This issue has come up multiple times. To keep the discussion in one place, please read the v8.7 Search Results section of the missing-panel FAQ, and then continue any discussion in the v8.7 Search Results Missing topic.

We have a FAQ post about this problem. Read this post and try to follow the steps. Let us know the result.

Terry

Can anyone please help me to get it resolved.
It’s very emergency.

That’s a completely different problem than the issue being discussed.

Your problem is just user error. The quotes are not part of the directory name, so you need to remove them, because Notepad++ is actually using the name of the directory, not passing a directory name to a command-line argument. (The quotes that Windows “helpfully” applies are because most people, when using that, are then pasting it into a command line, where the quotes are required to make it one argument rather than splitting it into the number of arguments based on the number of spaces.) But Notepad++ is expecting the name of the directory without quotes, so just give it that.

• Locate a directory in File Explorer
• Hold Shift + Right-Click the directory
• Select ‘Copy as Path’ option
• Paste clipboard contents into NotePad++ Find in Files field labeled ‘Directory’ (directory to search)
• Enter a term in “Find what” field you know exists in files in that directory
• Select ‘Find All’ button

No results come back.

It’s probably because NotePad++ doesn’t like quotes surrounding a directory path, treats it as a non-existent location. I did notice that the directory path entered gets highlighted after selecting the ‘Find All’ button, but no warning/error message was supplied to make it clear that the program doesn’t recognize the path with quotes surrounding it.

When I removed the quotes, it works as expected.

The relevant FAQ will probably need an update.

Updated.

(Note: The #14478 issue (“Lost “Search Results” window (undocked)”) is still not fixed).

Don just closed that one a few hours ago, claiming it was fixed in v8.6.9 as well – I reran my steps to reproduce, and confirmed that v8.6.9 still has the undocked failure, so I’ve asked him to re-open the issue.

@PeterJones
The relevant FAQ will probably need an update.

(Note: The #14478 issue (“Lost “Search Results” window (undocked)”) is still not fixed).

If you want to go ping on issue #14478, that would be helpful. Unfortunately, now that the issue is created, there’s nothing more we in the Forum can do to speed things along.

I have a search window which is NOT docked. I work on a laptop which I use standalone, as well as with two different dual monitor setups.

When I move between setups the code which reconfigures Notepad++ for the new windows setup seems to cause an issue with the docked search results window.

This is the section from the config.xml file when my results window could not be found anywhere:

I edited the config file to remove the first <FloatingWindow cont=“4” … line and then restarted Notepad. At that point my search window was visible.

Several strange items:

1. There were two of the floatingWindow entries for cont=4.
2. The first entry had a negative number for the ‘x’ position.

Here’s what was in my config.
<PluginDlg pluginName=“Notepad++::InternalFunction” id=“0” curr=“5” prev=“1” isVisible=“no” />

The isVisible="no" says that the last time you closed Notepad++ (which thus wrote that copy of config.xml), you did not have an active Search Results window at all (which means you hadn’t done a Find All in Current Document (“FACD”) or Find in Files (“FiF”) or Find in Projects (“FiP”) since you opened Notepad++, or had closed the window). The curr="5" says that it was not docked to any of the four edges the last time it was open, which means it was a floating window.

But that curr="5" intrigues me: @guy038’s experiments in January indicated that curr="4" meant it was undocked, so I was curious where curr="5" could come from, with my guess being multiple undocked panels.

More experiments showed that if I had two separate floating windows, they are given 4 and 5 as the numbers. And then, when I restarted, and closed the extra floating window, then restarted again (IIRC), when I did a FACD, the Search Results window did not show up. I will have to run a few more experiments to try to get a minimal 100%-repeatable set of steps to reproduce reliably, but if I am able to get it, I will put in a new issue, because it won’t be solved by the Feature Request #13084 which was supposed to keep those widths from ever being saved <10pixels.

But this is the first new lead we’ve had. Thank you, @Dale-Dullnig , for providing the extra information that we hadn’t previously seen.

-----

update: new issue #14478

I was only able to get it back by deleting everything in between the <GUIConfig name = “DockingManager” (…)> tags and restarting N++. (The Find results showed up attached to the bottom of the N++ window)

Here’s what was in my config.

