How to automatically reload modified files in Notepad++

226

How can automatically reload modified files in Notepad++? The confirmation step is annoying, and is completely unnecessary in some situations.

mjsr

Posted 2011-04-24T23:33:06.207

Reputation: 5 577

Answers

304

You can disable the confirmation in the settings:

Settings -> Preferences -> MISC. -> Update silently

lesmana

Posted 2011-04-24T23:33:06.207

Reputation: 14 930

5I wish NotePad++ had a few more 'Yes all' buttons. – Franck Dernoncourt – 2014-07-04T20:37:48.510

8Good heavens. The confirmations almost made me mad. Thanks! – Martin Vseticka – 2014-12-10T10:44:32.297

7The "scroll to the last line after update" setting may also be helpful for log viewing scenarios. – Chris Marisic – 2015-08-07T19:24:15.963

2+1 but if we keep open the file it wont update, will have to alt+tab to update.. thats is something not good – rinuthomaz – 2016-07-02T17:22:00.950

Seems not to work from network folders – Thomas Weller – 2017-11-27T11:21:18.937

I'd love a setting to update only the currently opened document... – Regis Portalez – 2018-06-06T07:50:10.383

More information here. https://blog.zirafon.org/working-effectively-with-log-files/

– Christo – 2018-07-30T21:45:56.060

If you prefer to enable it just for one open file (rather than a global setting): https://superuser.com/a/1246651/74576

– Ryan – 2018-10-11T23:10:49.227

1Is update frequency programmable? – wick – 2018-12-04T13:50:10.287

1excellent !!! confirmation dialogue is extremely irritating – Pawan Patil – 2019-02-06T07:35:31.233

As of 7.6.6 you can set 'update silently' and 'enable for all opened files'. – DrOnline – 2019-05-21T07:42:11.880

71That's one badly named setting ... – sakra – 2012-12-04T12:57:54.023

22Note that as of v6.3, "Update silently" only updates the file when its tab receives focus. Search functionality therefore accesses the old buffer and might show inaccurate results. – Timbo – 2013-03-22T00:30:44.193

There is a nice plugin called Document monitor (Can be found and installed from the Plugins => Plugin Manager => show Plugin Manager menu),

It updates the opened files every 3 seconds. Together with the option to "scroll to last line after update", it will have the ability to "tail" a log file as wanted.

After the plugin installation don't forget to activate it by clicking:

Plugins => Document monitor => start to monitor

Raz Maimon

Posted 2011-04-24T23:33:06.207

Reputation: 969

6+1 for for a great plugin. This is exactly what I need. Better than accepted answer. – Seidleroni – 2014-12-16T15:03:11.153

Now there is a monitoring function build into notepad++ since version 6.9.2

– Jon – 2016-12-19T22:46:50.163

11To expand on @Jonathan727 and save everyone a click: "Click on "eye icon" on toolbar or use menu "View->Monitoring (tail -f)" to activate/disactivate this command". – Stefan van den Akker – 2017-01-16T15:36:42.950

3should be the accepted answer... – Mathias – 2017-02-07T14:27:04.693

@Mathias : not without the link to the referred plugin. – Sopalajo de Arrierez – 2017-10-20T00:40:00.497

@SopalajodeArrierez : Notepad++ has a built in plugin manager. Therefor it is not necessary to provide a link. Also it is well described how to install the plugin. Anyway if you want to have a link here's the source code https://sourceforge.net/projects/npp-plugins/files/DocMonitor/

– Mathias – 2017-10-23T08:31:46.620

Thanks for the link, @Mathias . This plugin seems to be only working on 32 -bit versions of NotePad++ . And there is no such "Plugins => Plugin Manager => show Plugin Manager menu" on v7.5.1. – Sopalajo de Arrierez – 2017-10-26T10:42:31.427

didn't noticed that. Maybe you have to ask your self: "Why do I need the 64 bit version of notepad++?". If you don't find any valuable answers but something like: "Because it's state of the art to go for 64-bit" or "I think 64 is better" I would simply install the 32 bit version and use the plugin system. Otherwise you could still brew your own notepad++ including the plugin into the source. Good luck with that option ;-) – Mathias – 2017-11-06T11:26:18.630

document monitor is never listed under plugins for me... :(((( – oldboy – 2018-07-28T05:27:09.160

@Mathias literally EVERY company tells you to install 64bit if you have a 64 bit OS, it is ingrained learned behavior .why would you assume someone would try the 32 bit version of the same software after the 64 bit version fails to demonstrate that functionality? – kkarakk – 2019-04-10T10:04:06.433

@kkarakk since I've made this comment a lot has changed. Notepad++ has now a built in monitor option (--> plugin is not needed any longer). However back then the 64 bit version had no plugin manager and the monitor option was also not there, so the easiest way was to install the 32 bit version and having plugins. That's why. The OS has nothing todo with the programm. 64 bit programms just can consume more than roughly 2GB of memory. BTW a lot of apps, services, etc. are still compiled in x86..... – Mathias – 2019-04-10T14:31:18.357

For monitoring an individual log file, use the View > Monitoring (tail -f) option (thanks to https://superuser.com/a/1246651/17025).

This will keep the file up to date, and also keep the end of the file visible (which is not always exactly what you want); it also is a setting for each individual file rather than a global setting.

David Fraser

Posted 2011-04-24T23:33:06.207

Reputation: 1 709

4This answer is buried, but is by far the most correct solution. It uses a built-in feature, doesn't disable warnings for all other files, and doesn't require installation of a 3rd party plugin. Hopefully this gets more attention and votes! – Derek_6424246 – 2019-06-24T15:23:00.730

Both of the above commands are not working properly.

There is a command in the File menu, 'Reload from disk' which works perfectly.

I have made a shortcut Alt + R which makes it very handy. Yet, not automatic though.

Praveen

Posted 2011-04-24T23:33:06.207

Reputation: 111

@Roald van Doorn: The answer to the question is that there is no solution YET. Praveen gave the next-best solution that is possible NOW. – qedstar – 2015-12-10T13:04:52.073

2Does not answer the question. The asker is looking for a way to suppress the dialog that asks if you want to reload and do this automatically. – R-D – 2014-01-31T08:27:05.433