<![CDATA[Word frequency list]]>Hello, All,

In this post, I’ll show you how to generate a word frequency list, from a stream selection, using ONLY Notepad++'s regular expressions

Of course, this topic have been resolved many times, mainly through Python scripts. I haven’t searched on our NodeBB website yet but I do know there are a few !

Now, my proposed macro, to get this word frequency list, has some limitations :

  • It’s mandatory to do a SINGLE stream selection of some part or all current file contents BEFORE using that macro

  • You need to select, at least, an entire line of your current file ( the selection of few words only leads to incoherent results ! )

  • By default, this search is sensitive to case

  • For each word of that list, the maximum number of occurrences is 99,999 ( However, there a trick to get right results above this limit )

  • Your selection ( or the entire file ) should not exceed 10 Mb ( Note that it may display the message N++ has stop responding : In this case, use the Task manager or be patient some more minutes ! )

In this macro which are the characters that I consider to be a word character ?

  • Of course, all the characters which satisfy the \w regex

  • The comma, ONLY IF surrounded by digit characters

  • The underscore, ONLY IF surrounded by word chars

  • The hyphen-minus character

  • The apostrophe, as in strings Shouldn't, program's and authors'

  • The right single quotation mark, as in strings Should’t, program’s and authors’

  • For words of length 1, I just consider any digit and the letters [AaIO]

  • First of all, backup your active shortcuts.xml file ( one never knows ! )

  • Open your Shortcuts.xml file

  • In the macros section, right before the line </Macros>, insert all the new macro contents, below :

        <Macro name="Word_Frequency" Ctrl="no" Alt="no" Shift="no" Key="0">

            <Action type="3" message="1700" wParam="0" lParam="0" sParam="" />
            <Action type="3" message="1601" wParam="0" lParam="0" sParam="(?x) [^\w,$£€'’\r\n-]+" />
            <Action type="3" message="1625" wParam="0" lParam="2" sParam="" />
            <Action type="3" message="1602" wParam="0" lParam="0" sParam="\r\n" />
            <Action type="3" message="1702" wParam="0" lParam="640" sParam="" />
            <Action type="3" message="1701" wParam="0" lParam="1609" sParam="" />

            <Action type="3" message="1700" wParam="0" lParam="0" sParam="" />
            <Action type="3" message="1601" wParam="0" lParam="0" sParam="(?x) (?<= \d ) , (?= \d ) (*SKIP) (*F) | ," />
            <Action type="3" message="1625" wParam="0" lParam="2" sParam="" />
            <Action type="3" message="1602" wParam="0" lParam="0" sParam="" />
            <Action type="3" message="1702" wParam="0" lParam="640" sParam="" />
            <Action type="3" message="1701" wParam="0" lParam="1609" sParam="" />

            <Action type="3" message="1700" wParam="0" lParam="0" sParam="" />
            <Action type="3" message="1601" wParam="0" lParam="0" sParam="(?x) (?<= \w ) _ (?= \w ) (*SKIP) (*F) | _" />
            <Action type="3" message="1625" wParam="0" lParam="2" sParam="" />
            <Action type="3" message="1602" wParam="0" lParam="0" sParam="" />
            <Action type="3" message="1702" wParam="0" lParam="640" sParam="" />
            <Action type="3" message="1701" wParam="0" lParam="1609" sParam="" />

            <Action type="3" message="1700" wParam="0" lParam="0" sParam="" />
            <Action type="3" message="1601" wParam="0" lParam="0" sParam="(?x-si) ^ (?! [AaIO\d] ) .? \R | , ’? $" />
            <Action type="3" message="1625" wParam="0" lParam="2" sParam="" />
            <Action type="3" message="1602" wParam="0" lParam="0" sParam="" />
            <Action type="3" message="1702" wParam="0" lParam="640" sParam="" />
            <Action type="3" message="1701" wParam="0" lParam="1609" sParam="" />

            <Action type="2" message="0" wParam="42059" lParam="0" sParam="" />

            <Action type="3" message="1700" wParam="0" lParam="0" sParam="" />
            <Action type="3" message="1601" wParam="0" lParam="0" sParam="(?x-si) (?: (?<= × ) | (?<= ^ ) ) ( .+ ) \R (?= ^ \1 \R | ^ \1 \z )" />
            <Action type="3" message="1625" wParam="0" lParam="2" sParam="" />
            <Action type="3" message="1602" wParam="0" lParam="0" sParam="×" />
            <Action type="3" message="1702" wParam="0" lParam="640" sParam="" />
            <Action type="3" message="1701" wParam="0" lParam="1609" sParam="" />