(…)
<GUIConfig name=“AppPosition” x=“454” y=“206” width=“1046” height=“675” isMaximized=“no” />
(…)
<GUIConfig name=“DockingManager” leftWidth=“200” rightWidth=“200” topHeight=“200” bottomHeight=“200”>
<PluginDlg pluginName=“Notepad++::InternalFunction” id=“0” curr=“5” prev=“1” isVisible=“no” />
<ActiveTabs cont=“0” activeTab=“-1” />
<ActiveTabs cont=“1” activeTab=“-1” />
<ActiveTabs cont=“2” activeTab=“-1” />
<ActiveTabs cont=“3” activeTab=“-1” />
</GUIConfig>

1. Run find all once, like “Find all in Current Document”

2. Press F7, Or click it from the Search bar, There is a search result windows option.

3. After you click it or press F7, It might looks like noting happen to you. Move your mouse to the edge of the file, you can see an up and down arrows.

4. After the up and down arrows shows up, Right click the mouse and hold it, than you can pull down the file (new 1 in this case). You should see the search window.

Then to reattach the search window to the notepad++ window, double click the title bar of the search window.

I’m wondering if it might be a good feature request that if the Search Results Window command on the Search menu is executed AND either the height or width (or forbid, both) is zero, that the default size (apparently 200) gets restored in the process of “showing” the window.

Official issue opened HERE.

I did some additional tests and I think that my method, to make visible the Find result panel, is not destructive regarding the other panels, previously opened by the user, in his usual N++ session!

To confirm this assumption :

• Close any opened instance of Notepad++

• Open your active config.xml with Microsoft notepad.exe

• Replace all the section between the line GUIConfig name="DockingManager" ........> and the line </GUIConfig> by the two lines :

        <GUIConfig name="DockingManager" leftWidth="200" rightWidth="200" topHeight="200" bottomHeight="200">
        </GUIConfig>

• Restart Notepad++

=> You should not remark any opened panel

• Click on the Edit > Clipboard History option

=> The Clipboard History panel is displayed, by default, on the right

• Open the License.txt

• Select the GNU GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE text and hit the Ctrl+ C shortcut

• Select the IMPORTANT NOTEPAD++ LICENSE TERMS text and hit the Ctrl+ C shortcut

=> The Clipboard History panel contains these two expressions

• Now, drag and dock the Clipboard History panel on the left side of Notepad++

• Open any .txt file with several kilobytes

• Click on the View > Document Map option

=> The Document Map panel is displayed, by default, on the right

• Move to the middle of that file

• Then, drag and dock the Document Map panel on the bottom side of Notepad++

• Finally, open the Settings > Edit Popup ContextMenu option

=> The contextMenu.xml file is displayed

• Click on the View > Function List option

=> The Function List panel is displayed, by default, on the right

• Click on the first line <Item id="0"/> of the contextMenu.xml file

=> The corresponding line is highlighted in the Function List panel

• Exit Notepad++

• Restart Notepad++

=> You should see, as expected, the three panels Clipboard History, Document Map and Function List at their previous position

• In the Document Map and Function List panels, you’ll be able to find, again, the previous displayed text by selecting the appropriate tab

However, note that, now, the Clipboard History panel contains only the last text copied ( IMPORTANT NOTEPAD++ LICENSE TERMS ). This is the normal behaviour !

• Close again Notepad++

• Open your active config.xml with Microsoft notepad.exe

• Replace all this section :

        <GUIConfig name="DockingManager" leftWidth="200" rightWidth="200" topHeight="200" bottomHeight="200">
            <PluginDlg pluginName="Notepad++::InternalFunction" id="42052" curr="0" prev="-1" isVisible="yes" />
            <PluginDlg pluginName="Notepad++::InternalFunction" id="44084" curr="1" prev="-1" isVisible="yes" />
            <PluginDlg pluginName="Notepad++::InternalFunction" id="44080" curr="3" prev="-1" isVisible="yes" />
            <ActiveTabs cont="0" activeTab="0" />
            <ActiveTabs cont="1" activeTab="0" />
            <ActiveTabs cont="2" activeTab="-1" />
            <ActiveTabs cont="3" activeTab="0" />
        </GUIConfig>

With that one :

        <GUIConfig name="DockingManager" leftWidth="200" rightWidth="200" topHeight="200" bottomHeight="200">
        </GUIConfig>

• Save the modifications of config.xml

• Restart Notepad++

=> Of course, no panel is now displayed !

