Notepad++ : Custom Syntax Highlighting for .txt files

Question

I keep code samples that I find useful as text files on my computer. I store them as txt files as opposed to the language in which they are written, so that they will open in Notepad++ instead of the editor (i.e. I don't want my c++ examples to open in an IDE, just Notepad).

Is there a way I can have Notepad++ apply appropriate syntax highlighting to the text file by reading a special code in the text file itself?

For example if I had some sql, the first line of the text file could read like this:

##Language=SQL 

... my sql code properly highlighted as sql ...

Thanks in advance. I realize I could just choose the language after opening the file (i.e. Language > SQL), but it would be much more convenient if it could do it automatically.

Answer 1

I'd suggest giving them the proper file extensions, then import something like this into your registry:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shell\NotepadPlusPlus]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shell\NotepadPlusPlus\command]
@="C:\\path\\to\\notepad++.exe \"%1\""

Then you can open your files in NP++ with a quick right-click, and NP++ will be able to auto-detect the right language based on the file extension.

Answer 2

No, it can't. You can choose it manually or use special file type extensions which you then associate with Notepad++ and tell it to highlight the files as the appropriate language.

For example, use .txtsql files for SQL, .txtcpp files for C++ and so on.

Answer 3

Manual selection is a much simpler way. Store all the files in .txt format (irrespective of java or C or C++). Open the file in Notepad++ and select the corresponding language in the Menu. e.g. Language --> Java.