            <Action type="3" message="1700" wParam="0" lParam="0" sParam="" />
            <Action type="3" message="1601" wParam="0" lParam="0" sParam="(?x) [^×\r\n]+" />
            <Action type="3" message="1625" wParam="0" lParam="2" sParam="" />
            <Action type="3" message="1602" wParam="0" lParam="0" sParam="×$0" />
            <Action type="3" message="1702" wParam="0" lParam="640" sParam="" />
            <Action type="3" message="1701" wParam="0" lParam="1609" sParam="" />

            <Action type="3" message="1700" wParam="0" lParam="0" sParam="" />
            <Action type="3" message="1601" wParam="0" lParam="0" sParam="(?x-s) (×+) (.+)" />
            <Action type="3" message="1625" wParam="0" lParam="2" sParam="" />
            <Action type="3" message="1602" wParam="0" lParam="0" sParam="\2                                                  : \1" />
            <Action type="3" message="1702" wParam="0" lParam="640" sParam="" />
            <Action type="3" message="1701" wParam="0" lParam="1609" sParam="" />

            <Action type="3" message="1700" wParam="0" lParam="0" sParam="" />
            <Action type="3" message="1601" wParam="0" lParam="0" sParam="(?x-s) ^ .{51} \K \x20+ (?=:)" />
            <Action type="3" message="1625" wParam="0" lParam="2" sParam="" />
            <Action type="3" message="1602" wParam="0" lParam="0" sParam="" />
            <Action type="3" message="1702" wParam="0" lParam="640" sParam="" />
            <Action type="3" message="1701" wParam="0" lParam="1609" sParam="" />

            <Action type="3" message="1700" wParam="0" lParam="0" sParam="" />
            <Action type="3" message="1601" wParam="0" lParam="0" sParam="×{10000}" />
            <Action type="3" message="1625" wParam="0" lParam="2" sParam="" />
            <Action type="3" message="1602" wParam="0" lParam="0" sParam="¶" />
            <Action type="3" message="1702" wParam="0" lParam="640" sParam="" />
            <Action type="3" message="1701" wParam="0" lParam="1609" sParam="" />

            <Action type="3" message="1700" wParam="0" lParam="0" sParam="" />
            <Action type="3" message="1601" wParam="0" lParam="0" sParam="×{1000}" />
            <Action type="3" message="1625" wParam="0" lParam="2" sParam="" />
            <Action type="3" message="1602" wParam="0" lParam="0" sParam="¤" />
            <Action type="3" message="1702" wParam="0" lParam="640" sParam="" />
            <Action type="3" message="1701" wParam="0" lParam="1609" sParam="" />

            <Action type="3" message="1700" wParam="0" lParam="0" sParam="" />
            <Action type="3" message="1601" wParam="0" lParam="0" sParam="×{100}" />
            <Action type="3" message="1625" wParam="0" lParam="2" sParam="" />
            <Action type="3" message="1602" wParam="0" lParam="0" sParam="•" />
            <Action type="3" message="1702" wParam="0" lParam="640" sParam="" />
            <Action type="3" message="1701" wParam="0" lParam="1609" sParam="" />

            <Action type="3" message="1700" wParam="0" lParam="0" sParam="" />
            <Action type="3" message="1601" wParam="0" lParam="0" sParam="×{10}" />
            <Action type="3" message="1625" wParam="0" lParam="2" sParam="" />
            <Action type="3" message="1602" wParam="0" lParam="0" sParam="÷" />
            <Action type="3" message="1702" wParam="0" lParam="640" sParam="" />
            <Action type="3" message="1701" wParam="0" lParam="1609" sParam="" />