• Click on the Edit > Clipboard History option

=> The Clipboard History panel is opened, by default, on the right side but still displays the last text copied ! ( IMPORTANT NOTEPAD++ LICENSE TERMS )

• Click on the View > Document Map option

=> The Document Map panel is opened, by default, on the right side and if you select your previous file, it should display, as expected, the same contents

• Click on the View > Function List option

=> The Function List panel is opened, by default, on the right side and if you select the contextMenu.xml file, it displays, as before, the first <Item id="0"/> line, in the Function List panel

So, in summary, my method removes all the panels and forget their preferred user location but does keep the information displayed by these panels, as soon as you re-open them ! Thus, it should not be difficult to get the old configuration of all your previous panels !

Best Regards,

guy038

Note that I updated my first post by adding this section :

IMPORTANT :

• Of course, this straight method removes any previous panel(s) which were part of your N++ sessions. However, it should not be difficult to re-open the few panels which are always opened in your N++ session !

• However, note that on the first opening of panels, after using my method, it will force them to their default positions, which may be different from your preferred ones !

BR

guy038

I’m wondering if it might be a good feature request that if the Search Results Window command on the Search menu is executed AND either the height or width (or forbid, both) is zero, that the default size (apparently 200) gets restored in the process of “showing” the window.

I actually think that would be a good feature request. That would save people who on their last session either accidentally shrunk the panel, or intentionally shrunk it to get it temporarily out of the way, and left it that way without remembering.

But instead of a threshold of 0, I might pick something a little bigger: for example, this shows each of the panels at 10: you can tell something is there, but not necessarily what (depending on which edge):

But a 10 would at least give you enough visible hints that something is there, so maybe you’d try to resize. Whereas with something like 5 or smaller, you might not notice enough to go trying to resize:

So if one of us does make a feature request, I’d suggest a threshold of somewhere between 5 and 10.

Alan, I did remember of the post that you mentionned ! But I wanted to rewrite in order to just speak of the simplified method and give quick explanations on the parameters

BR

guy038

Replace all the section between the line GUICconfig name=“DockingManager” …> and the line </GUIConfig> by the two lines

I think one of Peter’s points was that maybe user’s don’t want to do this, because they’d lose info on where other panels/windows are placed…

Guy, your discussion makes my niggling old brain think that you discussed all of this once before, in (quite / very much) the same detail! :-)
Edit: See HERE. :-)

In case that you cannot see the Search result window, use this simple method :

• Close any opened instance of Notepad++

• Open your active Config.xml with Microsoft notepad.exe

• Replace all the section between the line GUICconfig name="DockingManager" ........> and the line </GUIConfig> by the two lines :

        <GUIConfig name="DockingManager" leftWidth="200" rightWidth="200" topHeight="200" bottomHeight="200">
        </GUIConfig>

• Restart Notepad++

• Open the Find dialog ( Ctrl + F )

• Do a search of a common word of the active tab and click on the Find All in current document button

=> You’ll get the Find Result panel in all cases !

I cannot think of a more simple method ;-))

IMPORTANT :

• Of course, this straight method removes any previous panel(s) which were part of your N++ session. However, it should not be difficult to re-open the few panels which are always opened in your session !

• However, note that on the first opening of panels, after using my method, it will force them to their default positions, which may be different from your preferred ones !

• Now, close Notepad++

• Open again your active Config.xml with Microsoft notepad.exe

This time, at the end of the GUIConfig .............</GUIConfig> zone, you should see :

        <GUIConfig name="DockingManager" leftWidth="200" rightWidth="200" topHeight="200" bottomHeight="200">
            <PluginDlg pluginName="Notepad++::InternalFunction" id="0" curr="3" prev="-1" isVisible="yes" />
            <ActiveTabs cont="0" activeTab="-1" />
            <ActiveTabs cont="1" activeTab="-1" />
            <ActiveTabs cont="2" activeTab="-1" />
            <ActiveTabs cont="3" activeTab="0" />
        </GUIConfig>

If we consider the 3 generic lines :

        <GUIConfig name="DockingManager" leftWidth="LW" rightWidth="RW" topHeight="TH" bottomHeight="BH">
            <PluginDlg pluginName="Notepad++::InternalFunction" id="ID" ............ />
            <ActiveTabs cont="P" activeTab="N" />

• The value LW of the leftWidth attribute is the width of all the panels docked on the left side

• The value RW of the rightWidth attribute is the width of all the panels docked on the right side

• The value TH of the topHeight attribute is the height of all the panels docked on the top side

