ    dabc
                        MRUList    REG_SZ    eabcd
                        e    REG_SZ    notepad++.exe
                    
                    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.php\OpenWithProgids
                        php_auto_file    REG_NONE
                    
                    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.php\UserChoice
                        Hash    REG_SZ    8c5Dq+bAc2A=
                        ProgId    REG_SZ    Applications\notepad++.exe
                    
                    
                    C:\Users\Palli>REG QUERY HKCR\Applications\notepad++.exe /S
                    
                    HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Applications\notepad++.exe\shell
                    
                    HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Applications\notepad++.exe\shell\open
                    
                    HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Applications\notepad++.exe\shell\open\command
                        (Default)    REG_SZ    "D:\Notepad++\notepad++.exe" "%1"
                    

                    Filtered last command:

                    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ApplicationAssociationToasts
                        txtfile_.txt    REG_DWORD    0x0
                        textfile_.txt    REG_DWORD    0x0
                        Applications\notepad++.exe_.sfv    REG_DWORD    0x0
                        Applications\notepad++.exe_.srt    REG_DWORD    0x0
                        Applications\notepad++.exe_.ssa    REG_DWORD    0x0
                        soffice.StarWriterDocument.6_.txt    REG_DWORD    0x0
                        soffice.StarCalcDocument.6_.txt    REG_DWORD    0x0
                        Applications\notepad++.exe_.txt    REG_DWORD    0x0
                        Applications\notepad++.exe_.php    REG_DWORD    0x0
                        Applications\NOTEPAD.EXE_.txt    REG_DWORD    0x0
                        Applications\notepad++.exe_.gcode    REG_DWORD    0x0
                        Applications\notepad++.exe_.pl    REG_DWORD    0x0
                        Applications\notepad++.exe_.css    REG_DWORD    0x0
                        Applications\notepad++.exe_.js    REG_DWORD    0x0
                        Applications\notepad++.exe_.orig    REG_DWORD    0x0
                        Applications\notepad++.exe_.ini    REG_DWORD    0x0
                        Applications\notepad++.exe_.log    REG_DWORD    0x0
                        Applications\notepad++.exe_.fasta    REG_DWORD    0x0
                        Applications\notepad++.exe_.htaccess    REG_DWORD    0x0
                        Applications\notepad++.exe_.cpp    REG_DWORD    0x0
                        Applications\notepad++.exe_.h    REG_DWORD    0x0
                        Applications\notepad++.exe_.cfg    REG_DWORD    0x0
                        Applications\notepad++.exe_.pem    REG_DWORD    0x0
                        Applications\notepad++.exe_.html    REG_DWORD    0x0
                        Applications\notepad++.exe_.json    REG_DWORD    0x0
                        Applications\notepad++.exe_.lock    REG_DWORD    0x0
                        Applications\notepad++.exe_.gitignore    REG_DWORD    0x0
                        AppX4ztfk9wxr86nxmzzq47px0nh0e58b8fw_.txt    REG_DWORD    0x0
                        Applications\notepad++.exe_.test    REG_DWORD    0x0
                        Applications\notepad++.exe_.old    REG_DWORD    0x0
                        Applications\notepad++.exe_.new    REG_DWORD    0x0
                        Applications\notepad++.exe_.xml    REG_DWORD    0x0
                        Applications\notepad++.exe_.bar    REG_DWORD    0x0
                        Applications\notepad++.exe_.htpasswd    REG_DWORD    0x0
                        Applications\notepad++.exe_.env    REG_DWORD    0x0
                    

                    Possible solution
                    I find out that if N++ is closed and I open the file through Windows Explorer, then language is detected and everything works, even if I open new files. If I open N++ from my taskbar shortcut (Set by right clicking an open N++ and selecting Pin to taskbar) then double click on the file in Windows Explorer is the only time it seems to not be working. Opening N++ by opening the file in my taskbar also shows a second N++ icon in that taskbar:
                    359ca8c8-672f-4f41-a814-8b41d2f4abcf-image.png

                    Unpinning the old shortcut (originally pinned so long ago I don’t recall which N++ version it was) and pinning the new one Fixed the problem entirely. It may be that enough time has passed for the problem to resolve itself like when I tried the txt and css files, so I’ll have another update tomorrow, but it appears the issue had to do with the shortcut made for an older version of N++.

                    P P 2 Replies Last reply Jun 24, 2022, 3:38 PM Reply Quote 1
                    • P
                      Pallieguy @Pallieguy
                      last edited by Jun 24, 2022, 3:38 PM

                      I missed the edit window to correct this, sorry.

                      Before my taskbar screenshot I meant to say:
                      Opening N++ by opening a file in Windows Explorer also shows a a second N++ icon in my taskbar:

                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • P
                        PeterJones @Pallieguy
                        last edited by PeterJones Jun 24, 2022, 3:55 PM Jun 24, 2022, 3:51 PM

                        @pallieguy said in Notepad++ 8.4.2 not recognizing file extension to define language:

                        Unpinning the old shortcut (originally pinned so long ago I don’t recall which N++ version it was) and pinning the new one Fixed the problem entirely.

                        Yeah. I wonder if you still have a residual notepad++ installation somewhere else other than your newly-pinned shortcut.

                        Actually, your data actually already shows that. Earlier, you were running from C:\Program Files\Notepad++\notepad++.exe, as your Debug Info showed. Your REG QUERY output showed

                        HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Applications\notepad++.exe\shell\open\command
                            (Default)    REG_SZ    "D:\Notepad++\notepad++.exe" "%1"
                        

                        (though I didn’t see it yesterday, because I didn’t scroll far enough in your black box)

                        So when you double-click when no notepad++ was running, it ran your D:-drive copy of Notepad++. If you used your old shortcut, it was apparently running your C:-drive copy … and then, because you presumably don’t have multi-instance enabled, when you double clicked, it tried to run the D:-drive copy, but saw the C:-drive copy running and opened the file with that instead.

                        Since I believe you pinned the copy that was associated, I believe your pin should now point to the D:-drive copy. If so, I would recommend removing the C:-drive copy, to avoid future confusion. But check your pin to make sure: right click on the pin, then right click on the notepad++ near the bottom, then select “properties”: the Target field will show which one is now pinned.

                        P 1 Reply Last reply Jun 24, 2022, 4:05 PM Reply Quote 3
                        • P
                          Pallieguy @PeterJones
                          last edited by Jun 24, 2022, 4:05 PM

                          @peterjones
                          I do indeed have a C: and a D: install, I wonder when I did that?

                          Glad this is resolved, thanks fro all your help!

                          P 1 Reply Last reply Jun 24, 2022, 4:16 PM Reply Quote 1
                          • P
                            PeterJones @Pallieguy
                            last edited by Jun 24, 2022, 4:16 PM

                            @pallieguy said in Notepad++ 8.4.2 not recognizing file extension to define language:

                            I wonder when I did that?

                            Probably at one of the updates: there was a while when the installer would not notice an old installation if it wasn’t in c:\program files\notepad++, so even if you had installed to D:\notepad++\, the updater/installer would put the newer copy in c:\program files\notepad++ instead. IIRC, that has been fixed (I spent a couple minutes searching through the issues list, but wasn’t using a narrow enough set of search terms, so couldn’t find it buried in all the other results), so the next time you run the installer/updater for whatever version you end up keeping, it should hopefully default to the existing location.

                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
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