Feature request. New column for 64bit plugins

[T0m0rr0w]

Since N++ released v7 and now offers 64bit version then i think it would be good to have PM show wich plugins have 64bit versions available. In the near future... At the moment i imagine the list of 64bit plugins is very short.

Im using 32bit N++ so i cant check at the moment if 64bit N++ already incorporates 64bit PM that has this functionality. If so you may dismiss what i wrote above.

[bruderstein]

In progress!

[DariusHutchison]

Any updates on the progress?

[bruderstein]

Progress updates will be left here. It is being worked on (mainly by @chcg), but it will be a while (probably realistically at least a month until we have a version that works, probably more). This is not just "compile for x64", but add support for x64 plugins, which involves many changes.

The x64 branch is currently being worked on, if you want to help, chime in, and we'll try and split the tasks.

[Ebucel]

What is the status of the 64bit rebuild?

[bruderstein]

The build is complete (@chcg has done a great job of straightening everything out). I'm working on a new admin interface to allow the x64 plugins to be listed. It's actually going very well, and is quite a bit further than the public repository (bruderstein/npppm3) shows. I'm hoping to finish a minimum functioning product over the holiday period, such that we can start to move over, and get the x64 version out.

It doesn't make sense to create a plugin without a list, and currently there's no way of generating that list.

[pranav8494]

What is the status on this one?

[bruderstein]

The status is I'm working really hard on a new admin system which supports x64, and a bunch of other stuff we've needed for a while. It's more or less functionally complete now, just needs some tidying up of the rough edges, and the last couple of required features adding. I expect it'll be another couple of weeks before there's something ready to publish.

[goofy78270]

Not to harp, but any update on this?

btw...I appreciate the effort you guys put into this

If this is still in process, is it possible to alphabetize the plugin list as another feature (I know..scope creep right)...Thank you in advance for all you work

[dreamchen]

I built it use appveyor for master branch. the tag 1.4.4_beta was support x64

[chcg]

See https://github.com/bruderstein/nppPluginManager/releases/tag/v1.4.4 pre release. The x64 version just displays an empty plugin list (#39) until the server side is also available in a few weeks.

[BlackMage2]

The 64bit version of the 'PluginManager' works correctly on my 'Windows 7 64bit'. What about a 64bit version with 'NppExport'?

[chcg]

@BlackMage2 , also 'NppExport' exists as x64 at https://github.com/chcg/NPP_ExportPlugin/releases

[BlackMage2]

The PluginManager_v1.4.4_x64 plugin is recognized as a 32-bit plugin[recognizable by a corresponding message at startup](in the 64bit version of N++) but the PluginManager is still successfully loaded.

In the plugin manager are all 4 plugins in the category 'Installed', but each plugin is in the description: "Unknown plugin - let us know about this plugin on the forums Stability: "

[chcg]

@BlackMage2

• What do you mean with the message at startup? A message box similar to this one:

• The plugin list from the server is reduced to the ones containing x64 targets. The additional info is part of the list from the server with x64 install targets and therefore not available right now. Just the plugins loaded from n++ are shown there.

[BlackMage2]

@chcg I had already deleted, it was still the old dll in the NP++ plugin directory(in the user profile directory), which I forgot to delete, now no message comes.

and for the 64-bit(x64) version are currently only 4 plugins('Converter', 'MIME Tools', 'NppExport' and the 'Plugin Manager' itself) available, is that correct? And why does the 'Stability' attribute exist? This does not make much sense, if with each plugin 'Good' is (which is currently so) and at 64-bit is the list empty(the plugins must be manually installed).

[chcg]

Regarding prerelease https://github.com/bruderstein/nppPluginManager/releases/tag/v1.4.4:

Without the server support to manage x64 plugins the x64 client is of limited usage, as it just could display the already installed plugins and releasing that x64 version might confuse people more than it helps.

This first prerelease with x64 client version just adds the possibilty to find x64 plugins in the list from the server, no functional changes or new features. Also the next release probably is just for bugfixes.

[bruderstein]

Update: The management interface is now up to date on github, not yet complete, but it's ready for contributions to help get it to MVP :)

I've added issues explaining what is left to do, so contribution is easy, and you can keep track of how far we've got.

https://github.com/bruderstein/npppm3/milestones

If you'd like to contribute, please do! There's a README with details, and the issues are marked with difficulties so you can pick what you want :)

We may add further issues as they come up, but the bulk of what is needed for an MVP is added, not all issues are completely described though.

