Save/Load page

This section is up to date for TED Notepad version 6.3.1.0.
Control page Control:dialog:Settings:Save/Load

New

The Template file specifies path and file to be pre-loaded as template whenever a new document is created.

Note: The new document is still untitled. Saving it does not mean saving into the file specified as Template file.

Loading

The File size warning tells to issue a warning whenever a file bigger than this size is being loaded, simply to prevent accidental unwanted long loading times. Use zero here to disable such warnings altogether.

Note: This value does not limit size of files loadable in TED Notepad, merely poses a friendly loading warning and a choice to interrupt a lengthy operation.

The Only one instance of each file specifies, whether TED Notepad should check for other instances of the same file already opened. When this option is turned on, each file is cross-checked upon opening, and if it is already opened in another window of TED Notepad, a warning is issued, asking the user, whether to switch to the already opened window.

The Warn when file is modified from outside specifies, whether a watch is to be set for every opened file. When this option is turned on, TED Notepad raises a warning each time the currently opened file is modified by some other application. It asks, whether to Revert the file upon such event.

Note: By reverting, you discard all unsaved modifications and load the new version of the file. The selection and actual scrolling will try to persist the loading, locating the same line in the new version of the file.

Note: For further details on how file Encoding is handled upon reverting, see Revert.

The Warn on loading binary files specifies, whether user should be warned upon loading binary files. While TED Notepad is fully capable of handling binary files, it is not a hex editor and should not be used to edit binary files without great caution.

Backup (to .~ files)

The Create backup files specifies, whether to create backup files by copying the previous version of the original file upon each save operation.

The Keep multiple backups specifies, whether to create and keep more than one backup file. By default, backup file name is created by appending .~ to the original file name and older backup files are overwritten by newer ones. However, with this setting turned on, upto 10 files are gradually created by appending .~0 to .~9 to the original file name. After using all 10 backup file names up, the oldest backup file is always replaced upon each save, effectivelly rotating them. Please note that in this case the backup file date/time must be used to locate the latest backup, not the backup file name.

The Store backup files in Temp specifies, whether to store all backup files in the Temp path instead of using the original file path. If the original file path is used, the name of a backup file resembles nicely the original file name for user convenience. However, if backup files are stored in the Temp path, file names are somewhat mangled to prevent potential collisions between different original paths but same original file names.

Note: This file name mangling in the Temp path may change in the future, but it should always be possible to manually identify and link backup files to their originals, even after such changes.

The Use hidden backup files specifies, whether to create backup files with hidden file attribute. Hidden files usually do not get in the way, since they are not shown by file explorers, but can still be found and used if necessary.

Note: Backup files are never created as hidden if stored in the Temp path. It is expected that the Temp path is not going to get in the way itself.

Auto-save (to .$ files)

The Save recovery file every 5 mins specifies, whether to auto-save currently opened file every 5 minutes into a recovery file. The recovery file name is created by appending .$ to the original file name. The auto-save operation is performed on background and occurs only, if there are unsaved modifications made to the document.

Note: Recovery files are automatically deleted after successful Save operation; or upon closing the document by user request (e.g. by opening a new file or closing the editor window). However, in case of power loss or system crash, recovery files are kept. Upon loading documents, TED Notepad automatically searches for presence of recovery files and notifies the user whenever a bereaved recovery file is found. See Recovering auto-save files in chapter Recovering auto-save files for further details.

The Save directly to original allows to skip recovery files and auto-save directly to the original file. This type of auto-save operation is performed on background as well and occurs only, if there are unsaved modifications made to the document.

Note: Auto-saving like this does not resemble the manual Save command in all manners. For example no backup file is created even if Create backup files setting is turned on. Undo and Redo queues are not reduced by an auto-save operation even if Reduce Undo/Redo upon Save setting is turned on. The document is not marked as saved and still says that there are unsaved modifications.

Important: Usual warnings, messages and questions typical for resolving saving troubles are not shown during auto-saving (as otherwise expected). Upon any errors, messages, dilemmas or questions, the auto-save process is simply interrupted. An information message might be posted on the Status Bar, but not necessarily in all cases. From this point of view, saving directly to original is not very recommended and should only be used by users that fully understand the potential for inadvertent loss of data.

The Store recovery files in Temp specifies, whether to store all recovery files in the Temp path instead of using the original file path. If the original file path is used, the name of a recovery file resembles nicely the original file name for user convenience. However, if recovery files are stored in the Temp path, file names are somewhat mangled to prevent potential collisions between different original paths but same original file names.

Note: This file name mangling in the Temp path may change in the future, but it should always be possible to manually identify and link recovery files to their originals, even after such changes.

The Use hidden recovery file specifies to set hidden attribute to all created recovery files. Since TED Notepad searches for presence of recovery files automatically upon loading documents, loss of information due to hidden recovery files is rather small.

Note: Recovery files are never created as hidden if stored in the Temp path.

The Save Untitled documents specifies, whether to auto-save new documents as well. A new document does not have a file yet, and TED Notepad does not know yet, whether and where the file would eventually be saved. Such new documents are thus always auto-saved into the Temp path and must be recovered manually after a crash or power loss. Names of the auto-saved untitled documents try to resemble the opening lines of those documents.

Tip: If you experience a power loss and need to recover a lost Untitled document, open this page of the Settings dialog. Use the Explore button next to the Temp path to open the temp path, where the recovery file can be easily found.

Saving

The Force Read-only files specifies, whether files with read-only attribute can be forcibly written to. By using this option, TED Notepad overrides default system behaviour, which prevents modification of such files.

Tip: You can save into read-only file by opening its Properties dialog (hotkey Ctrl+F9) and unchecking the read-only attribute. After saving, you may then choose whether to set the read-only attribute back.

The No mixed newlines prevents from saving files with mixed newlines. The user is forced to some specific type of Newlines at all times, and this type is then used upon saving to convert all encountered newlines. See Newlines for further details.

Note: After turning the No mixed newlines setting on, if the current document has Mixed newlines selected for the Newlines option, the Default newlines setting from the File page of the Settings dialog is used to choose new Newlines option for the document.

Temp path

The Temp path specifies relative or absolute path, where to store temporary files.

• If no path is specified, the default current user temp folder is used; e.g. C:\Documents and Settings\User\Local Settings\Temp\TedNPad.
• If absolute path is specified, it is used unmodified. Note: No sub-directories are created and filename conflicts may potentially arise.
• If relative path is specified (e.g. .\temp or \docs), it refers to current working directory. Note: The current working directory is usually the directory which TED Notepad was started from; although shortcuts allow to specify another starting directory for example. The current working directory stays the same throughout the entire instance session.

Tip: A useful example for secure portable usage is a relative path starting with a back-slash (e.g. \temp\TedNPad), which makes all temporary files always to be stored on the same drive, from which you originally launched the application. This can be used to twist the USB drive around, while moving TED Notepad on the USB drive from one computer to another. Make the \temp folder hidden to get it out of the way.

Tip: If the path specified does not exist, it is automatically created. This can be very useful, but also potentially annoying, if relative path like .\temp is specified, since temp folders might start to appear all over the place.

Note: One of the requirements for this to work, is to use correct working directory upon launching TED Notepad from the USB drive. In most typical cases, the system uses the USB drive as the working directory (as expected). However, some file managers and portable launchers may need to be told what working directory to use explicitly. Set them to use the USB drive.