            <Action type="3" message="1700" wParam="0" lParam="0" sParam="" />
            <Action type="3" message="1601" wParam="0" lParam="0" sParam="(?x) (?: (¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶) | (¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶) | (¶¶¶¶¶¶¶) | (¶¶¶¶¶¶) | (¶¶¶¶¶) | (¶¶¶¶) | (¶¶¶) | (¶¶) | (¶) ) (?= ¤ | (•) | (÷) | (×) | ($) )" />
            <Action type="3" message="1625" wParam="0" lParam="2" sParam="" />
            <Action type="3" message="1602" wParam="0" lParam="0" sParam="(?{1}9)(?{2}8)(?{3}7)(?{4}6)(?{5}5)(?{6}4)(?{7}3)(?{8}2)(?{9}1)(?{10}0)(?{11}00)(?{12}000)(?{13}0000)" />
            <Action type="3" message="1702" wParam="0" lParam="640" sParam="" />
            <Action type="3" message="1701" wParam="0" lParam="1609" sParam="" />

            <Action type="3" message="1700" wParam="0" lParam="0" sParam="" />
            <Action type="3" message="1601" wParam="0" lParam="0" sParam="(?x) (?: (¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤) | (¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤) | (¤¤¤¤¤¤¤) | (¤¤¤¤¤¤) | (¤¤¤¤¤) | (¤¤¤¤) | (¤¤¤) | (¤¤) | (¤) ) (?= • | (÷) | (×) | ($) )" />
            <Action type="3" message="1625" wParam="0" lParam="2" sParam="" />
            <Action type="3" message="1602" wParam="0" lParam="0" sParam="(?{1}9)(?{2}8)(?{3}7)(?{4}6)(?{5}5)(?{6}4)(?{7}3)(?{8}2)(?{9}1)(?{10}0)(?{11}00)(?{12}000)" />
            <Action type="3" message="1702" wParam="0" lParam="640" sParam="" />
            <Action type="3" message="1701" wParam="0" lParam="1609" sParam="" />

            <Action type="3" message="1700" wParam="0" lParam="0" sParam="" />
            <Action type="3" message="1601" wParam="0" lParam="0" sParam="(?x) (?: (•••••••••) | (••••••••) | (•••••••) | (••••••) | (•••••) | (••••) | (•••) | (••) | (•) ) (?= ÷ | (×) | ($) )" />
            <Action type="3" message="1625" wParam="0" lParam="2" sParam="" />
            <Action type="3" message="1602" wParam="0" lParam="0" sParam="(?{1}9)(?{2}8)(?{3}7)(?{4}6)(?{5}5)(?{6}4)(?{7}3)(?{8}2)(?{9}1)(?{10}0)(?{11}00)" />
            <Action type="3" message="1702" wParam="0" lParam="640" sParam="" />
            <Action type="3" message="1701" wParam="0" lParam="1609" sParam="" />

            <Action type="3" message="1700" wParam="0" lParam="0" sParam="" />
            <Action type="3" message="1601" wParam="0" lParam="0" sParam="(?x) (?: (÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷) | (÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷) | (÷÷÷÷÷÷÷) | (÷÷÷÷÷÷) | (÷÷÷÷÷) | (÷÷÷÷) | (÷÷÷) | (÷÷) | (÷) ) (?= × | ($) )" />
            <Action type="3" message="1625" wParam="0" lParam="2" sParam="" />
            <Action type="3" message="1602" wParam="0" lParam="0" sParam="(?{1}9)(?{2}8)(?{3}7)(?{4}6)(?{5}5)(?{6}4)(?{7}3)(?{8}2)(?{9}1)(?{10}0)" />
            <Action type="3" message="1702" wParam="0" lParam="640" sParam="" />
            <Action type="3" message="1701" wParam="0" lParam="1609" sParam="" />

            <Action type="3" message="1700" wParam="0" lParam="0" sParam="" />
            <Action type="3" message="1601" wParam="0" lParam="0" sParam="(?x) (?: (×××××××××) | (××××××××) | (×××××××) | (××××××) | (×××××) | (××××) | (×××) | (××) | (×) )" />
            <Action type="3" message="1625" wParam="0" lParam="2" sParam="" />
            <Action type="3" message="1602" wParam="0" lParam="0" sParam="(?{1}9)(?{2}8)(?{3}7)(?{4}6)(?{5}5)(?{6}4)(?{7}3)(?{8}2)(?{9}1)" />
            <Action type="3" message="1702" wParam="0" lParam="640" sParam="" />
            <Action type="3" message="1701" wParam="0" lParam="1609" sParam="" />

