Notepad++ setup for QB64

[RhoSigma]

Tired of the native QB64 IDE?
Well, Notepad++ is a good alternative, if there wouldn't be the fight to configure the whole mess...

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I did, and you can use it as a reliable foundation to build on and tweaking things for your personal taste and needs. The following archive contains all required files. Installation is described in detail and consists mainly of some simlple copy&paste or import operations. If you don't have Notepad++ installed yet, then I recommend to select the portable mode (i.e. tick the "Don't use %APPDATA%" checkbox) when you do, as it keeps all config files in the program folder rather than scattering everything all over the harddrive.

• all provided files are based on the Notepad++ release 8.8.1
  
• contains all keywords as of QB64 Phoenix Edition release 4.3.0
  • plus keywords used in my Libraries Collection
    
  • and keywords used in my GuiTools Framework
    

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Below the Notepad++ integration pack as of Dec/25.

Using OpenPGP, GnuPG or Gpg4Win you may check the provided archive signature against my GPG-Key to verifiy the authenticity of the archive. Inside the archive you'll also find a *.md5 file which holds the MD5 hashes for all other files in the archive. These can be checked using the md5sum GNU Core Utility or in case of Gpg4Win very easy by right clicking the file and then choose "Validate checksums" from the installed shell extension context menu.

  NppThemesQB.7z (Size: 129.86 KB / Downloads: 47)
  NppThemesQB.7z.sig (Size: 566 bytes / Downloads: 42)

As additional part you also find a chapter in the archive, which describes how to set up default icons for .bas, .bi and .bm files using Windows Registry entries, if you like to do that.

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Images:

[TerryRitchie]

I'm working on a library that has at present well over 5000 lines of code and growing. I decided to give RhoSigma's Notepad++ config a whirl and it's great!

I broke my library up into modules (.BM files) and $INCLUDE them in the main module. I loaded each .BM extension file into separate NotePad++ tabs and use the main library code in the QB64 IDE. This is working out really well.

When I make a change in one of the NotePad++ .BM files and introduce an error, after switching back to the IDE the IDE still informs me in which .BM file the error occurred and in which line number. I jump back over to NotePad++, click the appropriate tab, scroll down to the line number and make the corrections/changes.

I highly recommend giving this a try. It has completely changed my programming flow in a very positive way. I have a two monitor setup but this could easily work on a single monitor setup as well.

I'm not using NotePad++ as a replacement for the IDE. I still love the QB64PE IDE but RhoSigma's config for NotePad++ makes an excellent IDE enhancement tool.

This config had to have taken a great deal of time and patience to develop and I would like to thank RhoSigma for doing this.

[RhoSigma]

Thank you for the recognition Terry, your welcome.

It is perhaps the greatest reward for someone to see that the work they have done is as useful to others as it is to themselves. It ultimately justifies the effort put into a project.

[grymmjack]

Sweet. Does it show functions and subs in a panel?

[TerryRitchie]

Sweet. Does it show functions and subs in a panel?

Yes, it does. Go to View in the menu and then click on Function List. A panel appears on the right hand side listing all subroutines and functions allowing you quick access to them.

I never program without using this np++ setup now. I have many tabs open with all my most used snippets of code to view/copy/paste and/or modify.