How to write macro for Notepad++?

Question

I would like to write a macro for Notepad++ which should replace char1, char2, char3 with char4, char5, char6, respectively. Thanks

Answer 1

This post can help you as a little bit related :

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/283608/using-regex-to-prefix-and-append-in-notepad

Assuming alphanumeric words, you can use:

Search = ^([A-Za-z0-9]+)$ Replace = able:"\1"

Or, if you just want to highlight the lines and use "Replace All" & "In Selection" (with the same replace):

Search = ^(.+)$

^ points to the start of the line. $ points to the end of the line.

\1 will be the source match within the parentheses.

Answer 2

Macros in Notepad++ are just a bunch of encoded operations: you start recording, operate on the buffer, perhaps activating menus, stop recording then play the macro.
After investigation, I found out they are saved in the file shortcuts.xml in the Macros section. For example, I have there:

<Macro name="Trim Trailing and save" Ctrl="no" Alt="yes" Shift="yes" Key="83">
    <Action type="1" message="2170" wParam="0" lParam="0" sParam=" " />
    <Action type="1" message="2170" wParam="0" lParam="0" sParam=" " />
    <Action type="1" message="2170" wParam="0" lParam="0" sParam=" " />
    <Action type="0" message="2327" wParam="0" lParam="0" sParam="" />
    <Action type="0" message="2327" wParam="0" lParam="0" sParam="" />
    <Action type="2" message="0" wParam="42024" lParam="0" sParam="" />
    <Action type="2" message="0" wParam="41006" lParam="0" sParam="" />
</Macro>

I haven't looked at the source, but from the look, I would say we have messages sent to Scintilla (the editing component, perhaps type 0 and 1), and to Notepad++ itself (probably activating menu items).
I don't think it will record actions in dialogs (like search/replace).

Looking at Scintilla.iface file, we can see that 2170 is the code of ReplaceSel (ie. insert string is nothing is selected), 2327 is Tab command, and Resource Hacker (just have it handy...) shows that 42024 is "Trim Trailing Space" menu item and 41006 is "Save".
I guess action type 0 is for Scintilla commands with numerical params, type 1 is for commands with string parameter, 2 is for Notepad++ commands.

Problem: Scintilla doesn't have a "Replace all" command: it is the task of the client to do the iteration, with or without confirmation, etc.
Another problem: it seems type 1 action is limited to 1 char (I edited manually, when exiting N++ it was truncated).
I tried some tricks, but I fear such task is beyond the macro capabilities.

Maybe that's where SciTE with its Lua scripting ability (or Programmer's Notepad which seems to be scriptable with Python) has an edge... :-)

[EDIT] Looks like I got the above macro from this thread or a similar place... :-) I guess the first lines are unnecessary (side effect or recording) but they were good examples of macro code anyway.

Answer 3

Actually, the shortcuts.xml file does not store user-generated macros and no obvious candidates contain this info. These instructions are out of date.

Contrary to various websites' tips, storing user-generated macros isn't enabled for v.5.4.2. That XML file is there, but your macro does not get stored it in.

I'm guessing it's a bug that'll be fixed by the next version.