• The value BH of the bottomHeight attribute is the height of all the panels docked on the bottom side

And :

• The value P of the cont attribute represents the position of the docked panel(s) :

  • 0 for panel(s) docked on the left        edge
  • 1 for panel(s) docked on the right     edge
  • 2 for panel(s) docked on the top        edge
  • 3 for panel(s) docked on the bottom edge
  • 4 for undocked panel(s)

`

• The value N of the activeTab attribute represents the number of the panels docked on that position :

  • -1 if no panel is     docked on the corresponding edge
  • 0   if 1 panel is      docked on the corresponding edge
  • 1   if 2 panels are docked on the corresponding edge
  • 2   if 3 panels are docked on the corresponding edge
  • 3   if 4 panels are docked on the corresponding edge

and so on…

• To end, the value ID of the id attribute represents the id-number of the panel :

  • 0          for the Find Result panel

  • 42051 for the Character Panel

  • 42052 for the Clipboard History panel

  • 44080 for the Document Map panel

  • 44081 for the Project Panel 1

  • 44082 for the Project Panel 2

  • 44083 for the Project Panel 3

  • 44084 for the Function List panel

  • 44085 for the Folder for Workspace panel

  • 44070 for the Document List panel

However, I didn’t verify if that list is the exhaustive one !

One example : if you have, at the end of the GUIConfig section, the five following lines :

        <ActiveTabs cont="0" activeTab="2" />
        <ActiveTabs cont="1" activeTab="3" />
        <ActiveTabs cont="2" activeTab="-1" />
        <ActiveTabs cont="3" activeTab="1" />
        <ActiveTabs cont="4" activeTab="0" />

This means that your current N++ session contains :

• 3 panels ( 2 + 1 ) which are docked on the left side

• 4 panels ( 3 + 1 ) which are docked on the right side

• 0 panel   ( -1 + 1 ) which is docked on the top side

• 2 panels ( 1 + 1 ) which are docked on the bottom side

• 1 panel   ( 0 + 1 ) which is an undocked panel

For a total of 10 panels which can be, either, native N++ panels or plugins panels !

Best Regards,

guy038

I’m wondering if it might be a good feature request that if the Search Results Window command on the Search menu is executed AND either the height or width (or forbid, both) is zero, that the default size (apparently 200) gets restored in the process of “showing” the window.

Or, if that’s not liked or there is a logistical problem with doing that, how about something like the mechanism to locate a rogue Find window – if Ctrl+f is pressed and the window location isn’t immediately “findable” (e.g. multiple monitors situation), a second Ctrl+f press will recenter the window on the N++ parent window.

Thanks for sharing that.

Do you see that topHeight="0"? That says that height of the “top” docking panel is 0 pixels wide. If you had followed my instructions earlier in the discussion (before you chimed in) and put your cursor at each of the edges of the editing panel, you would have seen the ↕ cursor appear, and you could have dragged the size of that panel.

(Though I will admit, on the top panel, it’s not as obvious because of the tabbar. See the end of this post for a helpful guide for where to look for the “gaps”)

If the panel is 0-width at the top, then there is a gap between the tabbar top and the bottom of the toolbar, and the cursor on that border will be a ↕

If you click-and-drag that ↕ cursor a little down, you will see the Search results window start showing up.

… and if you keep going, the whole panel appears.

OTOH, if there is no panel in that top section, then there is no gap (or the gap is smaller), and the cursor stays normal:

Here is a screenshot with four panels, all of them hidden. I have drawn red arrows showing where the small “gaps” in the GUI are for each edge. Whenever you have a “missing panel”, check these four areas looking for a ↕ or ↔ cursor, which can be used to click-and-drag to resize the panel.

Or, if you want to edit the config.xml instead, make sure that none of the attributes of <GUIConfig name="DockingManager" leftWidth="200" rightWidth="200" topHeight="200" bottomHeight="200"> have a “0” value: any that do, change to “200” instead (200 is the default value for a fresh Notepad++ instance)

This was the data in previous config:

If you find yourself having this same problem, please follow the steps I outlined above and share that information with us.

It may be that there is useful information contained in that which will help us determine whether there’s just been occasional user error, or whether there’s something endemic to N++ that is causing random/infrequent corruption to those settings and thus hiding the Search Results window. If you just replace that section without sharing it, the information is lost (and if there is an underlying problem causing it, it cannot be solved due to lack of information).