[MelchiorGaspar]

I just noticed the NP++ PM v1.4.5 release 45 minutes ago... what is the status if you don't mind me asking of: "- server side changes for x64 plugin list are still in progress , see #7"

[chcg]

v1.4.5 is a service release with bugfixes for the plugin manager client side, so unrelated to necessary work on the x64 server side

[MelchiorGaspar]

oke doki

[chcg]

See https://notepad-plus-plus.org/community/topic/13661/plugin-manager-x64-available-submit-your-plugins

with version https://github.com/bruderstein/nppPluginManager/releases/tag/v1.4.9 it is possible to use PM for x64, also the plugin list just starts to grow. If you want to contribute see https://github.com/bruderstein/npp-plugins-x64.

[CosmicPenguin2]

Users regard plugins as part of Notepad++. The PluginManager should list ALL plugins and have a column that says 32, or 64, or 32_and_64. In 64bit Notepad++ the row for a 32bit-only plugin could be grayed-out but it should be there and be readable. Users of 64bit should not be deprived of the knowledge of the existence of all the 32bit-only plugins. Why even use 64bit? What is the max file and clipboard size in 32 vs 64? This should be explicitly stated on the download page. I have been hanging out in the gitter.im forum for more than a month helping people, and the problem of plugins in 64bit comes up almost every day.

[chcg]

• 32bit plugins can't be used with 64bit N++, due to dll loading limitations, different mem models. So I don't see any big advantage in the grayed-out option except from knowing that the switch back to the 32bit N++ version would provide some usefull plugin for a certain usecase.

• max filesize in 32bit, see https://github.com/notepad-plus-plus/notepad-plus-plus/issues/681, could drop down to 100 MB or less if multiple tabs are open

• @CosmicPenguin2 Could you please added some links to the gitter issues you mentioned.

[CosmicPenguin2]

"don't see any big advantage in the grayed-out option except from knowing that the switch back to the 32bit N++ version would provide some usefull plugin for a certain usecase."

It would provide (the awareness of) many useful plugins for most users! The plugins provide lots of important capabilities. It's likely that most new users of Notepad++ who choose the 64-bit version do so from the vague idea that "bigger is better", and are unaware of all the great features they'll be missing out on in plugins. And the plugin manager -- which is the only source of information on plugins that most of them will ever see -- currently does nothing to enlighten them.

In 32bit, what is the max safe sum of the sizes of all open files. 100MB?
It's not clear from the reference. If you get near, or exceed that limit, will the program refuse nicely and explicitly, or might it mess up your files?

The help requests don't seem to be individually addressable. Just go to http://gitter.im/notepad-plus-plus/notepad-plus-plus?source=orgpage and search for: plugin Spending time at the helpdesk makes one aware that many -- possibly most -- Notepad++ users are fairly naive about software. So making the plugin situation instantly clear to them via the Plugin Manager will be very beneficial. I suspect that the number of users who can benefit from the many 32bit-only plugins is far greater than the number who will want to edit, e.g., 50MB of files at once. An important principle of software engineering is to guide the user into what is probably the best choice, rather than relying on them reading the documentation and figuring it out for themselves, which most won't do. The days of RTFM and BOFH are over, or at least should be. 8^)

[Cyberchipz]

Actually, some of us are quite aware, working in various languages, I was forced to switch to x64 because the x86 doesn't support lua development along side of many in game addon application developments. The x86 version of N++ does a (Freeze/Crash-known issue expected behavior-X64 is solution) Yes, the plugins are missed, wish I knew more about them, how they work, are created, etc might be able to help with that. Right now I am very poor at xml. So, yes, miss the plugin manager, look forward to when it will be available, and certainly we may see something on the lua side because of compatibility issues with WoW lua, some 32bit plugins were in development. I'm sure others may be hoping for a more robust IDE; but, that's not a Notpad++ issue. ;-) and, I love N++ for a more robust editor. So, if I need a plugin, guess I'll have to keep both x86 and x64 on the machine... then switch to x64 for debugging in situ for WoW, so to speak.

Any way one looks at it; thanks for all the work on x64 version, much appreciated. We'll all look forward to server side issues resolved. Too many irons in the fire to work on plug-ins, my wife would kill me. Here I am, hard at it, and 2 1/2 hours to Midnight New Year's eve... better get off and spend some quality time... thanks all.

[chcg]

@Cyberchipz https://github.com/bruderstein/nppPluginManager/releases/download/v1.4.9/PluginManager_v1.4.9_x64.zip is available and the server side is also available based on the existing win32 server with the list at https://github.com/bruderstein/npp-plugins-x64. The pluginManager is just not bundled with N++ any more, see #80.