            <Action type="3" message="1700" wParam="0" lParam="0" sParam="" />
            <Action type="3" message="1601" wParam="0" lParam="0" sParam="(?x) (?<= : [ ] ) (?: ( \d{5} ) | ( \d{4} ) | ( \d{3} )  | ( \d\d ) | (\d ) ) $" />
            <Action type="3" message="1625" wParam="0" lParam="2" sParam="" />
            <Action type="3" message="1602" wParam="0" lParam="0" sParam="(?1 )(?2  )(?3   )(?4    )(?5     )$0" />
            <Action type="3" message="1702" wParam="0" lParam="640" sParam="" />
            <Action type="3" message="1701" wParam="0" lParam="1609" sParam="" />
        </Macro>

  • Save the changes of your active Shortcuts.xml

  • Close and re-open Notepad++

=> You should see the Word_Frequency macro among all your other macros !

See next post to get the end of this story !

BR

guy038

]]>https://community.notepad-plus-plus.org/topic/27546/word-frequency-listRSS for NodeTue, 26 May 2026 11:39:58 GMTTue, 26 May 2026 08:33:08 GMT60<![CDATA[Reply to Word frequency list on Tue, 26 May 2026 08:39:44 GMT]]>Hi, All,

Second and last post regarding the Word_Frequency macro !

Now, a simple example :

  • Open the change.log file of the last release v8.9.6

  • Do a stream selection of all the points of the v8.9.6 release, ONLY. So, the lines below :

 1. Fix vulnerability (CVE-2026-46710) of v8.9.4 & v8.9.5 installer.
 2. Fix x86 installer regression of not showing installation entry in Control Panel's "Unstall a program".
 3. Fix x86 installer regression where context menu not installed or uninstalled correctly.
 4. Fix UAC prompt display regression (“Notepad++ installer” instead of “Notepad++”) for Notepad++ v8.9.5.
 5. Fix incorrect bevaviour when saving dirty read-only files.
 6. Fix regression where saving a UDL file removed XML declaration.

Run the Word_Frequency macro. You should get, at once, this OUTPUY text :

1                                                  :      1
2                                                  :      1
3                                                  :      1
4                                                  :      2
5                                                  :      3
6                                                  :      1
9                                                  :      3
CVE-2026-46710                                     :      1
Control                                            :      1
Fix                                                :      6
Notepad                                            :      3
Panel's                                            :      1
UAC                                                :      1
UDL                                                :      1
Unstall                                            :      1
XML                                                :      1
a                                                  :      2
bevaviour                                          :      1
context                                            :      1
correctly                                          :      1
declaration                                        :      1
dirty                                              :      1
display                                            :      1
entry                                              :      1
file                                               :      1
files                                              :      1
for                                                :      1
in                                                 :      1
incorrect                                          :      1
installation                                       :      1
installed                                          :      1
installer                                          :      4
instead                                            :      1
menu                                               :      1
not                                                :      2
of                                                 :      3
or                                                 :      1
program                                            :      1
prompt                                             :      1
read-only                                          :      1
regression                                         :      4
removed                                            :      1
saving                                             :      2
showing                                            :      1
uninstalled                                        :      1
v8                                                 :      3
vulnerability                                      :      1
when                                               :      1
where                                              :      2
x86                                                :      2

If you prefer a ordered list ignoring the case, simply insert the regex replacement, below

            <Action type="3" message="1700" wParam="0" lParam="0" sParam="" />
            <Action type="3" message="1601" wParam="0" lParam="0" sParam="(?x-i) \u+" />
            <Action type="3" message="1625" wParam="0" lParam="2" sParam="" />
            <Action type="3" message="1602" wParam="0" lParam="0" sParam="\L$0" />
            <Action type="3" message="1702" wParam="0" lParam="640" sParam="" />
            <Action type="3" message="1701" wParam="0" lParam="1609" sParam="" />

Right before the sort line :

            <Action type="2" message="0" wParam="42059" lParam="0" sParam="" />

Here is the trick to get the right number of occurrences when > 99,999.

  • Search for any remaining character with the regex ¶+ . Let’s suppose you have this line :
the                                                :      ¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶97371

As the number of consecutive is 23, the exact of occurrences of the word the is : 23 × 10000 + 97,371 i.e. 327,371 occurrences

Remember that the first thing to do, before running the Word_Frequency macro, is to select part or all current file contents !

Best Regards,

guy038

]]>https://community.notepad-plus-plus.org/post/105534https://community.notepad-plus-plus.org/post/105534Tue, 26 May 2026 08:39:44 GMT