Windows – Can Notepad++ be made to open file links in itself

file associationlinksnotepadprotocolwindows

In Settings/Preferences, Notepad++ has an option on the MISC. tab under 'Clickable Link Settings' to the right, to Enable to open links found in the edited files. It underlines them and opens them on double-click. I've tried it with the file:/// protocol and it works, but it actually executes them according to whatever file-association I have set in Windows.

Is there a way, a protocol, or a way to "make" a (local) protocol, such that Notepad++ opens any kind of files (any extension), from these links in the document, in Notepad++ itself? (ie in another tab)

Best Answer

file:// is an intrinsic protocol of Windows, so if you want to ignore the "whatever file-association [is] set in Windows," i'd suggest you use a dedicated protocol, say npp://. Then add this to your registry (using the corresponding path on your system):

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\NPP]
@="URL: NotePad++ Protocol"
"URL Protocol"=""

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\NPP\DefaultIcon]
@="\"C:\\Program Files\\Notepad++\\notepad++.exe\""

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\NPP\shell]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\NPP\shell\open]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\NPP\shell\open\command]
@="\"C:\\Program Files\\Notepad++\\notepad++.exe\" \"%1\""

Related Solutions

Notepad++ Default Editor – How to Set for Windows Batch Files

Change the program associated to the "Edit" verb for batch files:

Run RegEdit (as admin)
Navigate to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\batfile\shell\edit\command.
Modify the Default and change Value Data from %SystemRoot%\System32\NOTEPAD.EXE %1 to "C:\Program Files (x86)\Notepad++\notepad++.exe" "%1"
Close RegEdit.
Right-click -> "Edit" should now open batch files in NotePad++.

Note: You may have to adjust your path to Notepad++.exe if it resides in a different folder on your system.

Also note: This is a system-wide change.

Windows 8 – How to Change File Type Descriptions in Notepad++

If you have a look under:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.txt\UserChoice\ProgId

You should see something like Notepad++_file

If you find the entry for that in HKCR, e.g.

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Notepad++_file

You'll see the description "Notepad++ Document", this is where Explorer picks it up from. If you simply set the value for Notepad++_file to empty and then ALL files will revert to generic descriptions, e.g. TXT file, PHP file etc.

Best Answer

Related Solutions

Notepad++ Default Editor – How to Set for Windows Batch Files

Windows 8 – How to Change File Type Descriptions in Notepad++

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