Automatic save of new files on exit and reload on next start with automatic delete on saving/closing new file

gonzaddr · May 05, 2017#12017-05-05T23:24+00:00

Hello, everyone! I'm a long time user of Notepad++, but I'm testing UE and I like it so far... I have one question:

What I would like to do with UE is:

1. Create a blank file.
2. Write something.
3. Close UE without saving and no prompt about saving the file.
4. When I open UE again, all unsaved files are loaded.

I use Notepad++ like that, but don't know how to do it with UE. Is it possible?

Thanks!

Mofi · May 06, 2017#22017-05-06T12:03+00:00

As far as I know Notepad++ saves the contents of a new, unsaved file on exit in a file stored in %APPDATA%\Notepad++\backup, reloads this backup file on next start and deletes the backup file automatically on saving the new file with a definite name or closing the "new" file.

UltraEdit does not have such a feature at the moment. A file is created in %TEMP% (or the directory configured in INI file for temporary files) on opening a new file and the user has to decide on exiting UltraEdit what to do with that new file, save it or discard (delete) it.

There is the topic Save all new, unnamed files with automatically generated file names with a script which can be executed manually for example by pressing a hotkey to save all new, unnamed files before exiting UltraEdit.

It is also possible to have always opened a named file like TempTextData.tmp stored somewhere for temporary text data. This file can be also added to Favorite Files/Folders list for quickly reopening it in case of having it once closed in UltraEdit.

But most efficient would be to nearly never exit UltraEdit. All Windows support hibernate mode which I'm using already since Windows 98 which means since nearly 20 years. The hibernate mode makes it possible to leave all applications running on shutting down the computer and the applications continue running after next power on of the computer. The "new fast" shutdown and restart of Windows 8/8.1/10 is just a hibernate shutdown/restart with the difference of an automatic exit of all running foreground applications before hibernating. That's the reason why I suggest most Windows 8/8.1/10 users who want to continue working exactly as stopped before shutdown to use the good old real hibernate mode. It is customizable in Windows power schemes/energy options that Windows hibernates instead of doing a real shut down on pressing power off key on keyboard or computer case or clicking on shutdown item in Windows start menu or on closing display of notebook.

So applications like UltraEdit must be really exited only when a restart of Windows is necessary, for example after monthly security update installations of Windows or when an application is installed/uninstalled requiring a restart of Windows or UltraEdit itself is updated.

UltraEdit can be configured to minimize on system tray to remove its larger icon from Windows task bar to avoid occupying space on Windows task bar when kept running but being minimized as temporarily not needed.

However, you can request a feature by email to IDM support to keep new, unnamed files on exit optionally depending on a configuration setting which are further managed by UltraEdit like Notepad++. When there are enough other UltraEdit users requesting this feature, I'm quite sure a future version of UltraEdit will have it.

coolviper777 · Jun 28, 2018#32018-06-28T21:59+00:00

So what you are really saying is that an expensive paid program like UltraEdit doesn't have essential features like Notepad++ has. Very convenient features which make life easier.

And your workaround is a cop-out, which places the burden on the user to make sure they save everything, instead of saving things for them.

fleggy · Jun 29, 2018#42018-06-29T07:01+00:00

Just a short note - IIRC UE is able to reopen unsaved unnamed tabs after crash recovery. So the simplest workaround is "do not close UE, crash it" :)

BR, Fleggy

Mofi · Sep 19, 2018#52018-09-19T05:43+00:00

That is not an essential feature, not for me and most likely not for vast majority of UltraEdit / UEStudio users. The simple method to keep temporary text data stored over Windows shutdowns/restarts is storing them in a file with name Temp.txt. A single Temp.txt always opened in UltraEdit / UEStudio is enough to keep such text.

However, UltraEdit for Windows v25.20 and UEStudio v18.20 introduce the feature to keep unsaved files over exits of UltraEdit / UEStudio. This feature can be customized at Advanced - Settings or Configuration - File handling - Session options which has following settings:

Reload files previously open on startup
Remember and reload unsaved changes
- to saved files
- to unsaved "Edit" files
Reload FTP files when reloading a project or last open files
- Remember and reload unsaved changes to FTP files
Open from Explorer also loads file list
Discard unsaved "Edit" files with no prompt on application close
(Warning - this will automatically delete unnamed files)

The three green formatted settings existed already prior UltraEdit v25.20 respectively UEStudio v18.20. The other settings are introduced with UE v25.20 and UES v18.20.

The feature to remember and reload unsaved changes is enabled by default.

The availability of customization for the last two options depends on the other options above. Open from Explorer also loads file list and Discard unsaved "Edit" files with no prompt on application close can't be customized if the settings above require remembering and reloading unsaved changes to prevent a data loss.

The unsaved files are stored in directory %APPDATA%\IDMComp\UltraEdit\Restore respectively %APPDATA%\IDMComp\UEStudio\Restore. This is also the default location for temporary files created by UltraEdit / UEStudio instead of directory %TEMP% as used in previous versions of UltraEdit / UEStudio.

The storage location for temporary files and unsaved changes can be customized by adding to section [Settings] the entry Temp File Dir= with the path to existing directory in INI file of which full qualified file name is displayed at Advanced - Settings or Configuration - Application layout - Advanced. The folder path must be always without surrounding double quotes even on containing characters like space or ampersand which require on command line to enclose the folder path in double quotes. The folder path should not have a trailing backslash.

Please note that changes made on large or huge files opened without usage of a temporary file are still written always immediately to storage media.

mahks · Oct 20, 2018#62018-10-20T01:47+00:00

A consequence of this new "feature" is that in a second instance of UE (with a project unrelated to the one in the 1st instance) any files loaded in that second instance will not be remembered after closing that instance.

So, as far as I can tell, having two projects open at the same time now becomes a pain.

Have I missed something? Is there a way to "save" the state of open files in a second instance?

Mofi · Oct 20, 2018#72018-10-20T22:10+00:00

mahks, you are right and this is definitely a bug in my point of view. I reproduced this issue as follows:

I started UltraEdit v25.20.0.88, created a new project Test1, added two files to the project and also opened them in UltraEdit.
I started from within first instance of UE a second instance, created a new project Test2, added two other files to this second project and opened them, too.
I exited second instance of UltraEdit with opened second project first and next the first instance with opened first project.
I started UltraEdit and it loaded the first project Test1 and the two files as stored in Test1.*.pui file.
I started from with first instance a second instance of UltraEdit and loaded the second project Test2 via the recent projects list and ... well, the two files opened on last exit were not re-opened by UltraEdit on opening the project.

Test2.*.pui does not contain the entries for the two files opened on last closing of second project during exiting second instance of UltraEdit. This is definitely a bug as opened files on closing a project as done on exiting an instance of UltraEdit should be always written into the *.pui file of the project independent on the new features for saving/reloading unnamed files on exit.

UltraEdit v25.20.0.88 does not even save the data of opened files of opened second project in second instance of UltraEdit on manually closing second project in second instance of UltraEdit. So this behavior is definitely a bug. Exiting second instance of UltraEdit, closing in first instance the project, opening second project, opening the two files of second project and closing the second project in first instance results in writing the data of the two opened files into Test2.*.pui.

Please report this issue to IDM support by email as I have done, too.

Jan 25, 2019#82019-01-25T06:33+00:00

The issue with not saving workspace on closing a project/workspace opened in a different instance of UltraEdit than first instance is fixed with UltraEdit for Windows v25.20.0.156 and UEStudio v18.20.0.40 according to my tests.